SPANISH FORT, Alabama — Game on. The first-ever meeting between 23-year-old Daphne High and seven-year-old spin-off Spanish Fort on the football field will be broadcast on Labor Day on ESPN.

The game will no doubt draw a packed house as the two Eastern Shore neighbors take their football prowess to heart.

Both earned state championship titles in 2010. The Spanish Fort Toros claimed the 5A crown and Daphne followed with the top 6A prize that year. Both went deep into their respective playoff runs last year as well. But even though the campuses are within walking distance of each other and have competed in other sports, they have never met on the gridiron.

The original showdown was set for Aug. 31 but has been rescheduled for Labor Day Monday, Sept. 3 at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on an ESPN channel, according to a reliable Gulf Coast News Today source.

“It’s time we played each other,” said Daphne head coach Glenn Vickery. “Might as well do it on national television.”

Spanish Fort head coach Mark Freeman was excited for the players and the fans but said having to play on a Monday would change the dynamics of preparation for the next game on Sept. 7.

“At the end of the day, our season starts Sept. 7 against (5A Region 1 opponent) B.C. Rain,” he said. “We are going to do everything we can to beat Daphne, of course, but the bottom line is that we are in 5A and our goal is to go all the way in our division. The Daphne game will always be a big game and I know the first one is special. History and tradition are great and should be respected. But until we are in the same classification and competing for a playoff spot, it will not be the biggest game we play. But at the same time we know that fact won’t take away from the fun and the spirit and the enthusiasm. It’s going to be like a playoff game in it’s own right. Two great communities next door to each other. A lot of strong family ties. I believe the atmosphere will just be great. Being on TV would just be a little extra icing on the cake for the kids as far as I’m concerned.”

Vickery echoed Freeman's thoughts.

“First of all it’s going to be very exciting no matter when we play Spanish Fort and whether it’s on TV or not, it’s going to be big. First game, rivals, neighbors are always big games. It wasn’t too long ago I was carrying kids home up (Hwy.) 225. There are kids at Spanish Fort whose brothers or sisters went here. It always brings out the interest in many of our football families. Spanish Fort has lots of families who maybe had one child graduate from Daphne. But people throw around the term bragging rights all the time and as big and important as any rivalry game can be, it’s still just one game in a season of games. Even though it’s the first game and a rivalry game and of course we want to win each and every game, it won’t affect our goal of making sure we make the playoffs. But I believe it will benefit both teams right away and down the road too on into the season. Even though playing it on a Monday would shorten our preparation for our first region game, playing a high quality team like Spanish Fort will help instruct us on what we need to work on.”

Daphne’s second game is also a region game against Baldwin County with only three days between.

“We’ll make some adjustments as far as practice goes,” Vickery said. “Baldwin County has a good team and coach (Bobby) Moore will have them ready. So our hands will be full no matter how long we have to get ready.”

The Toros are set to play Muscle Shoals on Aug. 24 in the Champions Challenge exhibition games in Montgomery.