Getting to the top was a challenge for two area high school football teams.

Now begins the real challenge of trying to remain the best teams in their respective classes.

The Morgan Academy Senators and Wilcox Academy Wildcats reached the pinnacle of prep football in 2003. The Senators won the AISA Class 3A state title with a 16-13 victory over Faith Academy, while Wilcox Academy became the Class 2A champs by beating Edgewood, 30-29, in the championship game.

The task of opening the season with a victory will be especially difficult, as both teams will be on toe road for their

regular season openers.

Wilcox Academy will travel to Monroe Academy in defense of its Class 2A crown Friday night.

Morgan Academy opens defense of its Alabama Independent School Association Class 3A title Friday night when it faces host Edgewood Academy, last season’s Class 2A state runner-up.

“If I had my way, Senators’ head coach Robert Gartman said, “we would play a weaker team to open the season.

“We’re going up against a team that literally throws the ball all over the field,” Gartman added. “They’re probably the most pass-happy team I’ve seen in 25 years. They’ve got their (former University of Florida and Washington Redskins coach) Steve Spurrier-style offense and they don’t run the football unless they absolutely have to.”

While Morgan Academy will face a team built on offense, the Wilcox Academy Wildcats will take on a squad built around a tough,stubborn defense.

“They’ll get after you on defense,” Wildcats’ head coach Chris Burford said. “They can really hit you.”

Wilcox Academy, on the other hand, enters the game with plenty of questions on defense following a 24-0 loss to Morgan Academy in last Friday night’s preseason jamboree. Josh McAteer scored two touchdowns, kicked a field goal and added a pair of extra points for Morgan Academy in the win.

“We have to get more aggressive on defense than we were at the jamboree,” Burford said. “We have to force them into doing something they don’t want to do.”

Gartman said his team will be ready as long as their practice goes well the rest of the week.

“It’s a question of whether we have enough reps,” he said. “When it’s something new, we’re still confused on when to rush the quarterback. If we get enough reps in, we’ll be ready.”