Pike County Bulldog fan Eddie Powell has put many a mile on his truck over the last 30 years.

He has followed the Dawgs all over the state of Alabama, and even a couple of trips out of state. Powell moved to Brundidge 30 years ago, and has been a diehard Pike County fan since 1986.

He, along with his wife Tammy, are regulars at home and away football games.

“We try to make it to every one we can,” Powell said. “I have been to most of the home ball games, and quite a few of the ones on the road over the last little while. It sure has been a lot of fun.”

In his near three decades following Pike County, Powell said he has seen dozens of talented football teams. However, in his opinion, one stands above all the rest.

Pike County captured the school’s first state championship in 1988. The team was led by future NFL star Fred Baxter, defensive standouts Willie McGuire, Kris Downing and Joey Davis, current Pike County head coach Fred Holland and two-time All-State running back Steven Coleman.

 

The Bulldogs rolled to a 13-2 record in 1988, and downed Tarrant 17-8 to win the championship.

 

“That team with Fred Baxter, Fred Holland and Steven Coleman was a joy to watch,” Powell said. “I have seen a lot of good ball teams, but that was the top of the list. It was worth driving all the way across the state to watch Coleman run that football. It was just a thing of pure beauty.”

 

Powell has seen the Bulldogs sit on top of the football world five times. He has also seen Pike County venture through lean times of the late 1990s and the early part of the current decade.

 

He says when the Bulldogs are good, the fans do the barking.

 

“When the team is good, the folks show up by the bunches,” Powell said. “But when things aren’t going well, they don’t tend to come as much. I wish that would change, and the people would come all the time.”

 

As for this year’s match up against Charles Henderson, Powell is optimistic. After several seasons of the Trojans having the upper hand, he feels the Bulldogs have a chance.

 

“The last few times we played, Charles Henderson was just too much,” Powell said. “I think the teams are pretty well matched this year. It will be a pretty good game, I think. Maybe our boys can win it at home this year. That would be something special.”