Football: Area teams starting a new scrimmage trend?

GAINESVILLE — Based on popular demand -- and a pining for old traditions -- North Hall, Gainesville, and Flowery Branch will jointly play host together to a four-team scrimmage at North Hall on Friday at The Brickyard starting at 6 p.m.

Dubbed the "Northeast Georgia Fall Classic," the event will feature Flowery Branch facing North Hall at 6 p.m. in the opening scrimmage and Gainesville taking on Jefferson Forest out of Virginia (former North Hall football coach Bob Christmas' current team) at 8 p.m. in the nightcap.

The idea came about as fans of the local schools were wanting to see the three teams play each other more often. When Flowery Branch and Gainesville moved up to Class AAAAA it left no room for scheduling the Trojans.

“We were all getting inquiries of when we (North Hall) would play the other two teams again but scheduling is tough because they have a much bigger region,” North Hall coach David Bishop said. “We got together as a group and thought holding a joint scrimmage would be a great way to do that. We’ll rotate the teams every year and the venues. But since Gainesville and Flowery Branch play each other every year during the regular season they won’t scrimmage each other.”

Is this the beginning of a new trend around the area and state?

“I don’t know if we’re being trend-setters or not but we just thought this was a great way for fans of the schools to see us play each other,” Bishop said.

The North Hall-Flowery Branch scrimmage will be under normal controlled scrimmage conditions. The Gainesville-Jefferson Forest, coached by Christmas, scrimmage will be full-on game-like conditions.

“(Gainesville’s) scrimmage will be a war I’m sure,” Bishop said. “It should be a lot of fun for fans to come and watch both scrimmages. Hopefully this will catch on for everyone and it will become a great tradition to start the season.”

Tickets to watch the scrimmages will be $7 at the gate.

“You can come and watch one game for $7 or both games for $7,” Bishop said. “Hopefully people will stay for both games.”

NOTES: The North Hall Touchdown Club has volunteered to park at nearby Mount Vernon Elementary to open up the regular parking lots for fans of the other schools. There should be plenty of spaces available, Bishop said.