Red and White Nights set for Friday at Ottawa and Streator football fields

Friday night lights in the fall – or at least the late summer, for now – are back.

The Ottawa and Streator high school football programs will host their annual Red and White Night scrimmage events Friday ahead of their season openers Aug. 28.

Ottawa’s Red and White Night will begin at 4 p.m. with the Pirates tennis team’s Night Light Invite at the tennis courts next to the King Field gridiron. From there, the schedule continues with a Booster Club Extravaganza with food, raffles and spirit wear available in the student parking lot beginning at 5 p.m.

The volleyball scrimmage in Kingman Gym and soccer scrimmage on the soccer field take place at 5:45 p.m. At 6 p.m., the freshman and sophomore football teams will be introduced and scrimmage, with halftime bringing the introduction of the school’s golf, cross country and JV cheer teams along with the student trainers.

At 7 p.m., Ottawa’s volleyball, boys soccer, girls swimming, varsity cheer and varsity football participants will be introduced, with the cheer squad performing before the 7:15 p.m. start of the varsity Pirates football scrimmage. The Pirate Poms will be introduced and perform at halftime.

Admission is free.

Down Route 23 at the SHS Athletic Fields, Streator’s Red and White Night also will be Friday evening and feature the football program.

The JV Bullpups will scrimmage beginning at 6 p.m., with the varsity expected to begin about 6:30 p.m.

Although in previous years spectators were asked to bring a case of water or sports drink, this year the Streator football program is asking those attending to bring their loose change to donate to the program.

Streator will open the season Aug. 27 at home against East Peoria.

Ottawa is scheduled to play Week 1 at Sandwich.