Scrimmages popping up on football schedules

Published 1:00 pm Thursday, July 31, 2025

VALDOSTA — High school football is taking its next big steps this week as several local teams are playing scrimmages.

Valdosta, Lowndes and Valwood all take to the gridiron Friday for practice games.

Lowndes will be the only one at home, hosting Thomas County Central. Valwood makes a short trip to Lanier County. Valdosta’s is nearly as short, a few exits up to Cook.

The Valiants have slotted a second scrimmage next week at Bacon County.

Kickoff for the TCC-Lowndes scrimmage is 8 p.m. Valdosta starts at 7:30 p.m.

The Vikings-Yellow Jackets matchup is one of the most charged of the preseason. Thomas County Central was a state quarterfinalist in Class 6A, falling to state runner-up Langston Hughes. Lowndes went 10-2 and made it to the second round.

Valdosta, additionally a second-round squad in 2024, heads over to Cook, which squeaked into state with a 4-6 regular season mark.

Valwood hopes to get momentum going early. The Valiants were the state runner-up in the GIAA’s Class 3A. Lanier County would like any momentum at all. Under former Valdosta State head coach David Dean, the Bulldogs went 1-9 a year ago.

With the exception of Richmond Hill, everyone else in Region 1-6A are waiting to hold their scrimmages.

Richmond Hill has Jenkins coming in for its warm-up.

Tift County goes to Brooks County on Aug. 8. One day earlier, Colquitt County is on the road at Bainbridge. Camden County’s scrimmage is against Benedictine.