Tropical Storm threat: Schools move up football games

At least 23 high school football games involving Southeast Georgia teams this weekend will be played on Thursday because of Tropical Storm Hanna.

That includes a televised doubleheader in Camden County involving ranked Georgia and Florida teams that was scheduled for Friday.

“Looking at the forecast today, we probably would’ve been OK on Friday, but the TV folks [CSS] coming from Miami needed to know yesterday,” said Camden County coach Jeff Herron. “The problem is you can’t tell with this thing what’s going to happen, but the prediction here this morning is it will get here Saturday, then move on up to Savannah.”

Camden County will play Columbia County of Lake City, Fla., in an 8 p.m. game that follows Charlton County vs. First Coast of Jacksonville at 5:45 p.m.

Savannah-Chatham County Schools waited until Wednesday afternoon before setting their games for Thursday to make sure the Emergency Management System didn’t call for an evacuation, which would’ve postponed until next week all games involving their local teams.

Valdosta, scheduled to play Friday against Windsor Forest, was considering Monday until Savannah made its decision.

“It is on like Donkey Kong!” Valdosta coach Rick Tomberlin said in an e-mail to Wildcats supporters after getting the news. It will be the first Thursday home game for Valdosta in 43 years.

The Georgia High School Association has given all schools the option of playing Thursday, Friday or Saturday without notifying the GHSA, so not every postponed game has been verified.

“They aren’t even calling us, just doing what they think will give them the best shot to actually get the game played,” GHSA spokesperson Steve Figueroa said.

WHO’S PLAYING THURSDAY

Atkinson County at Brantley County

Benedictine at Savannah

Brunswick at Cook

Burke County at Ware County

Calvary Day at Johnson County

Columbia County (Fla.) at Camden County

First Coast (Fla.) vs. Charlton County (at Camden)

Effingham County at Appling County

Groves at Statesboro

Jenkins County vs. Portal

Johnson-Savannah at Richmond Hill

Lincoln County at McCormick (S.C.)

McIntosh County Academy at Glynn Academy

Pierce County at Coffee

Portal at Jenkins County

Southwest Atlanta Christian at Glascock County

Vidalia at Swainsboro

Telfair County at Jeff Davis

Thomson at Washington-Wilkes

Toombs County at Southeast Bulloch

Vidalia at Swainsboro

Wayne County at Bradwell Institute

Windsor Forest at Valdosta