Northside-Warner Robins football ‘ain’t like any other game’ — even during a pandemic

Warner Robins and Northside high schools are just a little more than two miles apart.

Separated by Watson Boulevard, these two have squared off 62 times. On Friday night, another chapter will be added to Middle Georgia’s most storied rivalry. The two teams share a stadium and a long history of dislike for one another.

Warner Robins vs. Northside is much more than just the game. There’s plenty of pageantry surrounding it, including the annual funeral Northside holds for Warner Robins’ mascot, the demon. For the people in Middle Georgia, this is the biggest game of the year. This sentiment isn’t lost on Northside’s first-year head coach Chad Alligood.

Northside (2-1) enters the game with back-to-back wins over Peach County and Howard. Warner Robins (1-1) is coming off a bye week following a blowout win over Archer. Alligood said that records go out the door in this game and that kids play above their heads.

“This ain’t like any other game. You know, it is to me the biggest rivalry in the state,” Alligood said. “A lot of coaches say treat every game the same. It’s not that way in this one. And I’ve learned that over the time. This game means a lot to a lot of people. And you better go out there and play it that way.”

A ‘back-and-forth battle’

Alligood has experienced the rivalry as an assistant coach during multiple stints at Northside before being named the head coach this year. Warner Robins head coach Marquis Westbrook is familiar with the rivalry, too.

Westbrook is in his second year as the head coach of the Demons and led them to the state title game last season but lost. But perhaps more importantly to some, Westbrook led his team to a shut out of Northside for the first time since 1995. Westbrook said the Warner Robins-Northside rivalry is built around its back-and-forth series and each team’s fight and determination to get wins over the other.

“If you look at the history of schools, it’s been a back-and-forth battle. So you have to make sure you get them when you can.” Westbrook said. “You’re going to get the best game from the opposite team on both sides. You’re going to get the best coached game.”

Rivalry won’t be the same during the coronavirus pandemic

In a year when the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of many, the Warner Robins-Northside rivalry won’t be business as usual, either. Capacity at the stadium will be limited and other restrictions will be in place, which will keep it from feeling like their typical rivalry game.

Alligood said normally the fences at the stadium are lined with fans. The game is standing-room only and cars line the road as people try to get a glimpse of the game taking place in McConnell-Talbert Stadium.

“The crowds will not be any bigger than what we have played in front of so far. And you’re used to it when you pull up to the stadium for warmups for that thing to being full.” Alligood said. “You are used to playing in front of the biggest crowd of the year in that game, but it’s going to look like any other crowd this year.”

The crowds this season won’t be as large as usual, but it is a chance for the community to come together and enjoy a bit of normalcy for a few hours, Westbrook said. Once the game kicks off, he said, the players and coaches will get that sense of normalcy, too.

“I just get away from it all just for a few hours. And hopefully these kids perform and stay safe and the fans stay safe the whole time,” Westbrook said. “That’s what sports does for our communities. They bring us together. We can cheer against each other and just bring us together for that moment. I think it’s a great thing.”

The rivalry by the numbers

• Warner Robins leads the series 37-25
• 7 state titles between the two schools
• 41 region title between the two schools
• Warner Robins has won three straight
• Warner Robins 39-0 in last season’s matchup
• 1964 was the first meeting. Warner Robins won 25-6
• Northside has the record for most points scored in a single game with 58 in 2015

Schedule of games this week

• Northside vs. Warner Robins
• Mount de Sales vs. Brookstone
• Tattnall vs. Deerfield-Windsor
• First Presbyterian vs. Aquinas
• Rutland vs. Worth
• Mary Persons vs. Newnan
  
  
• Howard vs Central
• Westside vs Appling County
• Bleckley vs Vidalia
• Houston vs Statesboro
• Randolph Clay vs Southwest

This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 7:00 AM.