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The Ariton Purple Cats and Zion Chapel Rebels are once again entering into the 2022 season as Class 2A, Area 2 foes and recently both schools released their upcoming football schedules.

Ariton will host Zion Chapel in their region matchup this season on Sept. 16. In 2021, Ariton ran away with a 42-6 win over the Rebels and have won the last five games between the two sides by a combined score of 181-25.

Rounding out the Rebels’ non-region schedule is the season opener against Goshen on Aug. 26, a home matchup with Pleasant Home on Sept. 23 and the regular season finale against the always-tough Reeltown on Oct. 28.

In region play, Zion Chapel will start off the season on the road against Wicksburg on Sept. 2, Samson on Sept. 9 and the Ariton matchup on Sept. 16. The Rebels then get a chance for three straight home games with region foes GW Long on Sept. 30 and Geneva County on Oct. 7 following the non-region game with Pleasant Home on Sept. 23.

Zion Chapel wraps up the regular season with an Oct. 14 road showdown with Cottonwood and then two straight home games against Abbeville on Oct. 21 and the season closer against Reeltown.

Ariton is coming off two 10-win seasons in the last three years, including last year’s 10-2 record and an appearance in the second round of the playoffs. Along with the tough region slate of games, Ariton starts the season off with a pair of equally tough non-region matchups.

The Purple Cats will play Class 4A’s Dale County to open the season on Aug. 19 and then travel to Highland Home on Aug. 26. The Flying Squadron are coming off a season that saw Highland Home make it all the way to the Class 2A State Semifinals. Ariton’s final non-region game will be against Class 3A’s Straughn on the road on Sept. 23.

Ariton’s region schedule begins on the road at Geneva County on Sept. 2 before hosting GW Long on Sept. 9 and Zion Chapel on Sept. 16 in back-to-back games. Following the Straughn matchup, Ariton hosts Cottonwood on Sept. 30 and Abbeville on Oct. 7. The Purple Cats will close out the regular season with road games at Wicksburg on Oct. 14 and Samson on Oct. 21.