Chiefs, Rebels resume rivalry

By Andy Brown

Published: June 11, 2008

The last time Lakeside and Dixie met on the gridiron, Mack Williams bought a ticket, grabbed a bite to eat at the concession stand and watched the game from the stands.

At the time, Williams was out of coaching and simply came to the game to watch his son Mackey who was an eighth-grader and backup wide receiver for the Chiefs.

It was Sept. 9, 2005. The Chiefs topped Dixie 20-0 in Eufaula.

“It was a fun game to watch,” Williams, now the head coach at Dixie, said. “It was a little different for me watching it from the stands and being on the Lakeside side, but I enjoyed it and I was happy for Mackey that they got the win.”

After Lakeside’s win, the fourth in a row for the Chiefs, the rivalry took a two-year break. The schools will resume the rivalry Aug. 29 in Louisville in both teams’ season opener.

Williams, who helped the Rebels post a 2-1-1 mark against Lakeside as a player at Dixie, is glad to see the rivalry start back up.

“I think it’s good for both schools,” he said. “It’s a game that creates a lot of interest for fans on both sides, and it’s a fun game for the players. Everyone knows everyone. You’re playing against guys you live down the street from and that makes it special.”

Williams can still remember the first time he squared off with Lakeside.

“It was 1973 and we were playing in the stadium downtown in Louisville,” he said. “We beat Lakeside 27-0 and I got to play the whole second half.”

He can also remember his only loss to the Chiefs as a player.

“They whipped us,” he said with a laugh. “We played in Eufaula and they beat us 72-8. That was 1973 and I still hear about that one.”

In 1975 the Rebels avenged the loss with a 20-18 win in Louisville. In 1976, Williams’ senior year, the teams played to a 12-12 tie.

Ten years later, Williams – then in his first season as the head coach of the Rebels – lost a 20-0 decision to the Chiefs in Eufaula. The next season, Williams earned his first win against Lakeside as a coach, leading the Rebels to a 45-6 win in Louisville. In 1988, Dixie picked up its first win in Eufaula since the series started in 1972 by topping Lakeside 31-14. The Rebels then won 10 straight before Williams departed to take a job at Lowndes Academy.

“I’ve got a lot of good memories from those games,” Williams said. “I think it’s a special rivalry. Anytime you’ve got teams in the same county that play each other it has a chance to develop into a good rivalry and I think this one has. To be honest, I hated to see the schools not play the last two years, and I’m glad to see (the rivalry) get started back up.”

He’s not the only one.

“I think it’s great,” first-year Lakeside head coach Tom Clements said. “I think this is a rivalry that needs to be played.”

Clements knows a thing or two about the rivalry. He spent two seasons as the head coach at Dixie before becoming the offensive coordinator at Lakeside in 2004.

“It’s one of those games where you play for bragging rights,” he said. “You’re playing against someone you know pretty well, and that adds some excitement. I think it’s good for both schools. I’m excited about it and I know Coach Mack is as well.”

Both coaches agree that they will have their hands full when the teams hit the field.

“It’s going to be tough,” Clements said. “You’ve got two teams that are in a rebuilding phase, but I think it’s going to be a good game. I know Coach Mack will have his guys ready to play. He’s a very good coach and he’ll make it tough on us. We’ll do whatever we can to have our guys ready to play and hopefully get a win.”

“It’s always a tough game whenever Lakeside and Dixie play,” Williams said. “I’ve known Coach Tom for a long time, and I think he’s a fantastic young coach. He’ll have those boys ready to play and we’ll do everything we can to have our boys ready to get after it. It should be fun.”

The teams will square off at 7 p.m. at Rebel Field.