ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU 2009 High School Football Schedule

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU 2009 High School Football Schedule

Old Spice Showcase to Feature 17 Games

This season, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, will combine to present 21 live high school football games beginning Friday, Aug. 28, with two matchups. The first contest will feature two Iowa schools — Dike-New Hartford at Aplington-Parkersburg on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET. This will be the first nationally televised high school football game from the state and the first game for Aplington-Parkersburg since the passing of their legendary head football coach Ed Thomas. ESPN anchor Rece Davis will host a pregame special and the game telecast from Ed Thomas Stadium in Parkersburg, alongside analysts Herman Edwards and Chris Spielman, with reports from George Smith. The second game will pit visiting Venice (Fla.) against Oscar Smith (Va.) at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.

Working in conjunction with Paragon Marketing Group, the ESPN networks will televise 17 games as part of the 2009 ESPNU Old Spice High School Showcase. Presenting sponsors include Gatorade, Nike and the U.S. Marine Corps. The other four games will be part of the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series. ESPN360.com will supplement coverage with simulcasts of all ESPN and ESPN2 telecasts. The play-by-play for each telecast will rotate between Justin Kutcher and Clay Matvick, while the analysis will be handled by Tom Luginbill, Craig Haubert and newcomer Jon Berger. ESPN’s coverage of the high school football season will culminate with the annual Under Armour All-America High School Football Game on ESPN on Saturday, Jan. 2, and ESPNU’s National Signing Day special on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

ESPNU Recruiting Insider will return to supplement game coverage. The 30-minute show evaluates the top high school football recruits and programs throughout the season and will airs Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. on ESPNU, with Lowell Galindo hosting alongside ESPN Scouts, Inc., recruiting analyst Luginbill.

Seventeen schools from the ESPN RISE Fab 50 national team rankings will make appearances on the ESPN networks. No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) will appear twice; first against Upper Arlington on Aug. 29 at noon on ESPN and then vs. No. 2 Byrnes (S.C.) Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. on ESPNU. Other highly-ranked matchups include No. 30 Colerain (Ohio) at No. 3 Elder (Ohio) Sept. 6 at noon on ESPN; a quarterback showdown between Nick Montana of No. 6 Oaks Christian against Jake Heaps’ No. 9 Skyline (Wash.) squad on Sept. 18 at 10 p.m. on ESPNU; six-time Florida state champion Lakeland visiting 12-time California state champion De La Salle on Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. on ESPN2; and No. 5 Miami Northwestern (Fla.) at No. 28 Miami Central (Fla.) Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

Several players from the ESPNU 150, a national ranking of top prep football prospects, are expected to make appearances, including No. 6 Michael Dyer, RB (Little Rock Christian, Ark.); No. 10 Marcus Lattimore, RB (Byrnes, S.C.); No. 12 Lamarcus Joyner, CB (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.); No. 16 Mack Brown, RB (Martin Luther King, Ga.); No. 20 Lache Seastrunk, RB (Temple HS, Texas); No. 36 Phillip Sims, QB (Oscar Smith, Va.); No. 49 Todd Chandler, DT (Miami Northwestern, Fla.);No. 51 Aaron Benson, OLB (Cedar Hill HS, Texas); No. 54 Brandon Willis, DT (Byrnes, S.C.); No. 67 Blake Bell, QB (Bishop Carroll HS, Kan.); No. 72 Malcolm Jones, RB (Oaks Christian, Calif.); No. 76 Cody Riggs, CB (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.); and No. 131 Jake Heaps (Skyline, Wash.).

2009 ESPNU, ESPN and ESPN2 High School Football Schedule

(Schedule subject to change)

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