Tonight the 6-2 Panorama Panther football team will embark upon a very critical district match up that has more meaning than just another district win.

Tonight the Panthers will go on the road to square off on the home turf of West Central Valley High School. It’s a chance for county pride, one year’s worth of bragging rights, but also, it’s a chance for the Panorama Panthers to notch their seventh overall win and fifth district win in order to stay alive in the playoff hunt.

It’s an old Guthrie County rivalry that seeks for rekindling tonight due to the fact that these two teams haven’t squared off against each other dating back to the 2012 season. It’s that absence that has Panorama Panther head football coach Lyle Alumbaugh telling Raccoon Valley Radio, it’s like preparing for a whole new team.

“It’s just like playing a brand new opponent or someone you haven’t played in forever. They’ve got a new coaching staff and in two years time turn a high school football team over so we probably know very little about any of the athletes. Maybe a little of what they do in other sports but as far as football has gone it’s a different staff, different kids, so its a brand new opponent. Good news is they’re only 13 miles away,” stated coach Alumbaugh.

When asked if the game against West Central Valley brings back any nostalgia coach Alumbaugh noted that it did bring back a little but still indicated it’s a new feel in a familiar stadium.

“Going with nostalgia or anything like that we’ve got to play in that facility once before and it is super, one of the finest in the state. For us from the stand point of who we’re playing it’s a whole new ball game and they look as dangerous as they can be on film,” explained coach Alumbaugh.

The Panthers and the Wildcats will rekindle their rivalry tonight beginning at 7:00 pm.