Within the next week, all the summer workouts, offseason conditioning and passing camps will come to an end, and it will be time for the three local prep football teams to get down to real business.
Each of the three teams (Calhoun, Gordon Central, Sonoraville) will begin fall practice, signaling the end of the summer program and the official beginning of football.
The Gordon Central Warriors get it started first on Friday as they will open fall practice with their annual Iron Warrior program. The Iron Warrior is different strength and conditioning tests and competition that offi- cially begins padded practices next week. (The Georgia High School Association requires five acclimation days with no pads before teams can fully suit up for full practices.)
The other two schools in Gordon County, Calhoun and Sonoraville each get started on Monday. For their first session, the Phoenix will practice early in the morning, and the Jackets get going in the afternoon.
Calhoun coach Hal Lamb, who will enter his 16th season at the helm for the Jackets this fall, said he thinks his players are more than ready to get started with practice.
“The kids are definitely ready,” said Lamb. “I know they are tired of the working out and all the hard stuff we do over the summer months, and I think they’re ready to get to the fun part. Practice isn’t always fun, but they’re looking forward to those Friday nights and before that, you’ve got to get the practices in.
“I think this is one of the best summers we’ve had,” added Lamb. “The kids are committed to being the best they can be. We had great participation, and I think that commitment will carry over into practice.”
For the first time in three years, all three local teams will once again play in the same region starting this season after GHSA reclassification last January. Calhoun, Gordon Central and Sonoraville will all play in Region 6-AAA.
The Jackets are moving up to Class AAA after competing in Region 7-AA last season. The Warriors and Phoenix were a part of 7-AA until 2012, when both moved up to Region 5-AAA after the last GHSA reclassification.
“I think it’s exciting for everyone (to have all three schools in the same region again),” said Lamb. “Everyone can make some money from the gates, and there’s not a lot of travel involved so there will be a lot of people at the games.”
The matchups between local teams are as follows: Calhoun at Gordon Central on Sept. 12, Gordon Central at Sonoraville on Oct. 3 and Sonoraville at Calhoun on Oct. 10.
Calhoun is coming off an 11-2 season in which they won their 12th straight region title before being eliminated in the third round of the Class AA State playoffs by Benedictine. The loss broke the streak of five straight trips to the Class AA State Championship Game at the Georgia Dome.
Sonoraville will try to carry over the momentum they creat- ed last season when they made their first-ever State Playoff appearance.
Gordon Central is looking to rebound after a tough 0-10 season that was filled with bad breaks and injuries.
All three teams play their preseason scrimmages on Aug. 15 and then open the regular season two weeks later on Aug. 29.
Calhoun will open the regular season on the road at Dalton, Sonoraville hosts Model and Gordon Central will be at home against LaFayette. Each team will play two nonregion games before starting the Region 6-AAA schedule in Week 3 of the season on Sept. 12.