By By BRUCE HIXON Sports Editor
The football schedules for both the T.R. Miller Tigers and W.S. Neal Blue Eagles will look pretty much the same in 2005 other than flip-flopping home and away dates.
T.R. Miller will open next season on August 26 at home against Escambia County in a non-region game. The Tigers open up Class 3A Region 1 play September 2 at home against Straughn. Tigers coach Jamie Riggs could be pursuing his 200th career win in that contest.
The Tigers' first road game will be a region date at Dale County on September 9 followed by a home game against Abbeville on September 16. Abbeville will make its second straight trip to Brewton. The 2005 contest is actually Abbeville's regularly scheduled trip to T.R. Miller. T.R. Miller paid Abbeville to travel to Brewton for its 2004 game.
The Tigers step out of region play on September 23 when they travel to Andalusia. Region 1 play resumes September 30 with a home game against Slocomb. The Tigers will travel to Headland on October 7, host Pike County on October 14 and close out the region season on October 21 at W.S. Neal.
At this time, the only school on the 2004 schedule that is not locked into the 2005 slate is Jay (Fla.). Jay's game at T.R. Miller this season was cancelled due to conflicting schedules after Hurricane Ivan.
"We had a two-year contract with Jay that ended this year. I'm hopeful we can renew our contract with them," T.R. Miller coach/athletic director Jamie Riggs said.
There are no changes on W.S. Neal's schedule other than home and away dates.
The Blue Eagles begin the 2005 campaign on August 26 with a non-region game at Eufaula.
W.S. Neal's Class 3A Region 1 and home opener will be September 2 against Pike County. The Blue Eagles will also be home the following week on September 9 against Slocomb.
The Blue Eagles will begin a three-game road stretch September 16 with a region game at Headland. W.S. Neal travels to Montgomery to battle non-region foe Trinity Presbyterian on September 23 before it resumes region play on September 30 at Dale County.
W.S. Neal returns home on October 7 against Abbeville and then heads back out on the road on October 14 at Straughn. The Blue Eagles end next season with a pair of home games. T.R. Miller pays a visit on October 21 in the region season finale. Southern Choctaw comes to East Brewton in the last regular season fgame on October 28.