Each season, more is expected of local football powerhouses, and this one’s no different. Plant, Armwood and Hillsborough have steep challenges this week.

Plant at John Curtis Christian (La.), 8:30
When Robert Weiner went looking in the offseason for a big game for his Plant Panthers to play, he set his sights on the biggest target he could find. Friday, Plant will play 24-time Louisiana state champ John Curtis Christian in the Superdome.

Plant was able to use its national reputation, and some coaching connections — assistant Cyril Brockmeier coached high school ball in New Orleans, as well as at Tulane — to secure Friday’s date in the second annual Allstate Sugar Bowl Prep Football Classic.

As unique as their previous spotlight games have been, nothing tops playing in the 70,000-seat Superdome, which has played host to some of sport’s most historic moments and some of New Orleans’ most tragic ones.

Hillsborough at Cocoa, 7:30
When Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia needed a game to fill the hole left by Plant, he ended up with a date playing a team with some national renown and recent ESPN appearances.
Friday, Hillsborough travels to Cocoa to take on the Tigers, winners of three state championships from 2008-10.

Garcia was hoping to flip Plant’s absence into a home game against a state power with notoriety. He got most of what he wanted, but he’ll need a few buses to get there.

“It’s a one-year deal. We signed the contract to go there,” Garcia said. “The promoter gave us $1,500 for the bus. The county will help us feed the kids on the way there.

“We’ve already seen (Cocoa). If you’re going to be good you’ve got to play good people. That will be the best football team we see all year outside of Armwood.”

American Heritage (Delray Beach) at Armwood, 7:30
Armwood will host Delray Beach American Heritage, which boasts one of the best running backs in the country and has played in four of the past five state championship games in its classification, winning three, including last year’s Class 3A title.

Last year’s Las Vegas trip was once-in-a-lifetime for a majority of the Armwood team. This year, Coach Sean Callahan settled for a match-up  with  a state champ.

It just so happened Callahan’s son, UCF assistant Kirk, knew American Heritage was looking for a game. The teams set a date  and even squared off once already this summer at a UCF camp in June.
Not expected to be the powerhouse they were last season, Callahan says a win over American Heritage possibly “gets us back in the national picture.”

Football schedule for Friday
Hillsborough
Keswick Christian at Carrollwood Day, 4
Victory Christian at Berkeley Prep, 7
Tampa Bay Tech at King, 7:30
Jesuit at Middleton, 7:30
Jefferson at Newsome, 7:30
Hillsborough at Cocoa, 7:30
Leto at Gaither, 7:30
Freedom at Plant City, 7:30
Steinbrenner at East Bay, 7:30
Strawberry Crest at Bloomingdale, 7:30
American Heritage (Delray Beach) at Armwood, 7:30
Alonso at Durant, 7:30
Seffner Christian at Bishop McLaughlin, 7:30
Tampa Catholic at Zephyrhills, 7:30
Sickles at Wharton, 7:30
Plant at John Curtis Christian (La.), 8:30
Pinellas
Northside Christian at Bradenton Christian, 7
St. Petersburg Catholic at Legacy Charter, 7
Cambridge Christian at Canterbury, 7
Tarpon Springs at Clearwater, 7:30
Pinellas Park at Largo, 7:30
Osceola at Northeast, 7:30
East Lake at Countryside, 7:30
Dixie Hollins at Seminole, 7:30
Robinson at Dunedin, 7:30
Lennard at Gibbs, 7:30
Blake at Lakewood, 7:30
Calvary Christian at Indian Rocks Christian, 7:30
Shorecrest at Admiral Farragut, 7:30
Lakeland Christian at Clearwater Central Catholic, 7:30
Palm Harbor University at St. Petersburg, 7:30