Both Mike Stokes and his son, Kenyon Walker, have spent the week preparing for Thursday night’s Southside-Ellwood Christian football game. They’ll both be on the same field and may even exchange a few words before kickoff.

That’s when they’ll go their separate ways.

Stokes, the head coach of the Eagles, will lead Ellwood Christian onto the field, while Walker will don his black and red Southside jersey and run to the Panthers’ sideline. For the first time in their lives, they won’t be on the same side for a football game.

“I never thought I’d be playing against my dad,” Walker said with a smile.

It’s the type of matchup that doesn’t happen very often in high school football and both admit it’ll be pretty special.

By the time Stokes took the job at Ellwood Christian — one of his two tenures at the school — Kenyon was already comfortable in the Dallas County School System. Stokes and his wife Cynthia Stokes decided that was the most important thing and left Kenyon at Southside, even after Mike went back to Ellwood.

“The reason I never moved him is he grew up playing with a lot of guys over there,” Stokes said. “I didn’t want to take him from that. He was happy. Me and his mom decided that we’d just leave him there.”

The only downside of that decision is that Stokes rarely gets to see Kenyon play. He watched last week’s Central Hayneville-Southside game because the Eagles had a bye week, but that’s the only game he’s seen Kenyon, a junior, play this year. He’ll also be at next week’s playoff game, but Thursday he’ll have his best view of the year.

“I’m going to try to concentrate on what we’re doing, but I know at some point I’m going to be watching what he’s doing,” Stokes said. “I’ll be a coach on my sideline and a coach for him.”

As you can imagine, the smack talk in the Stokes’ household has been pretty loud in the last few weeks. Thursday’s game matches one team going to the playoffs in Southside (6-3) and one still looking for its first official win (0-9), but most players and coaches on both sides are hyping up the matchup between the father-son duo.

“We’re going to beat them by like 50 points,” Walker said with a laugh.

Stokes said he laughs about his son’s confidence but is quick to point out that Ellwood is the team with nothing to lose Friday. The Eagles can play pressure free.

“He walks past me some mornings and says ‘I feel sorry for you dad,’” Stokes said. “I laugh about it, but I keep reminding him, we don’t have anything to lose. We can just go out there and play.”

At some point Thursday, Stokes said he will call a pass play that will test Walker, a defensive back for the Panthers.

“I’m going to rock him to sleep. I’m going to catch him and rock him to sleep,” Stokes said with a smile.

And what happens if Walker happens to intercept that pass and runs it back for a touchdown?

“I’m going to run toward their sideline, tell him something and then run to ours,” Walker said with a big grin.

Whatever is said, Thursday’s winner will have bragging rights for a while around the Stokes’ household. Until next year, that is.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Thursday at Southside.

 

Billingsley at Dallas County

Dallas County (5-4) locked up a playoff spot in class 5A, area 3 last week, and the Hornets hope to keep the positive momentum going this week against Billingsley (4-4).

The Hornets enter on a three game winning streak led by their defense. Dallas County allowed only an average of 15 points per game over the last three games.

All of Dallas County’s losses this year have come to playoff teams.

Billingsley lost last week’s game to Aliceville 54-29. The game will be played Thursday night.
Stanhope Elmore at Selma

It’s been a tough year for Selma (1-8), but the Saints can finish the year on a high note with a win against Stanhope Elmore (3-6).

The Saints have lost four straight games, including a 59-14 loss to top ranked Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa last week.

Stanhope has lost three in a row and fell to Sidney Lanier 26-20 last week.

The game will be played Thursday at Memorial Stadium.
Central Hayneville at Keith

Keith (5-4) has won three of its last four games entering Friday night’s season finale against Central Hayneville (1-9). The Bears know they’ll be playing next week against New Brockton in the 2A playoffs.

Keith can clinch its first winning season since 2012 with a win against Hayneville. The Lions have lost six straight games and their only win this year is against Calhoun.

The game will be played Friday night.
Autauga Academy at Morgan Academy

Morgan Academy (5-5) was eliminated from playoff contention last week, but the Senators still have plenty to play for Friday night against No. 1 ranked Autauga Academy (9-0).

A win would not only upset the Generals and give Morgan plenty of momentum going into the offseason but would also clinch the Senators first winning season since 2011.

The game will be played Friday night.