While the Rams and Eagles had the opportunity to face off in the first week of the season in, the Alcovy Tigers are looking forward to their first in-county test of the year tonight against Eastside.

The Tigers, who sit 1-1 on the year after defeating Perry at home last week, welcome the Eagles to Sharp Stadium tonight in non-region play. The match-up is the first county action Alcovy has seen this year, and head coach Kirk Hoffman said his players are excited to take on their neighbors.

"I think if you ask both teams they’re looking for the same thing out of the game," Hoffman said. "It’s a rivalry game. It’s an exciting game. The kids know each other and it sets itself up for a great atmosphere.

"(The players) are first excited to play and second excited to play in-county. It adds to the excitement. We’ve harped here that we have to get ready for the next game, whether it’s in-county, out-of-county, region or non-region. This game has a little extra to it, but it’s all about getting the win."

The Tigers will be tasked with stopping an Eastside offense that has averaged over 41 points a game this year.

"Offensively, they have done an outstanding job," Hoffman said. "We can’t give up the big plays. We have to stay in there and be disciplined. We’re going to have to hang on to tackles. If you miss tackles and you give up big plays, you’re going to be in trouble."

The Tigers' defense has allowed three touchdowns this season, holding Perry to just 10 points last week. Hoffman knows that his team's offense will have to play smart this week to complement the team's defense.

"Winning the turnover battle is important," he said. "We can't give up the ball on offense. We have to limit turnovers there and play smart."

Game time against the Eagles is set for 7:30 p.m.