MEADVILLE – As showdowns go, this Friday night’s battle betweenthe Franklin County Bulldogs and the Hazlehurst Indians has themakings of being a classic. Both teams enter the game undefeated inRegion 7-3A, and tied for first in the district race.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 at Louie Mullins Memorial Stadium Fridaynight.

“This is a very big game for both them and us,” said Bulldoghead coach Anthony Hart. “Hazlehurst is a very fast and athleticteam. Defensively they are very impressive.”

The Indians (4-1, 3-0), coached by Willie Brown, produced a22-14 win over Wilkinson County last week in overtime. Hazlehurst’sonly loss of the season came to Brookhaven in their home opener,falling 12-8.

“They (Hazlehurst) are very strong,” added Hart. “We’re going tohave to play our best game of the season to beat them.”

The Bulldogs (4-2, 2-0) are fresh from a 29-6 upset of theJefferson County Tigers in Fayette last Friday night. The Bulldogswere led by senior quarterback Tommy Gibbs in the win with 5 of 10passing for 101 yards and two touchdowns.

Junior running back Jasper O’Quinn ran for 145 yards on 21carries. “This is the big one,” said O’Quinn. “We owe them fromlast year when they beat us up there.”

Last year the Indians produced a 20-7 shocker against the Dawgson their Homecoming night.

The winner of this Friday night’s contest will have the insidetrack in the region, Hazlehurst already owns the tie-breaker oversecond place Amite County (2-4, 2-1) thanks an 8-6 victory twoweeks ago.

“We can’t afford to go down there and lose this one,” saidHazlehurst field general Willie Brown. “Franklin County’s a verywell coached team and a very disciplined squad as well. We’re goingto have everything go right for us to beat them.”

Brown’s Indians and Hart’s Dawgs finished one-two in thedistrict last year. Franklin’s only division loss last year wasagainst the Indians.

“It’s going to be a battle,” added Brown. “In our districteverybody’s nearly even and that makes this game even moreimportant!”

Brown’s Indians had to go overtime last week to beat WilkinsonCounty 22-14. Quarterback Fred Robinson hit Demond Carroll with the10-yard winning TD. Fred Williams ran the 2-point conversion.Williams led the Indians with 13 carries for 62 yards.

In other division action Jefferson County travels to North Pike,Port Gibson faces Wilkinson County in Woodville, and Amite Countyhosts Louisiana Class 1A powerhouse Kentwood in Liberty for anon-conference contest.