‘Instant rivalry’ now 30 years old

By Ricky Adams/Ledger Correspondent
Published: October 2, 2008

Instant conflict.

Instant rivalry.

Thirty autumns ago Enterprise High School began a new era of football with major schedule changes five years into the Bill Bacon era.

Gone from 1978’s slate were Geneva and Elba, two ancient rivals. Andalusia had fallen by the wayside in 1976 and series with Wetumpka, Holt and Milton, Fla., never developed after the Wildcats beat each one decisively.

The ‘77 Cats were 9-1 but didn’t qualify for the 4A playoffs in the region format then in use as Enterprise, Carroll, Selma, Lanier, Carver, Prattville, and Dothan competed for a couple of postseason berths.

In ‘78, the Cats downed Vigor, Carroll, Troy, Selma and Fort. Walton to open the season before stumbling against Lanier, 17-7.

Enterprise recovered quickly and downed Carver, 41-8, before facing a new region opponent, Northview, which then, as now, was but another spelling of “Dothan.”

We wore the Cougars out, 20-6, in the inaugural meeting, fell to Prattville, 13-12, the next Friday and beat Dothan, 48-0, on a night Stuart Key ran roughshod over the Tigers in Rip Hewes Stadium, with three touchdowns, one on a 58-yard run, among his 17 carries that produced 158 yards, mostly in the first half.

Then came 1979, when a pair of 15-14 overtime games, with a 13-3 win over Prattville sandwiched between them, were among the most memorable moments
during the Cats’ march to the 4A championship.

The first 15-14 decision was a thrilling win against Northview in Rip Hewes Stadium; the second saw the Cats come up short on a night when Dothan linebacker Marcus Hill seemed to be a one-man demolition squad in R.L. Bates Memorial.

Personally, that year’s Northview game was one of the all-time most enjoyable Friday Night Lights’ experiences.

That night, a lone EHS fan was seated in the geometric center of the Cougar rooting section, squeezed between then-lady friend Jean Grimes Hollis, a Northview media specialist, and former Wildcat Marching Band clarinetist Sharon Welch, EHS 1967, who was the wife of Harry Wayne “Goober” Parrish, Northview’s head coach.

Simply put, the Cats refused to lose that night. They overcame questionable officiating and came from behind to down a good Cougar team.

Without being boastful, rest assured these lungs and vocal chords have never approached the level they reached that night.

After the heart-stopping loss to Dothan two weeks later, Enterprise gained momentum each of the next four weeks and earned a 14-13 victory against Vestavia
Hills for the state title in Birmingham’s Legion Field. If you’re counting, for many, that’s a lifetime ago.

Northview is now second only to Dothan in terms of continuous play against EHS; the Cats have played Dothan annually since 1961 and Northview every fall since ‘78.

Enterprise is 25-26 against the Tigers since the series renewal and will have a chance to help keep Dothan winless this season down the road a bit.

What matters now, is now. Entering tonight’s game in Rip Hewes, Enterprise holds a 19-11 edge against Other Dothan.

Among those 30 games are the 44-0 rout in 1982, Enterprise’s second 4A championship season, and the 30-27 double-overtime thriller in 1996.

Take your pick among three disappointments, the 6-17 loss in ‘81 and the 19-20 overtime setback in ‘85, Northview’s state championship seasons, and the 0-2 abomination in ‘95 for your most nauseating pickoff in series history.

If it’s any comfort, the Cats have won seven of the last eight meetings. Here’s hoping for eight of nine, 10-of-12 and the 20h victory in 31 games.

Sweet.