Miscellaneous
It’s quickly become one of the AHSAA’s best football rivalries and fans can expect a packed house Friday when the Lanett Panthers host the arch-rival LaFayette Bulldogs in the 49th meeting between the local schools.Even though Lanett and LaFayette are in different classifications (Lanett 1A, LaFayette 2A), don’t think for a second it means any less to the players, coaches and fans. The Panthers and the Bulldogs always have a spirited contest and fans can expect a hard-hitting and emotional game Friday at Morgan-Washburn Stadium.Lanett leads the series 36-11-1 and began in 1926. Lanett’s longest winning streak in the series was 11 straight from 1946-83. LaFayette’s longest win streak was four straight from 2002-05 — 40-6; 27-0; 60-14; and 22-17. Coach Clifford Story is in his 11th season as head coach at Lanett and is 7-3 vs. LaFayette.James Lucas is in his sixth season as the Bulldogs coach and is 1-4 vs. Lanett.In the previous 48-game series, there’s been some memorable games and none more so than two titanic clashes in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017. In 2016, before an overflow crowd at Bulldog Stadium, some of which had to park over a mile away, an emotional LaFayette team used a stunning performance by All-American and now Auburn standout JaTarvious “Boobee” Whitlow. The game pitted No. 2 Lanett against No. 3 LaFayette. Led by Whitlow with a brilliant, all-around game, LaFayette took advantage of seven Lanett turnovers and turned what was expected to be a shootout into a shocking 66-26 rout to win the region title and the key game in a 10-0 regular season. It was the Bulldogs first-ever perfect regular season and the school’s second all-time region championship. It was, without question, the biggest home win in LaFayette football history and easily the largest crowd to ever see a Bulldogs home game. The Bulldogs made over $25,000 for the showdown. But Lanett got its revenge in 2017 and then some.On its way to recording the most dominating season in the Panthers 97th season of football, Lanett turned a close game into a super physical, second-half beatdown of the Bulldogs in a 42-16 win. The Panthers used sterling efforts by All-State first-team defensive tackle Baraskious “Boo Rock” Dowdell, All-American Trikweze Bridges, All-State players Terrion Truitt, Anquavious “Long” Pollard and All-American Kristian “Ken Ken” Story among many others in shutting down LaFayette’s offense and All-State running back Robert Houston. Houston was held to a career-low 48 yards on 27 carries and no scores. It was No. 1 Lanett dominating No. 4 LaFayette, outscoring them 20-0 in the fourth quarter and 26-6 in the second half. Just like the previous season at LaFayette, Morgan-Washburn was jam-packed and the biggest crowd at Lanett in many years. Lanett grossed over $30,000.Not bad when you can take home between $55-60,000 from two football games on a home-and-home series among rivals. The Lanett-LaFayette rivalry in 2016 and 2017 put the game among the most intense in all of AHSAA football rivalries. Everyone knows the intensity and tradition in the LaFayette-Lanett boys basketball rivalry – arguably the best in the state — and now the football rivalry has taken a new life of its own as well. Get to Morgan-Washburn Stadium early Friday as a huge crowd is anticipated.