GREYHOUND FOOTBALL
It won’t be hard to find common threads on Saturday, when Jones County and Northside tee it up Saturday to begin the Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic.
The game, a rematch of last year’s 27-21 Greyhounds win, is the first of two games on Saturday at Five Star Stadium with the night cap being between Mary Persons and Northeast-Macon.
Former Northside coach Conrad Nix will be recognized on Saturday as the event’s honorary captain. Greyhounds head coach Mike Chastain and JCHS athletic director Chad Alligood both coached under Nix, and Alligood was the Eagles head coach in last year’s matchup.
“We’re honored to be able to play Northside. They do a great job with their program and are a perennial playoff contender and get after it,” Chastain said. “You love playing good programs.”
Chastain and Eagles head coach Ben Bailey joined coaches of Saturday’s other two opponents – Mary Persons’ Brian Nelson and Northeast’s Jeremy Wiggins – in sharing excitement about the opportunity for their players to be able to play in an event staged by the Macon Touchdown Club and Mercer.
“The Macon Touchdown Club and Mercer, they do a great job of putting this on,” Chastain said. “I’ve coached all over the state, and they do a phenomenal job with their touchdown club, better than any other in the state that I have seen.”
Saturday will begin a grueling non-region schedule for both. After the season opener, the Greyhounds will continue with games against Dacula, Perry and Peach County prior to region play with the Eagles upcoming opponents being Warner Robins, North Cobb and Peach County.
“It’s an honor to be here along with these coaches. We’re excited about the season, obviously,” Bailey said. “With our non-region schedule, you start off with a Jones County team and then play Warner Robins, Peach and North Cobb and get into the region. It does not get any easier for us.”
