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It's interesting to look at the three different perspectives of area high school teams on the cusp of football state titles. All are chasing the same dream, basically, a championship that these teenagers can brag about to their grandchildren many years from now. But Dudley, Reidsville and Western Alamance are three distinct teams with different communities -- from city to small-town to rural/suburban -- and much different football histories.

First, a look at Dudley. In Steven Davis, you have a man who is taking the Panthers to the 3-AA final for the second time in his four years as head coach. They also went in '02 when he was Vic Floyd's defensive coordinator. But Dudley is yet to win an NCHSAA title, and to do that Saturday against Charlotte Catholic would be enormously significant for a school that has been a state powerhouse the last 10-12 years in basketball and has fared well at the state level in track and field but has not won a football state title since 1951, pre-desegregation. Ed Hardin will have more on the what the Panthers' title run -- and high school football in general -- means to that tight-knit community in Saturday's News & Record.

Game time is 3:30 p.m. at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.

Western Alamance coach Hal Capps calls Dudley's defense the best he's seen in 10 years, and we don't dispute it. I'd like to see the Panthers' offense not only drive to Catholic's 20 but find a way to put up some points. That would take some pressure off the D, which has come up big all season.

Reidsville and Shelby (7:30 p.m. at Carter-Finley in Raleigh) isn't just a rematch of the 2005 2-AA state final. It's a matchup between two of the state's proudest 2-A football programs. Add Clinton, and you've got a historical triumvirate. The Rams and Golden Lions share a proud history deep in championship victories. Reidsville's won 15; Shelby has 6, plus 4 Western NC titles. They even share a common mascot: Before they were the Rams, Reidsville was the Golden Lions from 1927-69, when the school merged with Booker T. Washington during integration.

Both schools even have outstanding Web sites devoted to football: Reidsvillefootball.com and home of the "True NC high school football dynasty".

We like Reidsville's chances to win No. 16 Saturday and avenge that '05 loss. The Rams' offense, which runs the ball so effectively out of the spread, is just that good at 49.5 points a game. And their defense will likely keep Shelby from putting up big numbers out of the double-wing attack, especially if the Rams keep forcing turnovers at the rate they've been doing it in the playoffs.

Saturday morning, Western Alamance tries to complete a perfect season and end a frustrating streak of losses in the 3-A final. After three tough defeats in a row, even the good-natured Hal Capps is growing tired of talking about the past. The Warriors' coach is confident that his senior-loaded team has put the letdowns behind them and will put North Gaston away in this one even though they are a banged-up team.

This looks like the year. May Capps' boys enjoy a blowout victory and endure much less stress in the final minutes.