CHESAPEAKE, VA (WTKR)- Chesapeake officials want to make sure that high school football games won't crash Luke Bryan's party.
OK, so it's more about traffic and security, but city football teams will take the field under the Thursday night lights this week, with Bryan's concert set for Friday evening.
Bryan will be performing at Heritage Park on Battlefield Boulevard, part of the musician's 2024 Farm Tour. Area athletic directors told News 3 that the police department will not be able to provide security for any games Friday night because of obligations at the concert, leading to the switch. Heavy traffic is also expected in the region, with parking lots opening at 2:00 PM for the 6:00 PM concert.
Four games will now kick off Thursday at 7:00 PM:
Nansemond River @ Oscar Smith- Last season saw the Warriors beat the Tigers for the first time since 2002. Both squads enter Thursday's match-up undefeated and looking to take an early step towards the Southeastern District crown with a key early-season victory.
Deep Creek @ Grassfield- After an opening win over Currituck County, Deep Creek suffered a 42-7 setback to Nansemond River last week. The Hornets meet a Grassfield squad in search of its first win of 2024. Deep Creek won last year's meeting, 21-7.
Western Branch @ Hickory- The Bruins are on a two game losing streak after facing two buzz-saws in Benedictine and King's Fork. They'll look to even up their record at 2-2 against a Hickory squad that is hoping to climb above the .500 mark. The Hawks dropped last week's game at Indian River, following a lopsided season-opening win over Manor.
King's Fork @ Great Bridge- The Bulldogs' defense of their Southeastern District crown is off to a strong start, as they've outscored their first two opponents 71-13. The Fork will meet up with Great Bridge, which was shutout at Oscar Smith last week after rolling past Norview and its opener.
