WCHS teams eye 2021 season

After a week off thanks to the GHSA Dead Week, it's back to business for the White County High School fall sports teams.

In less than a month, the WCHS softball and volleyball teams will kick off the 2021 season, with the football and cross country teams following in short order.

All four of the teams were busy during June either practicing, hitting the weight room, heading to team camps, or competing in summer league games. But now that July has rolled around on the calendar it's time to ramp up the preseason work.

The Lady Warriors softball team will compete in summer league games this month at an FCA camp, and will also head to Berry College in Rome for a team camp, which will provide some time to work on fundamentals, play some games, build some chemistry on the team.

“We'll play some really good teams, but the (Berry) camp is also about team bonding; getting heads in the right place, making sure we are all on the same page,” WCHS head coach Drew Owens said. “We want to have one goal when we leave there, because once the ball drops in August, it's going to be wide open.”

The Lady Warriors have 28 days before opening the season Thursday, Aug. 5, with a non-region game at Habersham Central. The home opener is set for Saturday, Aug. 7, against Rabun County. The squad will play six non-region games before opening the Region 7-AAA schedule Tuesday, Aug. 17, with a road trip to North Hall.

For the volleyball team, the Lady Warriors have a preseason scrimmage at East Jackson set for Thursday, Aug. 5, and open the regular season Tuesday, Aug. 10, with a tri-match against Chestatee and West Hall. The match will be played at Chestatee High School in Gainesville.

“We'll hit it hard in July,” WCHS volleyball coach Shannon Smith said. “We'll be working out each morning. We'll have our kiddie camp as well on July 13-14, and the we are going to a team camp at Berry College on July 15. We're excited and ready to get started. It's going to be a busy month getting ready to start the season.”

The Lady Warriors start the season with three consecutive road trips, and won't play the home opener until Thursday, Aug. 19. WCHS will take on Stephens County and Lumpkin County in the home opener.

The Lady Warriors opening Area 7-AAA matches will be played Tuesday, Aug. 31, in Dawsonville, with WCHS taking on Dawson County and North Hall in a tri-match.

On the football field, the Warriors finished up the June portion of the schedule June 25 with a 14-team 7-on-7 tournament.

The squad resumed their strength and conditioning workouts on Monday. Next week, the Warriors will head to Jefferson on Tuesday for a 7-on-7 event, and then take part in a two-day team camp at Jacksonville State University.

On July 26, the Warriors will begin a series of five acclimation practices mandated by the GHSA, before putting on the pads for the first time on Aug. 2.

The Warriors travel to East Forsyth on Friday, Aug. 13, for a preseason scrimmage, and then open the regular season on Friday, Aug. 20, with a trip to Stephens County. The Warriors' home opener will Aug. 27 against Hart County.

The WCHS cross country teams will continue their training and conditioning program throughout July, with an eye on the start of the season.

The cross country team are set to open the season on Saturday, Aug. 14, at the North Georgia Two Mile Stage Races in Commerce, and the will compete in the Northeast Georgia Championships Saturday, Aug. 21, in Athens.

The Warrior squads close out the first month of the season with a trip to Gainesville on Aug. 28 to take part in the War Eagle Invitational at Chestatee High School.