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The Upson-Lee Knights and Lady Knights will travel down HWY 19 south tonight to face the Taylor County Vikings and Lady Vikings in their season openers. Tonight's game will be the first of the season for both schools.

The Lady Knights have a new coach at the helm this season in Mitchell Hunter. After having three different head coaches at one point in time last season, Hunter takes over a squad that finished 8-15 last year, but the Lady Knights return some players with valuable experience from last season.

Rasheeda Smith, Alexis Walton, Marvette Wilkerson, Takenya Daniel, and Breavia Stewart all return from last year's team. Last season as a sophomore, Stewart earned All-Region honors, and she will be the leading scorer returning from last season. The Lady Knights also have their leading rebounder returning from a season ago with senior Rasheeda Smith.

According to Hunter, the Lady Knights are focused on playing good fundamental basketball, and playing at a high level for the full four quarters. On the contrary, Hunter and his Lady Knights could have had better luck in finding an opponent for their first game.

Last year the Lady Vikings finished with an impressive 26-3 record, before losing an overtime game to Emmanuel County Institute in the state playoffs last season. The Lady Vikings went 13-0 in Region 2 in class A. The 26-3 team from last season averaged 65 points per game and only allowed 38 points per contest.

On the boys side of the match-up, the Knights are coming off a 23-9 season, and a trip to the state playoffs. Coach Darrel Lockhart has expressed his concern for the lack of depth at the post positions, and is expecting his very quick and aggressive back court to keep the Knights in the win column this season. Senior Donterrius Harris, Quent Howell, A.C. Copeland, along with junior Tay Matthews are just a few of the back court players that Lockhart will lean on this season. The Knights will also bring back three point specialist Justin James and Jacarus Carthon will join the team at the forward position.

The Taylor County boy's team also had a good year last season with an 18-8 record. The Vikings are returning some players at the post positions with 6'5 senior Ronquez Dugger along with 6'3 Depaydro Dugger. The Vikings also have a 6'4 player in the middle in senior Tyler Newcomb.

The Lady Knights will tip off at 6 p.m. tonight and the boys will tip off after the girls game.