Can you feel it in the air? The smell of freshly cut grass, the heat that just got that much hotter and the opportunities for gridiron greatness awaiting.
Former Bronco and current Tiger Chris Hilton Jr. kicked things off last week as one of the LSU representatives at SEC media days.
Hilton is a senior this year and figures to be a key target at wide receiver for the Tigers as they look to improve on last year’s 9-4 record. They open things up on Saturday, Aug. 30 against the Clemson Tigers at Clemson Memorial Stadium that they (Clemson) also refer to as “Death Valley.â€
Football is not just for guys. At 6 p.m. on Aug. 15, the ZHS football coaching staff will host the third annual Ladies at the Corral. Last year over 140 women attended a night to simulate the high school football experience.
Participants activities include a pre-game meal, a lecture by head football coach David Brewerton (Football 101), hype videos, breakout sessions with position coaches and coordinators, a pregame talk by coach Brewerton and a run through the Bronco head on to the field followed by a pre-game warmup.
For more information, go to the Zachary Athletics website to get the QR code to register.
Meet the Broncos
Aug. 25 is “Meet the Broncos†where the 2025 football, volleyball, cross-country and swim teams will be introduced along with cheerleaders and performances by the band.
Jamboree, Braves schedule
Hot off the presses! Northwestern Middle School’s football team has been invited to participate in a jamboree scrimmage in the Super Dome on Aug. 24 against West Ridge Middle School, a feeder school for West Monroe.
The Braves regular season starts on Aug. 27 with a home game against Cathedral-Carmel before head coach Aaron Odom and staff take the Braves on the road for matchups with John Curtis (Sept. 3) and Youngsville (Sept. 10).
The Braves will then host Lutcher (Sept. 17), West Feliciana (Sept. 23), Jesuit (Sept. 30) and CSAL (Oct. 7) at Bronco Stadium. The Braves close out the season at home on Oct. 23 against Brusly and Oct. 28 against Central.
Broncos ready to go
The ZHS Broncos will host Denham Springs on Thursday, Aug. 21 at the Bronco Corral. Last year’s scrimmage was quite chippy and should be interesting. The Yellow Jackets were knocked out of the 2024 playoffs in the first round by West Ouachita (42-41).
This year’s jamboree on Aug. 29 will have a new feel with the Broncos competing against the Livonia junior varsity and varsity teams.
Coach Brewerton indicated that next year the Broncos will start a home and home jamboree series with Alexandria Senior High that includes eighth grade, ninth grade, junior varsity and varsity games all on the same day.
Plaquemine travels back to Zachary for the season opener on Sept. 5. In 2024 the Green Devils opened with a 49-14 loss to the Broncos and then proceeded to blow everyone out during the regular season (averaging almost 50 points per game).
Plaquemine advanced to the semifinals before falling to eventual 4A state champion Cecilia. To say there could be bad blood in this one is an understatement as coach Brewerton noted “they return 18 starters off a semifinal team so they should be really good.â€
The following week, Sept. 12, the Wrecking Rams of Acadiana come to Zachary for Hall of Fame night. Brewerton said the Rams have a new coach in Doug Dotson whose father was a long-time head coach at Acadiana.
The Broncos will then head to Carencro on Sept. 19 for a rematch of last year’s 34-33 Bronco victory. Brewerton noted that, like Plaquemine, “Carencro has as bunch of returning starters including their outstanding quarterback and we are expecting another great game.â€
The pre-district schedule ends with Opelousas on the road on Oct. 3. The Tigers graduated several players from last year’s team and their coach has moved on to Liberty and District 4-5A, but Liberty and the rest of District 4-5A are a tale for another day.