Last updated: Aug. 20, 12:28 a.m.

• RECAP: Panthers open season with 42-7 win over Henderson County #RFgameday

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PREVIEW

The Mighty Panthers will officially kick off their 2016 football campaign this Friday night  in Henderson, Ky. when they battle the Henderson County Colonels for the 15th time.

It will be the debut for Josh Boston, the Colonels’ new coach, who comes from Union County (Ky.).

Reitz head coach Andy Hape, at 28-8 as he enters his fourth season at the helm, is 2-1 against the Kentucky school.

Reitz leads the series, nine games to five.

This will be Home Team Friday’s Game of the Week and will be broadcast live on Local 7 WTVW.

Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.

On a side note, this will be the first time since 1984 that Tony Lewis hasn’t been on one of the sidelines of this rivalry (of course, the teams didn’t play from 1985-2008).

Local media coverage

• Home Team Friday Countdown: Week 1 (TriStateHomepage.com)

• VIDEO: Panthers are team with most to prove, according to #44Blitz roundtable discussion (44 Blitz)
• Reitz preview: Ready or not, it’s time for some football (Courier & Press)
• Reitz’s Diekmann eager to prove himself again (Courier & Press)
• Reitz’s two-way players could help Henderson (Henderson Gleaner)

Panthers in the Polls

• AP media poll: Class 4A No. 5
• IFCA coaches poll: Class 4A No. 4
• Gridiron Digest fan poll: Class 4A No. 4
• Massey ratings: Overall No. 55
• MaxPreps.com ratings: Overall No. 58
• MyIndianaFootball.com ratings: Class 4A No. 6
• Sagarin ratings: no preseason rankings

Listen/watch the game

• TV: Local 7, 7 p.m.
• RADIO: WSON 860 AM & 95.5 FM, 5:45 p.m.
• LISTEN ONLINE: WSONradio.com, 5:45 p.m.

Want to dig deeper into the history of this rivalry? Join PantherPlus!

One more thing: As you know, Tracy Zeller Jewelry has been the sponsor for this section of ReitzFootball.com since 2010 when we implemented the ReitzFootball.com Community Partnership Program. Although they are no longer an official partner with the website, we’d like to personally thank them for all their support throughout the years. It is because of our current and past partners that this website is possible.