Ft. Dale Academy will be celebrating homecoming this Friday night when the Eagles host the Rebels of Lowndes Academy. Head Coach Speed Sampley said they will have their work cut out for them.

"Lowndes Academy has played a lot of close games this year," Sampley said. "This is our homecoming, but traditionally during homecoming celebrations, the players are not concentrating on the game n the furthest thing from their minds is playing football n instead they concentrate about the dance that follows the game, and it ends up hurting the game."

Looking at Lowndes, Sampley said he knows much about their team's head coach.

"Art Sullivan, Rebel Head Coach was the coach when I played football in high school," Sampley said. "Then we coached together for 14 years, so he pretty much knows how we will play."

Sampley said he learned offense from Sullivan, so both teams have the same philosophies.

"They are also now running the same offenses as we do, so everything we do audibly they will know how to defend against," he said.

Speed said with one exception, all ten players who didn't dress out last week should be playing again this week.

"I believe with the exception of Jeff Buck everyone will be dressed," he said. "Last week Jeff needed a job, so I used him as offensive coordinator n he did a really great job."

Looking back, Sampley said his team did well last week.

"We threw the ball really well n Josh Till threw for over 160 yards," he said.

In preparation, Sampley said his team should be prepared.

"We'll be running our base defense n we'll know how to defend their offense since it is the same as ours," he said.

Also scheduled for this week is a homecoming parade starting from CVS on Manningham Road and ending at the school on Woodvalley Road, followed by a gridiron supper, all on Thursday night.

Pre-game on Friday will begin at 7.