The Georgia High School Association has announced the 2008 football schedules for Liberty High, Bradwell Institute and Long County High.
With the regional re-alignments coming into play this season, Long and Liberty highs will face teams they have not played in the past.
Long County will play Benedictine, who was in the 3A-AAA sub region last season. A former foe to the Liberty County Panthers, Benedictine posted an overall 6-5 record and region record of 3-2 last season. The Blue Tide also will face Tattnall County who moved from 4-AA to 2-AA this season and posted a 3-7 overall and a 0-6 region record last season.
Tide coach Kyle Wilson and the Blue Tide squad posted a 4-6 overall record and 1-6 region record last season. They still face tough 2-AA opponents, Appling, Pierce, Jeff Davis, Brantley, Charlton and McIntosh Academy in their region. Savannah Christian is no longer on their schedule.
Liberty High will face Washington County, Thomson, West Laurens and Baldwin for the first time as those teams slide into the new 3-AAA region. The team will no longer face South Effingham, Benedictine or Hephzibah as regional opponents, but they still face rivals Burke County and Richmond Hill. The Panthers posted an impressive 7-3 overall record and were 3-2 for the region in 2007.
Washington County posted a 4-7 overall and 3-2 record in their 3B-AAA region last year. Thomson, also formerly of 3B-AAA, went 9-1-1 overall and 5-0, Baldwin was 8-2 overall and 5-1 last season when they were 4B-AAAA while West Laurens was 5-5 overall and 1-4 in 4B-AAA last season.
The Bradwell Tigers will face the same 3-AAAAA opponents from last season in Camden, Savannah, Groves, Johnson, Windsor Forest, Jenkins and Beach High. Head coach Jim Walsh and the Tigers were 5-6 overall and 5-2 in the region making it to the post-season where they faced Valdosta.
All the games are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. According to the posted schedule Long County will have their bye week on Sept. 5, The Panthers don't get a bye until the last week of football on Nov. 7 and the Tigers have their bye week on Sept. 19.
The Long County Blue Tide play their home games at the newly renovated Veteran's Stadium located adjacent to Smiley Elementary. The Tigers' home field is Olvey field off General Stewart Way and the Panthers hope to kick off this season at the new Donell Woods Football Stadium located at LCHS.
Liberty County Panthers football schedule (all games are on a Friday)
Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m.: McIntosh County Academy (2-AA), away
Sept. 05, 7:30 p.m.: Beach (3-AAAAA), home
Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m.: Effingham County (2-AAAA), away
Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.: Glynn Academy (2-AAAA), home
Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.: Washington County (3-AAA)* away
Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m.: Thomson (3-AAA)*, home
Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m.: West Laurens (3-AAA)*, away
Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.: Burke County (3-AAA)*, home
Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.: Baldwin (3-AAA)*, away
Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.: Richmond Hill (3-AAA)*, home
*=Region Game
Bradwell Tigers football schedule (all games are on a Friday unless specified)
Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m., Glynn Academy (2-AAAA), home
Sept. 05, 7:30 p.m., Wayne County (2-AAAA), home
Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m., Houston County (1-AAAAA), away
Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., Groves (3-AAAAA)*, home
Oct. 03, 7:30 p.m., Jenkins (3-AAAAA)*, away (Savannah Memorial)
Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m., Windsor Forest (3-AAAAA)*, home
Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m., Savannah (3-AAAAA)*, away
Oct. 25, Sat., 7:30 p.m. Beach (3-AAAAA)*, away
Oct. 30, Thu., 7:30 p.m., Johnson, Savannah (3-AAAAA)*, away (Savannah Memorial)
Nov. 07, 7:30 p.m. Camden County (3-AAAAA)*, home
*=Region Game
Long County Tide football schedule (all games are on a Friday)
Aug. 29, TBD, Johnson, Savannah (3-AAAAA), home
Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m., Appling County (2-AA)*, away
Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m., McIntosh County Academy (2-AA)* , home
Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m. Benedictine (2-AA)*, away
Oct. 03, 7:30 p.m., Tattnall County (2-AA)*, home
Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m., Charlton County (2-AA)*, away
Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m., Jeff Davis (2-AA)*, away
Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m., Richmond Hill (3-AAA), away
Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m. Brantley County (2-AA)*, home
Nov. 07, 7:30 p.m., Pierce County (2-AA)*, home
*=Region Game