Excelsior Springs is scheduled to play a team Friday night in varsity 11-man football that the Tigers might not have played before – and might not play again any time soon.

The Tigers (1-6 overall) are slated to host Miller Career Academy/Sumner (1-6), a Class 2 co-op program based in the St. Louis metro area. Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) records show no previous meetings between the two programs.

Friday’s meeting resulted from Excelsior Springs’ transition from the Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference to the Midland Empire Conference (MEC), according to Tigers coach Jake Danneman. With the switch, the Tigers had some openings for nonconference opponents they needed to fill, Danneman explained Monday. Early in the offseason, Excelsior Springs penciled in Boonville for the season opener, Warrensburg for Week 2 and Independence-based William Chrisman for Week 6, he said.

“We still had Week 8 open for quite a while,” Danneman said. “And I don’t think we got M…