Opening night of the prep football season will indeed by special, with the Hornet-Hornet battle taking place on venerable Sheets Field in downtown Buckley.

It will be just the second time White River has hosted a game on the Sheets sod since the opening of the “new” White River High in the fall of 2003. Last season, the Hornets defeated Highline High 41-22 on the natural grass surface that hosted home football games for generations.

This year’s clash of Plateau rivals kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday. To allow the anticipated crowd to get settled in plenty of time, three ticket windows will operate and the gates will open at 5.

Other special features for the “Battle of the Bridge” include:

• a 5:30 p.m. parade over Buckley’s Main Street – beginning at River Avenue – by the White River cheer squad, band and fully-uniformed football team, escorted by the Buckley Police Department;

• a moment of silence prior to the game honoring the late Joe Kolisch, a White River graduate, former Enumclaw fire chief and longtime trainer for White River athletics; and

• presentation of the colors by the Buckley Fire Department color guard.

For those wanting to avoid the sometimes-difficult parking situation around Sheets Field, a free shuttle will operate between downtown Buckley and White River High. The shuttle will begin making trips at 5:15 p.m., picking up passengers in front of the school. The return trip is slated for 30 minutes following the game.