The Pike County Bulldogs and Slocumb Red Tops have a lot in common. Both teams are 2-0 in AHSAA Class 3A, Region 2 play and they both have taken out Wicksburg and Headland to get to 2-0.

“They are a very experienced football team with something like 10 starters back from last year’s squad on both offense and defense,” PCHS head coach Brad Waggoner said. “They have a lot of seniors and they have a running back named Juicy who can run the ball well.”

Waggoner said the Bulldogs (2-1, 2-0 Region 2) would have to shut down the running game to have a chance against Slocumb (2-1, 2-0).

“Juicy probably has 99 percent of their offense this year,” Waggoner said. “He scored all five touchdowns for them last week. It will be a big task to slow him down, but we will have to do that to win the game.”

This game is a battle of regional undefeated teams and Waggoner said this one is big.

“This is the biggest game on our schedule to this point,” Waggoner said. “Right now there are three teams who are undefeated in the area and after Friday we want to still be undefeated.”

All year long Waggoner has stressed the process his team is going through as they mature and work farther into the 2008 year. He said this game is a huge step in that process.

The game will also mark the first time the Bulldogs will play in front of their home fans since their 35-20 loss to Charles Henderson Aug. 22. Waggoner said it is good to be coming home after traveling for the first three weeks of the regular season.

“We had the rare situation of opening the season with three weeks on the road,” he said. “But home or away, this game is our next region game and it is Slocumb. Slocumb has a lot of confidence right now and we will have to play well on defense to win this game. Our best defense will be keeping their offense off the field.”

Wins in region games are what make or break a season.

“When you put an R before the game it adds importance to that game and each game in region play is important,” Waggoner said. “We take pride in our goal to defend the region championship and we will try to continue that Friday.”

On the injury front for the Bulldogs, starting quarterback Josh Parker left last Friday’s game with a sprained foot, but he has practiced all week and will start against Slocumb. Quan Bryant will be the backup, according to Waggoner.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday from Bulldog Stadium.