Area rivalry games heat up as Choctaw visits Niceville

The Niceville football team is looking to stay the course. Choctawhatchee, on the other hand, is looking to head in a different direction.

Niceville (1-0) enters tonight’s home opener against the rival Indians (0-1) ranked No. 2 in the state’s Class 4A rankings and still buzzing over its come-from-behind 41-34 win at then-No. 4 Lincoln. The Eagles racked up yards (534 total), received big plays from their usual suspects (Roy Finch and Kody Williams combined for 251 yards and four touchdowns) and even settled on a starter at quarterback (Kyle McDorman, who tossed three touchdowns).

Choctaw, meanwhile, suffered a 33-9 loss to 2B power Pensacola Catholic last week and will pull into Eagle Stadium with a sophomore (Luke Clark, who showed promise in his debut) under center that’s expected to lead a team still ravaged with injuries to integral players, making the test that much harder.

But this is a rivalry game and nothing would make either happier than to gain a win at the other’s expense.

“We’re playing a very good team (tonight),” Indians coach Greg Thomas said. “But we’re not going over there for a courtesy.”

Rather, the Indians will make the short trip looking to snap a four-year losing streak to the Eagles. The last time a Choctaw team defeated Niceville — a 20-13 win in 2004 — Clark was in the sixth grade.

“We’re going to have to keep their offense off the field,” Thomas said. “Now, how do we do that? That’s a good question.”

“I don’t know if you can completely stop Niceville,” added Thomas, who noted the Indians must finish drives after several miscues near the end zone tormented the team against Catholic. “Hopefully we can slow them down and hopefully they will make some mistakes of their own.

“We can’t get in a shooting match with them.”

Against Lincoln, Niceville took its opening possession and marched 80 yards downfield for the opening score of the contest and the offense never looked back. Down 27-19 beginning the fourth quarter, Niceville responded by outscoring the Trojans 22-7 over the final 12 minutes.

This week the trick for Niceville coach John Hicks and his staff has been refocusing the team.

“One thing we had to do was tell them to quit celebrating the last game,” Hicks said. “It was a good win for us … Now we have to get refocused for Choctaw. We talked about the rivalry and the things that are involved with that, and how it’s important to both teams.”