Last weekend was rivalry weekend in college football, with games like Ohio State-Michigan, Florida-Florida State and Alabama-Auburn highlighting a weekend of great action.

This weekend, high school basketball in Dallas County will have the same feel with three great county rivalries taking place Friday and Saturday. Selma will travel to Keith Friday night after falling to the Bears by five in a matchup earlier this season and then the Saints will host Southside Saturday.

“It is always a big challenge because you’ve got Keith on Friday and then you have to get the kids back up for Southside,” Selma head coach Woodie Jackson said. “It is very competitive.”

The Saints and Bears have already matched up one time this year, with Keith winning 53-48 on Nov. 16. Considering that was each team’s season opener, both teams expect a different game the second time around.

“They have probably gotten a little bit better and it is going to be a tough game,” Jackson said. “They work real hard and they play real good as a team so the game is going to be very competitive.”

Keith head coach Tommy Tisdale — fresh off his 101st victory at the school — said it looks like the Saints are starting to round into form.

“It looks like they are starting to get their feet under them,” Tisdale said. “They have won two or three in a row. They have been playing pretty good as of late.”

While Keith gets Saturday off this week, the Saints take on Southside — who has a tough two game weekend of their own — Saturday.

Jackson said the rivalry with the Panthers is a lot like the football rivalry, because it attracts a large number of fans. Saturday’s games will start at 4 p.m., something the Saints do a little different for the Southside rivalry because of the amount of traffic they expect.

“I think the kids really get up for those rivalry games and records go out the window for rivalry games,” Southside head coach Cedric Brown said.

Before Saturday’s contest with Selma, Southside has to take on Dallas County, who is undefeated outside of play in the Capstone Classic that featured some of the best team’s from around the state.

“We are looking forward to it,” Brown said. “It will be a challenge playing those two rivalry teams back to back and one being at home on Friday. It will be a great challenge and an opportunity for the guys to grow up.”

Other games this weekend include Ellwood Christian battling John Essex Friday night. The Eagles have already played Selma this week, falling 66-57 Tuesday night.

Morgan Academy is playing in the Southern Tournament in Greensboro this Thursday and Saturday while Meadowview Chrsitian is battling Coosa Valley Thursday at home.