McCallie-Baylor game leaving Finley

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

One of the city's most storied prep football rivalries again will be held on campus each season. After using Finley Stadium as its home field against Baylor since 2000, McCallie School has decided to head back to the ridge, beginning this fall.

"Playing the game at Finley has worked well for us, but it's not a tradition if we only do it every other year," McCallie assistant principal Kenny Sholl said. "We never really experienced a home-field advantage the way Baylor had, so this allows the McCallie community to keep it on campus."

This year's game, which is set for Oct. 3, will be played at McCallie's Spears Stadium for the first time since 1998. Both teams had hosted the game at Finley from then until 2007, when Baylor elected to move back to Heywood Stadium in its years to host the matchup.

McCallie had opted to continue holding the game at Finley Stadium, which can hold more than 20,000 spectators. Spears Stadium can seat about 4,000.

Both on-campus stadiums are much smaller than Finley, meaning that tickets will be much harder to acquire with the game leaving Finley.

Finley Stadium executive director Paul Smith said he had been informed that the rivalry game between the two private schools will be held on the McCallie campus this fall.

"I feel it's unfortunate because it's such a great community event that now will be seen by fewer people at smaller venues," Smith said.

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.

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