The Escambia County High School and Escambia Academy football teams both face tough road tests this week, while Northview hosts Bozeman High School in Bratt.

 

ECHS at T.R. Miller

ECHS will travel to Brewton to take on the Tigers of T.R. Miller Friday at 7 p.m. in a game that will require proper execution by Blue Devils’ players, said coach Lev Holly.

“We need to make sure we’re in the right position to make plays,” Holly said. “We don’t need to shoot ourselves in the foot.”

Holly said the Tigers are a good, well-coached football team and it’s a big game for the county rivals.

“It’s a big game,” he said. “It’s two great programs.”

ECHS will enter the game coming off a 40-6 loss to Saraland in a jamboree game Friday night. Quarterback Chris Johnson threw for 100 yards and the team’s only touchdown, but the Blue Devils could only muster 45 yards on the ground.

 

EA at Fort Dale Academy

Escambia Academy, on the other hand, picked up 444 yards on the ground in a 53-26 win over Glenwood last week and look to continue the momentum against a Fort Dale Academy team that beat them last year in Canoe. The loss helped the Cougars get off to an 0-3 start and coach Hugh Fountain doesn’t want a repeat performance.

“This is an important game for us,” Fountain said. “You don’t want to say that any game is more important than any other, but this game has major ramifications for us.”

Fountain said the Eagles’ strength comes simply in the fact that they’re a good football team that plays well together.

“They play very sound football,” he said. “They play hard. They make you earn everything you get.”

Fort Dale is very strong at the quarterback position, Fountain said.

“That’s one of their strengths,” he said. “He controls their game well.”

Fountain said the Cougars’ offensive and defensive lines would be a driving force throughout the season, but especially in the region opener because the quarterback play will be strong.

“We need to be able to force our will,” he said. “We need to be disciplined. You have to be a smart player.”

 

Bozeman at Northview

The Northview Chiefs will host Bozeman Friday at 7 p.m. after coming off a 6-6 draw with Bay High School during the team’s kickoff classic.

NHS coach Sid Wheatley said Bozeman runs a pro-set offense, is very big up front and likes to run the ball.

“They come right at you,” he said.

To prevent big plays on the ground, Wheatley said players on defense, who played well last week, must use their quickness and “make sure we play low.”

“We can’t allow the big plays,” he said.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Chiefs will try to execute their double-wing offense and spread the field as well with quick passes against Bozeman.