PICKENS-Randy Robinson knew when he replaced Allen Sitterle as the Daniel head football coach in 2006, he was stepping into big shoes. After all, Sitterle had won four state AAA titles in the 1990s for the Lions.

Few expected Robinson to match the record of Sitterle, even though he had been a long-time member of Sitterle’s staff.

Robinson’s first season record of 4-7 did not help his perception any. Despite the fact that the Lions still made it into the playoffs, many questioned if he would even last long as the Lions’ coach.

Robinson ignored the critics, and instead concentrated on his team. The results have been amazing.

The Lions have a 33-3 in the past three seasons. And Robinson’s winning percentage of .783 is gradually catching up with Sitterles .807 mark during his years as the Daniel coach.

One aspect in which Robinson is ahead of Sitterle, or at lest Sitterle’s final five years, is in facing county rival Pickens.

Sitterlee lost three of his final five games against the Blue Flame, including the last one in 2005. Robinson is 3-0 against Pickens, and Friday night he will attempt to improve his record 4-0 and continue Daniel’s regular-season winning streak to 29 games.

Ironically, the state record for a regular season winning streak belongs to Pickens, where Bill Isaacs led his team to 57-straight regular season wins in the 1970s.

Daniel has already clinched its third straight Western AAA title and will likely be looking ahead to the state playoffs and the effort to win its first state championship in more than a decade.

Pickens, on the other hand, is likely more interested in ending some of its own streaks, starting with its current 6-game losing streak that started when Pickens fell to Travelers Rest September 18.

Pickens also has an 8-game Western AAA losing streak, dating back to last season when the Blue Flame lost its final four games of the season and missed the playoffs after a strong 6-0 start.