Like two generals preparing their troops for the biggest battle of their campaigns, Rome High football coach Sid Fritts and Pepperell coach Jeff Shiflett got to work on Sunday.

Receiving intelligence in the form of scouting reports and game tapes, they were concentrated on the task at hand — to excel in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.

And for each team, they are preparing to face their greatest adversary yet.

Both squads will make the long trip to South Central Georgia, with Rome facing No. 1 Northside-Warner Robins and Pepperell taking on No. 5 Dublin.

Each contest is tentatively scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Friday night.

“We’re watching film and just getting a feel for them,” Shiflett said. “That’s usually our typical Sunday routine.”

He said that he and his coaches started around lunch and were planning to continue well into the evening.

“We’re just trying to evaluate (Dublin) and put some game plans together,” Shiflett said.

Pepperell (9-3) will be looking to see just how far they can ride the momentum that has saw them make it to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1998.

That’s when the Dragons went all the way to the Georgia Dome for the semifinals only to lose to eventual AA state champion Carrollton.

As the lone 7-AA team left playing, Pepperell has been the team that could ever since starting out 0-2 under first-year head coach Shiflett.

The Fighting Irish (10-2) made it all the way to the state championship game against Charlton County last season, only for it to end in a 13-13 tie.

“We’ve got to have another great night on defense,” Shiflett said of his early appraisal

The No. 10-ranked Wolves (10-1-1) have fought off team after team since their midseason loss to Dalton to become the only 7-AAAA team still in the playoffs.

Northside has seven region championships in the past 10 years, including this season in Region 4-AAAA, and took their only state title last year over Marist.

“Looking at them on film, they’re as good as advertised,” Fritts said. “A really talented football team with some great football players.

“We’ll have to prepare and they’re very difficult to prepare for.”

Fritts said that the speed and ferocity that he and his staff have observed is very hard to duplicate on the practice field.

“But our kids have been down there and they know what to expect,” Fritts said.