The Bainbridge High School Bearcats and the Cairo High School Syrupmakers will play their annual rivalry football game on Friday night at Cairo’s West Thomas Stadium.
Bainbridge High School head football coach Jeff Littleton was a guest on the Jesus and Jammin’ morning radio show on Thursday morning to talk about the Bearcats’ big 42-13 win over Early County last week, and what fans can expect from the Bainbridge-Cairo game on Friday night.
Coach Littleton, who spent eight years at Cairo High School as an assistant coach before being hired as Bainbridge’s head coach, said every year the Bearcats and Syrupmakers play each other hard. The past two years, Cairo has won: 13-7 last year and 6-0 the year before, so Coach Littleton said he hopes this year, Bainbridge will come out the victor.
Show your Bearcat spirit on Thursday evening at the Syrup Sop, featuring Bainbridge High School football players, cheerleaders and band members! It’s a great event for kids and takes place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Willis Park in downtown Bainbridge! Go Bearcats!
Certainly, the Bearcats had a strong offensive showing in their regular season opener against Early County, as running back Dameon Pierce and wide receiver Tyler Story combined for six Bainbridge touchdowns in the first half. But even though Bainbridge “won” its scrimmage against Cairo two weeks ago, Coach Littleton said that’s not an indication of how hard-fought Friday night’s game will be.
“That was just practice, we were just putting in our base system and trying some things out,” Littleton said. “It’s true that Cairo also had several starting players out due to injuries and illness when we played them in the scrimmage.”
Two Cairo players the Bainbridge coaching staff will be focused on are junior running back Da’Shawn Walker, who wears jersey #5, and senior defensive end Malik Taylor, who wears jersey # 8. Taylor scored a couple of rushing touchdowns in last week’s game vs. Thomasville (ultimately cancelled due to weather with Cairo leading 26-0).
Littleton said Taylor is a good defensive player who gave the Bearcats fits last year. (View the Cairo High School varsity football roster at MaxPreps) Defensively, Cairo High School has an eight-man defensive line and uses the Cover 3 defensive scheme.
“We’re going to have to make some big plays to be successful Friday night,” Coach Littleton said.
Bearcats’ head coach thankful for community support
Coach Littleton said he was sincerely grateful for the support from fans, boosters and others in the community so far this season. Fans filled the Bainbridge stands at last week’s home game, and the head coach said he hopes to see a good turnout of fans at Cairo and in the following weeks.
First National Bank of Decatur County, which has purple and gold ribbons put up around its Shotwell Street branch, is one of the leading community supporters of the Bearcats.
As part of First National Bank’s Bearcat Bucks program, CEO Brad Barber presented Coach Littleton with a check made out to the Bearcat Touchdown Club for $300–$50 for each of the six touchdowns the Bearcats scored against Early County last Friday.
Kevin Dowdy of Flint Media, which operates 6 Southwest Georgia radio stations including Live 101.9 FM (which broadcasts all of the Bearcats’ football games), also presented Littleton with a check to benefit the Bearcat Touchdown Club.
Coach Littleton said the Touchdown Club helps pay for pre-game meals and other expenses that help the Bearcat football players feel and play their best.
If you’d like to become a member of the Bearcat Touchdown Club, call (229) 220-2162.
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