Little Rock Central, Rogers game canceled

Friday’s Class 7A nonconference game between Rogers and Little Rock Central was canceled early in the first quarter because of lightning near Quigley Stadium at Bernie Cox Field in Little Rock.

The game was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., but kickoff was delayed 40 minutes because of lightning. After Rogers ran three offensive plays to open the game, Central was preparing for its first offensive play from the Tigers 32 when action was halted with 10:47 remaining in the first quarter because of lightning south of the stadium

The cancellation was announced approximately 10 minutes into what would have been at least a 30-minute delay.

Under Arkansas Activities Association rules, the game is considered a “no contest” because it was “interrupted” and the first half not completed “due to events beyond the control of the administrative authority.”

Rogers (0-1) is scheduled to host Class 5A Little Rock Parkview next week while Central (1-1) has an open date. Rogers and Little Rock are separated by approximately 210 miles. Conference play for both schools begins Sept. 21.

“I’m not going to drive back to Little Rock on Monday and play our game on Friday,” Rogers Coach Mike Loyd said. “That’s not advantageous for our program and our kids. If we sit here right now, you don’t get to kick off until 9 o’clock. It’s all around us, anyway. We’ve got to consider the safety of the kids.”

Tigers Coach Kent Laster was scheduled to make his home debut against Rogers after playing West Memphis in Week 0 in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium and at Rogers Heritage last week.

“That’s tough,” Laster said of the cancellation. “I was willing to wait until 9, but they had to get on back.”

Although only light rain fell during the two delays, stadium officials asked fans to remain in stadium concourses because of the threat of lightning.