Both the Raider and Cougar football teams will hit the road for their second games of the regular season. Plant City High is at Blake while Durant heads south to take on East Bay.
Kickoff for both contests is 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The Raiders defeated Blake last season 14-7 in a game that was tougher than expected. Blake has not had a winning season since joining District 4A-10, where the Yellow Jackets have been stuck behind Plant and Jefferson in their effort to make the playoffs.
This year's Blake squad has a little more talent than in recent years.
Sean Washington, a former Durant assistant, is Blake's head coach.
Likewise, Plant City has a connection to this week's Durant opponent. The Raiders will later play East Bay in what could turn out to be a pivotal district contest.
East Bay may be the team to beat in District 5A-7 this season.
The excitement stems around East Bay having a large number of returning players on both sides of the ball. Chaz Burrows is the standout running back for the Indians, who run the wishbone offense and rarely pass the ball.
Durant head coach Mike Gottman would know as well as anyone about how to defend the wishbone; he was the defensive coordinator at East Bay before becoming head coach of the Cougars in 2003.
Last year Durant edged the Indians 24-21 on a last-second field goal.
Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampa
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