Zye’Kobe Hillsman (3) finds an opening against Jo Byrns in a preseason scrimmage on July 31. CHRISTINA MOORE
Weeks 5-7 of Houston County’s football season has the Fighting Irish hosting McEwen before consecutive road trips to Cornersville and Hickman County.
McEwen travels to Erin on Sept. 18 riding a six-game winning streak against Houston County. The Fighting Irish are 18-43 all-time against the Warriors and have not won a game in the series since winning two straight in 2018 and 2019.
The former region foes will face each other for the 32nd year in a row. They have met every year since 1963 except for a two-year stint from 1993-94. Last year’s game ended in a 24-20 McEwen win.
In 2024, McEwen prevented Houston County from clinching its first home playoff game since 2019 with a 26-0 shutout win that bumped the Irish to third place in the region.
Houston County travels to Cornersville on Sept. 25 for the second-ever meeting between the two programs. Head coach Orman Meadow’s team won last year’s game 32-7 behind 232 rushing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions from Preston Mitchell.
The Irish defense held Cornersville to 257 yards of total offense after intercepting four passes.
Houston County opens Region 6-2A play on Oct. 2 against Hickman County. The Bulldogs were the only team that the Fighting Irish beat last season in league play.
The Irish took last year’s meeting 26-14. They outscored Hickman County 20-7 in the first half and held the Bulldogs to seven points over the final two quarters.
Houston County is 5-6 all-time against Hickman County and have beaten the Bulldogs in each of the last two seasons.