After a loss to Euless Trinity [4-0], the Farmers [2-2] look to bounce back tonight at 7:30 against rival Marcus High School [3-1] in a highly anticipated Battle of the Axe.

“Our kids aren’t ever going to quit; they are resilient,” Miller said. “They will bounce back. They wanted to go in there and win [last week], but they gave it their best shot and they will come back next week.”

Marcus vs. Lewisville, Battle of the Axe, is the annual cross town rivalry game in which the two teams fight over an axe. Marcus has had possession of the axe for the past nine years.

“BOTA means a lot,” head football coach Gregg Miller said. “I know how bad the people in the community and the kids want it. As the head football coach, I want it for everybody. It has been too long since we’ve won it and it means a lot to us to bring it back.”

The team is sitting at .500 right now and a win against a district opponent could be a driving force for the year.

“I feel pretty good…we’ve been successful so far this season,” senior Jarvis Brooks said. “I think we’re better than we were last year, and we will definitely make it to the playoffs.”

The team’s offense is led by senior players Tyrell Shavers, Kwame Mickels and Jarvis Brooks. As of last week, Mickels is ranked second in the district in rushing yards with 432, Brooks is ranked fifth in passing yards with 329 and Shavers is ranked fifth in receiving yards with 246. On defense the team is led by senior Khristian Lee, who has been on the varsity team since his sophomore year, and sophomore Kevin Anderson who is a first time varsity player.

“I’m going to be honest; Kevin Anderson has stood out to me,” Mickels said. “He’s playing with the big dogs now and he’s having a pretty good season.”