Tift County quarterback awaits a snap in Monday’s Soap Bowl, one of only a handful by the varsity squad before rain and lightning halted the action. Head coach Ashley Anders said the Blue Devils are “chomping at the bit” to finally play Thursday.

TIFTON — The Tift County Blue Devils will finally have the chance to bash shoulder pads with an opposing school Thursday night when they scrimmage visiting Turner County at 7:30 p.m. at Brodie Field.

This will be the first real action for Tift’s varsity in front of a crowd. Their portion of Monday’s Soap Bowl ended after just a few plays because of bad weather.

Not surprisingly, the Blue Devils are ready for the scrimmage.

“They’re chomping at the bit,” said head coach Ashley Anders.

Thursday’s format will mostly resemble a regular season football game.

“It will be four timed football quarters,” said Anders. “Live punts and kicks.”

The only things that won’t be live, he said, were field goals and point after tries. Neither side wants to risk injuring a kicker, especially as Turner — a Class A team — has few bodies to spare at the position.

Junior varsity squads from both sides will play in the first quarter before the varsity teams take over.

Under new head coach Leroy Hood, Turner scrimmaged Shaw High of Columbus last week. The Rebels were awarded two scrimmage games by the Georgia High School Association after not playing spring football.

Hood coached defensive backs at Tift County last season. Arkansas natives, Hood played an Anders-coached team in high school. The two renewed acquaintances on the collegiate circuit when Hood played for the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys and Anders was coaching at Valdosta State.

Tift and Turner clashed in the Devils’ scrimmage in 2016. It was the first known meeting between high school football teams of the two counties since 1928.

The Blue Devils won the 2016 battle by a 31-6 score. Tift led 31-0 before Tyler Moore connected with Tamorrion Terry for a 78-yard touchdown in the final quarter.

Tift’s first string was mostly limited to the first half.

Griffin Collier completed 9 of 11 passes in the contest for 210 yards.

Collier will be back on the field Thursday, as will Moore. Both players are seniors.

The Rebels finished 8-4 in 2016 and advanced to the second round of the Class A (public) playoffs. Turner fell in a 47-37 shootout against eventual state champion Macon County. Tift finished 6-5 and played in the first round of the Class AAAAAAA state tourney.

Thursday’s game will be the final warm-up of the season for both sides with the regular season starting next week.

Tift will travel to Statesboro and Georgia Southern University Aug. 18 to take on South Effingham in the Erk Russell Classic. Turner will host Dougherty at Hobby Field in Ashburn.