The 14-year rivalry between Northside High School and Southside High School will add another chapter on Friday when the two schools face off on the hardwood for the second time this season.

“We’re always competitive with each other and we’re in the same county. I think those are the two main things,” said Northside Head Coach Michael Proctor. “It’s not a heated rivalry, but it’s an important game for bragging rights within [Beaufort] County.”

Since Chocowinity High School and Aurora High School first consolidated into Southside in 2000, the level of competition has increased and the rivalry between the two schools thickened over the years.

Last season, these teams split two games, each winning at home by a single-digit margin. Despite their 15-9 season record, Northside would end two spots behind the 14-14 Seahawks in the 1A Four Rivers Standings.

This year, Southside wasn’t able to hold at home. The Panthers took the game by a relatively lopsided margin, winning 76-56. Edrice Adebayo’s 28 points led all scorers.

This time around, the Seahawks are looking to redeem themselves and make a statement on the Panthers’ home court.

“I expect them to do what they traditionally do: pressure the ball a lot,” said Proctor. “They do a lot of full court press and traps and I feel like they’re going to try to do that so we have a harder time getting the ball down the floor, trying to get it inside to “Bam” (Adebayo) and “Bootman” (Antonio Woods).”

Friday night will feature a matchup between the speedy Southside guards, led by Donshae Miller, against the dominant play of Adebayo and Woods in the paint. The Panthers enter Friday with a three-game winning streak, boasting a 12-2 (2-2) record, while the Seahawks enter at a 6-8 (2-1) clip.

“It’s a big rivalry,” said Proctor. “They’re always close games, no matter where the teams are in the standings. They’re always close, competitive games.”