While the 2015 high school football season is not yet upon us, the football gods have blessed fans with scrimmage games. And in Chattooga County, no blessing could be better for pigskin fanatics than the renewal of the legendary cross-county rivalry, Chattooga Indians vs Trion Bulldogs. This year will mark the first game being played since the opening of the new Chattooga High School. After the two previous games were played back to back at Trion, the next two years will be hosted at the Buddy Windle Field in the Little Big Horn.
Since the epic match up of 1970 when quarterback, Phil Cavin led the Indians into Trion for a lopsided 48-0 masacre of rival QB, Rick Camp and his Bulldogs, the match-up was cancelled. (The following year, their contract was completed at Chattooga and ended in a bitter 0-0 stalemate.) Cavin said, “Back then, the game was bigger than life. It was similar to Auburn/Alabama. It was a great highlight for my senior year…. probably my most fulfilling and proudest moment of my high school career.” Now, half a century later, a series of scrimmage games is enough for a hotly contested battle of a county championship and a year’s worth of bragging rights. And in Chattooga County, those bragging rights are exercised on a regular basis at the Liar’s Table at the local Jim’s Family Restaurant.
We caught up with Indian Head Coach, Charles Hammon, and asked a few questions about some things the Indian Nation are looking forward to this season. The Trion scrimmage game was at the top of the list. When asked about the scrimmage and which positions the coaching staff will be evaluating for the depth chart, this is what Coach Hammon had to say:
The entire county is proud of the recent construction of a new high school. Trion has a beautiful campus that just recently added a top tier gym. The new Chattooga High School puts both county schools in a position to be extremely proud of their facilities. Chattooga Superintendent, Jimmy Lenderman, has spent the last few years providing much needed vision for the school system and this new building is a big step forward in his journey to making the Chattooga County School System one of the finest in the state. We asked Coach Hammon how the new school has affected his team:
Coach Hammon is entering his third year with the Indians and is looking to, not just get over the playoff hurdle, but take the steps necessary to building a winning football program. When asked about this process with the Indians, Coach Hammon had this to say:
So, as Summer fades into Fall and the sounds of clashing helmets rings across the Chattooga valley, football fans are shaking off their favorite red & black gear, and the biggest blue T’s they can find, digging out their stadium seat cushions, loading up their coolers, and this year, it looks like the first stop will be another epic battle at the Little Big Horn. However, tailgating parties can be found across the county hosted by different organizations. The game itself begins at 7:00 pm, but make sure you head down to the field early to get a good look at the beautiful new high school and some of the upgrades being made to the stadium entrance.
Look for more local football news to come right here at your source for Chattooga & Trion football news, www.Chattooga.AllOnGeorgia.com.
Casie Bryant is the NW Georgia Regional Manager for AllOnGeorgia.