Heritage Hall vs. Bethany to be televised on ESPNU

ESPN released it’s schedule for the 16-game Geico ESPN High School Football Showcase on Thursday morning, and it will conclude with the Week 9 showdown between Heritage Hall and Bethany.

The Chargers will host the Bronchos Friday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

That will be the series’ second stop in Oklahoma. Tulsa Union hosts Louisiana’s Evangel Christian in the season opener on Sept. 2, which will also be broadcast on ESPNU.

Heritage Hall and Bethany met twice last year. In Week 9, Heritage Hall won at Bethany 14-7 in a game that sealed the district title for the Chargers. The two teams met again in the Class 3A semifinals, with the Chargers taking a 28-14 decision and going on to win the state championship over Kingfisher the next week.

The chance to play on ESPNU is an exciting one for the players.

“It’s gonna be incredible,” Bethany quarterback Ryley Claborn said. “It’s a great chance for the guys on the team that haven’t been looked at by colleges, especially. It’s a great way to get exposure for our players and our school. It’ll be fun to have that feeling, then go home and watch the game and know you’re on national television.”

Fifteen of the 16 games for the ESPN series were announced Thursday and include 30 teams from 13 different states. Here’s the full schedule.

– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com