By Kyle Roberts
Ruston High School’s 2024 regular season schedule has been released and, in no surprise whatsoever for Bearcats fans, will feature stout competition from week one to week ten for the reigning state champions.
And this time, Ruston heads westward to play for three straight weeks in the Lone Star State.
“We are looking forward to the preparation to be ready to play all of the great teams we have lined up on our schedule,” Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “It will be one big challenge after the next. We will need our fans to be ready to support our guys at home and on the road again this year.”
The Bearcats will open up at home with Acadiana High out of Lafayette, La., who was the state runner-up in the 2024 Select Division-I title game on Friday, Sept. 6.
Ruston will then host Cabot High out of Arkansas in a continuation of a home-and-home series that will continue for the third straight season on Friday, Sept. 13.
The Bearcats will then begin three consecutive weeks out in Texas Friday, Sept. 20, at Longview, and then at Choctaw Stadium against Midland Legacy on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m.
Ruston will wrap up non-district play against Stephenville High on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. at Lobo Stadium in Longview, Texas.
Ouachita will then host Ruston for the first District 2-5A matchup of the ’24 season on Friday, Oct. 11, and then the Bearcats will return back home to host Neville on Friday, Oct. 18. Following reclassification, the Tigers has rejoined District 2-5A, with the West Ouachita Chiefs dropping back to 4A.
The ‘Cats will then head to Alexandria Senior High for Friday, Oct. 25, and then will be back home for 2024’s Homecoming game with Pineville on Friday, Nov. 1.
Ruston will wrap up the regular season on the road at Rebel Stadium to take on West Monroe.
The Bearcats will also head to Byrd for an August scrimmage game and then Neville for the Aug. 26 Jamboree scheduled to be held at Ouachita.
