By By Matthew Nascone
The schedule for the 2008 Escambia County High School Blue Devils' football team is set.
ECHS athletic director and head football coach Kyle Davis attended a region meeting Thursday morning and came back to Atmore with the completed schedule.
For the first time since the 2003-04 school year, the Blue Devils will compete in Class 5A.
"It will be a new schedule for us and it will be a tough schedule," Davis said.
The Class 5A, Region 1 part of the Blue Devils' schedule will comprise of Vigor in week two, Faith Academy in week three, Spanish Fort in week four, Leflore in week six, Gulf Shores in week seven, Citronelle in week eight and St. Paul's in week nine.
Davis filled in weeks one, five and ten before he attended the region meeting. For all those fans wondering when the Devils will square off with rival T.R. Miller High, there is no need to worry because that game is during week one.
"This is how it was for a long time around here," Davis said. "The first game of the season was Miller for a long time before they moved into the region."
The Blue Devils took down the Tigers 10-2 this past season for the first win in 15 years for ECHS. Davis said that was a good feeling.
"We had a good game against them last year and we got that monkey off our back," he said. "We were worried we would not play them this year, but the rivalry is one of the best things for Atmore emotionally and financially. It is always good to have T.R. Miller on the schedule because whichever team hosts that game will get a good gate. The fans will always come out to watch the ECHS-Miller game."
The Blue Devils will also renew a rivalry that has been dead for two years this season. The Blue Devils travel to Bay Minette in week five for a showdown with the Class 6A Baldwin County High Tigers.
"We played Bay Minette my first year here (in 2005) and we had a big win," Davis said. "And their coach had not wanted to play us, but they have a new coach now and we reignited the rivalry for next year."
The lack of 5A teams outside the region forced Davis to play another 6A school, Robertsdale, in 2008.
"There are just not many 5A or 4A clubs in this area, so we are forced to play the bigger schools," Davis said. "And we have formed somewhat of a relationship with the Robertsdale guys since we went to that jamboree up there last year."
So the schedule is set and Davis said he is ready for the upcoming season even though the last season just ended.