As longtime rivals in the local area, Foley and Daphne are very familiar with one another.

But when the two sides square off for the 31st time Thursday at Ivan Jones Stadium, the high stakes will only add to the usual emotions associated with this intra-county clash.

Kenny King’s Trojans currently sit tied with Fairhope atop the 6A Region 1 standings, but the Lions are one game behind them both and could make a sizable move up with a victory.

And with Daphne (26 points per game) and Foley (24 points per game) ranking as the highest scoring teams within their district, fans can expect plenty of fireworks from Thursdsay's contest.

Adding to the anticipation is the fact that both of these squads are riding winning streaks coming into this one, with the Trojans having won five games in a row since dropping their opener to Spanish Fort while the Lions have ripped off three straight victories.

Here are the players to keep an eye on, keys to the game and other notes to know ahead of kickoff:

Players To Watch

Christian Segar

Daphne | Quarterback | Senior

Notable Stats/Notes: Committed to South Alabama

An unquestioned leader who has nearly seen it all at the high school level, Segar is one of the more polished and efficient signal-callers in the area.

The senior’s 6-foot-3 frame allows him to see the entire field and complete throws at all three levels, and defenses also have to respect his growing ability to scramble for yardage.

After setting a school record for passing touchdowns (37) and leading his team to a home playoff game as a junior, Segar is looking to build off all that this fall.

Jaysean Willis

Daphne | Defensive Lineman | Junior

Notable Stats/Notes: Voted Alabama 6A Player of the Week vs. Davidson

A plethora of Daphne defenders could be featured in this category, but the first Trojan that can take over a game resides in the trenches.

Willis’ impact may not always show up in the box score (although he’s still racked up plenty of tackles and sacks), but his presence is always felt. 

The 6-foot-1, 255 lb. lineman has routinely wrecked opponents’ game plans this season thanks to his ability to simply be unblockable, and he’ll be looking to do more of the same against Foley’s high-powered offense.

Jaxson Dixon

Foley | Wide Receiver | Senior

Notable Stats/Notes: 14 catches, 259 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns, 3 carries, 27 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown

Commonly referred to as the “Jack Rabbit,” Dixon has lived up to that moniker with his elusiveness in the open field and breakaway speed.

The dynamic receiver has recorded over 100 yards of total offense and a touchdown in every game this season, and the Foley coaching staff continues to find unique ways to get him the ball either through the air or on the ground.

Dixon will be at the top of Daphne’s scouting report, and while the Trojans have plenty of talented defensive backs (Kaden Brown, Karson Lacey, etc.), nobody has been able to cage this rabbit yet.

The X-Factors

1. Will the Lions’ defense be able to create turnovers/short fields for its offense?

While the Foley offense has been wildly productive throughout this season, its defensive counterparts have largely struggled.

The Lions rank seventh out of eight teams in their region when it comes to points allowed per game (23.5), as head coach Bryan Moore has experienced plenty of high-scoring affairs during his first year at the helm.

And with the visitors having racked up 90 combined points through their past two contests, it will be crucial for the Foley defense to steal some possessions and force three-and-outs in order to give its offense a leg-up.

2. Can Foley maintain balance offensively?

As mentioned, Judah Spencer and the Lions offense have been efficient and explosive thus far, but most of their positive work has come through the air. Case in point: the team has thrown for 549 yards and ran for 290.

In order to take down a team of the Trojans’ caliber, Foley will need to make its rivals at least respect the ground game in order to keep Daphne from committing seven or even eight players to coverage.

Dual-threat Makai Holmes is the only Lion to have ran for over 100 yards this season, and the home side’s two-quarterback system will need to be effective for Moore and company again this week.

3. Which team truly owns the moment?

A game of this magnitude brings with it plenty of pressures and emotions.

Fortunately for both coaching staffs, they field experienced teams who have previously competed in similarly anticipated contests.

Whichever side can maintain its identity, positively channel its energy and effectively capitalize on the other’s mistakes will almost certainly emerge victorious.

Notes To Know

• The all-time record between the schools currently stands at 23-7 in favor of Daphne. The Trojans have won three straight in the series and 12 of the last 13 overall.

• Foley was chosen as a winner of T-Mobile’s ‘$5K Fridays,’ which is part of the company’s Friday Night 5G Lights program for high schools across America. As a result, the Lions will receive a $5,000 check from T-Mobile prior to this game, which will support their athletic endeavors. Last week, Daphne High School also received the sweepstakes donation, while Baldwin County High School, Robertsdale High School and Elberta High School have been visited by T-Mobile as well.

• The Lions will also be holding their annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the nearby elementary school prior to Thursday's contest. The event will begin at 5 p.m., and there will be food and drinks from Kitty’s Kafe available.

Parker’s Perspective

Both of these teams enjoyed comfortable double-digits victories last week, but that almost certainly won’t be the case this Thursday.

Setting the rivalry aside for a moment, the home-field advantage for Foley makes this an evenly matched game in my eyes. Both offenses are more than capable of scoring at a moment’s notice and are led by veteran quarterbacks, and each coaching staff is familiar with what it takes to win games of this magnitude.

The difference lies in the defense.

While Foley’s unit has displayed improvement in recent weeks, it’s tough to trust the Lions to create enough turnovers/stops to keep Segar and the Trojans from eclipsing the 30-point mark for the third time this season.

And on the flip side, Daphne’s defense is fresh off a game in which it recorded a pair of pick-sixes, meaning that it will take plenty of momentum into this contest. Therefore, I’ll side with the visitors to narrowly escape with a victory thanks to some clutch defensive plays.

But with two of Foley’s previous three home games having come down to the final possession, it wouldn’t be surprising to witness a similar finish this week.

The Trojans (5-1, 4-0) and Lions (4-2, 3-1) will kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday.

*This contest was moved up a day due to inclement weather coming into the area this weekend.*