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The Pike Lib Patriots (2-6) close out the 2023 football season this Friday, Nov. 3, on the road against the Calhoun Tigers (3-7).

Pike Lib is coming off a hard-fought but disappointing 32-24 loss to Baker (Fla.) that saw the Patriots come from down 24-0 to tie the score late in the fourth quarter before falling in the final minute of play.

“For three quarters we played flat but I’m really proud of the way they fought back,” PLAS Coach William Moguel said. “We played hard, especially in that fourth quarter. The biggest thing is playing like that for four quarters. If we played the whole game like we did in the fourth quarter there is no telling what the outcome would have been.”

Calhoun is coming off a 42-20 loss to Notasulga last week but are also enjoying their most successful season in more than 20 years. For the first time since 1999, the Tigers have qualified for the playoffs. Calhoun has three wins in 2023, in the previous eight seasons combined Calhoun won just two games.

“They’re athletic like always,” Moguel said of Calhoun. “They have some really good athletes. (Head Coach Elvin Starr) is doing a good job over there. We have to go out and have a good week of practice and try to learn from the mistakes we made last week.”

This is the second time Calhoun and Pike Lib have met, last season PLAS dominated Calhoun 50-6 in the first matchup between the two schools. This season, Pike Lib and Calhoun have just one common opponent, Notasulga. Pike Lib defeated Notasulga 31-8 earlier this season.

Moguel is once again looking for a complete game from his Patriots to help propel them into the offseason with some momentum.

“I want to see four full quarters,” he flatly said. “I’m looking for the same thing I’ve been asking for all year, four full quarters of football. We have a lot of our kids coming back (next year). I don’t think a lot of people thought we would win as many games – or be as competitive as we have been – this season, so I think it would be big for our kids to end the season with a win going into the offseason. Our offseason will be different this year from what they’re used to, so we need some momentum going into it.”