The last time the Southside Panthers started 4-0, Nick Saban was still coaching at LSU, George W. Bush was running for re-election and Facebook was only seven months old.

The world has changed a little bit over the last dozen years. On Friday night, Southside, a team that has had one winning season in 10 years, is hoping to show the rest of the state how far it has come too.

The Panthers (3-0) take on Pike County (2-1) in a class 3A, region 3 battle Friday night at Southside High School. The winner takes the early lead in the region.

“Since I’ve been at the school, this is the biggest game,” said Southside head coach Daniel Flowers. “We’ve still got to play the game and play it one game at a time. We have to treat it like the Selma High game. It has that many implications on it.”

Southside and Pike are the only undefeated teams left in region 3. Both teams come in at 2-0 in region play, so the winner would be in great position to clinch a playoff spot in the next few weeks.

Flowers said Southside’s alumni have organized a “red out,” where all Panthers fans will be asked to wear red for the game. He said students will be notified of the “red out” during Friday’s pep rally. To keep with the theme, Southside will also be wearing its red jerseys for the first time all season.

Flowers said the alumni came to him with the idea, which reinforced how much the community is rallying around the Panthers’ football team right now.

“Everybody is talking about it. At faculty meetings we’re talking about, the cheerleaders  are talking about it. It’s a good feeling at the school right now,” Flowers said. “They are talking about football. This is the first time in my five years at the school where everybody is coming to me asking something about football.”

Last year, the Panthers sold home games to make up for a deficit in the school’s athletics budget. This year Flowers said the team is having no trouble filling the stands.

Winning on Friday night would take the excitement around the team to another level, but it won’t be an easy task.

Unlike Southside, Pike is a school with a playoff heavy tradition. The Bulldogs have only missed the playoffs five times since 1984, while Southside has only made the postseason four times since then.

Pike runs a I-formation, power run game and will try to overpower Southside at the line of scrimmage. Southside faced a similar attack in last week’s 50-20 win over Beulah.

“The team that can stop the run and the team that can run the ball is going to win,” Flowers said.

Pike lost its opener to Elba, an undefeated team in 2A, but has bounced back with wins over B.B. Comer and Montgomery Academy. Southside started its season with a win over Selma and has kept the momentum going with victories over Prattville Christian and Beulah, two region opponents.

A win would make Southside a near-lock for the playoffs and would keep talk of an undefeated season alive for another week.

“I’ve been saying since I got here that I want some pressure. I want people to expect us to win. I feel like it’s finally there and I like it,” Flowers said.

“A lot of folks don’t like pressure. I’m enjoying this. “

 

Friday’s Other Games:

No. 1 Maplesville (2-0) at Ellwood Christian (1-3)

Maplesville comes into Friday night’s game against Ellwood Christian looking just as dominant as it has the last two years. The Red Devils haven’t allowed any points in wins over Notasulga and Highland Home and will now face an Eagles team that has struggled to find consistent offense.

Maplesville hopes to remain unbeaten in class 1A, region 3 while the Eagles look for their first region victory.  Maplesville won last season’s meeting 54-18.

 

Selma (0-3) at Paul Bryant (1-3)

Selma looks to turn around its season Friday night at Paul Bryant in a class 6A, region 4 game. The Saints are coming off a 34-18 loss to Dallas County and are already 0-1 in region play thanks to a 43-0 loss to Bessemer City.

If Selma hopes to make a run for the playoffs, Friday’s game appears to be a must win. Paul Bryant is 1-1 in region play after splitting games against Brookwood and McAdory. The Stampede beat Selma 25-21 last season in Tuscaloosa.

 

Dallas County (1-2) at Sumter Central (1-3)

Dallas County fans are hoping last week’s 34-18 win over Selma will jumpstart the Hornets’ season. As big as last week’s win was, this week’s game is much bigger for the Hornets’ playoff hopes.

Dallas County is 0-1 in class 5A, region 3 after a three-point loss to Calera earlier this year. Sumter Central enters off a 28-20 loss to Jemison that dropped the Jaguars to 1-1 in region play. Sumter’s only win of the year came over Marbury, a team the Hornets will face in early October. Dallas County defeated Sumter Central 20-0 last season.

 

Morgan Academy (2-2) at Hooper Academy (2-1)

The Morgan Academy road tour continues another week as the Senators travel to Hope Hull to face Hooper Academy. This is Morgan’s fourth game in five weeks away from home.

The Senators are coming off a 61-15 loss to Monroe Academy, the No. 3 ranked team in AISA. Hooper enters off a 35-6 loss to Northside Methodist. The Colts won games against Mason East and Sparta Academy to begin their season.

Morgan won last season’s meeting 45-9.

 

Meadowview Christian (1-2) at New Life (1-1)

Meadowview enters Friday night’s game against New Life Christian with momentum following its first win of the season. The Trojans dominated Chilton Christian 69-12 last week and moved to 1-2 on the year. New Life will look to bounce back after a 64-20 loss to Tabernacle Christian last week.