By Mark Turner
White County News
After a week off, it's time for the White County High School fall sports teams to kick things into high gears as the start of the 2025 season is less than a month away.
The Georgia High School Association shut things down this week with it's mandatory dead week, but the work resumes next week for football, softball, volleyball and cross country teams.
The Lady Warriors' softball team opens the regular season in early August, but they will have a busy July as the continue to prepare for the season under first-year head coach Cari Barrett.
The Lady Warriors will participate in works in the weight room, on the field and in the hitting facility through the month, leading up to summer games with Gilmer (July 22) and Rabun County (July 23). The Lady Warriors will take on Cherokee Bluff July 31 in a preseason game before starting the regular season Aug. 5 with a home matchup against Forsyth Central.
The WCHS volleyball team held several practice sessions during June and will host the annual referee training camp next week, which features several locals schools competing in summer league games. The Lady Warriors' summer work is part of the preparation for the regular season, which begins in early August. The Lady Warriors are coming off a monster season in 2024 as the squad earned the program's second trip to the Class AAA Final Four.
On the football field, the Warriors start July with their annual free youth football camp next week at Warrior Stadium. The camp will be July 7-9 from 6-8 p.m., and is open to rising first through eighth grade athletes.
The Warriors will be working out in the weight room and on the field for four days each week through the month.The team will compete in a padded camp on July 15-16 at Cherokee Bluff High School in Flowery Branch. GHSA-mandated acclimation practices begin on July 21, and the team will hold it's first padded practice on July 28.
The Warriors take on Fannin County in preseason scrimmage Aug. 8, and then open the regular season with a trip to Rabun County on Aug. 15. The home opener is set for Aug. 29 against Habersham Central.
The cross country team will be the last fall squad to compete, beginning it's season Aug. 19 at the Gorge to the Beach 3K at Tallulah Falls School in Clarkesville. The WCHS runners will continue to ramp up their mileage throughout July heading into the regular season, which consists of nine meets before the Class AAA sectionals in Ringgold on Nov. 1.