Burleson schools, former Cowboys QB kicking off football season at AT&T Stadium
Burleson and Burleson Centennial will kick off the season on the biggest stage.
The ninth annual Battle of the Boot Game — the season opener for both — will be 7 p.m. on Sept. 24 at AT&T Stadium.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Elks and Spartans, both Class 5A schools, are having a delayed start to the season. According to the UIL, Class 5A and 6A schools can start practice on Sept. 7.
“All of us have been dealing with a lot in the past 5 1/2 months. We’ve been dealing with getting our schedules in place. We’ve changed the varsity football schedule three times,” Burleson ISD athletic director Kevin Ozee said.
Before COVID-19, the game was originally scheduled for Week 2 of the season on Sept. 4 at Burleson ISD Stadium.
“We’ve been looking at ways to host the Boot Game in a safe environment and to get as many people in the stadium as possible,” Ozee said.
Jon Kitna, in his first year as head coach at Burleson, returns to AT&T Stadium after he was Cowboys quarterback coach during the 2019 season. He was also a player for the Cowboys in 2009-11 and 2013.
‘I’m so proud of our administration for thinking outside of the box to present a great venue for our two proud high schools in the Burleson community,” said Kitna, who was hired in March. “I look forward to this event bringing us together to kick off our season.”
Another different look to the Boot Game is that for the first time, it’s not a district contest.
Centennial was pushed up to Division I after February’s UIL realignment while Burleson stayed in Division II. The series is tied at 4-4. The Spartans have won the past two meetings after a 37-10 decision last year.
“I know our kids are excited about the opportunity, which is what matters the most to me,” said Centennial coach Kyle Geller, who has been with the school since it opened in 2010. “I’m thankful to our admin and the Cowboys organization for arranging it.”
