The Greatest on the Gridiron’s Eagles Region kicks off with a cross-generational showdown between two green-clad greats.

1955 Carr Central Greenies were Warren County’s first championship team, as winners of the Big 8 Conference — the equivalent of today’s Class 6A championship.

Led by running back Claude King (22 touchdowns in 1955); future Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer Richard Price; and head coach Mike Campbell, who later was a longtime assistant under Darrell Royal at the University of Texas, Carr Central held nine of its 11 opponents to seven points or less and did not have a game decided by less than nine points.

Nearly 30 years later, coach Jim Sizemore’s 1984 Gators won Vicksburg High’s first region championship in the MHSAA playoff era. Their calling card was a stingy defense that recorded five shutouts and held opponents to a total of 39 points in 10 regular-season games as the team reached the Class 4A semifinals. Among the Gators’ stars were 1,000-yard rusher Tony Hull and future College Football Hall of Famer Kevin Dent. Dent threw for more than 900 yards as a quarterback, and had five interceptions as a defensive back.