While the temperature gauge and “gnat factor” in Bainbridge and Southwest Georgia don’t necessarily scream, “Hey, it’s football season,” the calendar on the wall tells a different story. It certainly is football season.

As I write this on a Friday afternoon getting ready to travel to Cairo to watch the Bainbridge High School Bearcats in a practice scrimmage, we are two weeks away from opening the 2014 high school football season.

Head Coach Jeff Littleton is entering his second season at the helm, and I can tell you, this team has been working awfully hard in preparation for the new season.

With the new season, the Bearcats will compete in a new region and in a new classification. We are now in Region 1 in Class AAAA for at least the next two seasons. Joining the Bearcats in this region are our two biggest rivals—Cairo and Thomas County Central.

The new 10-team region is divided into two sub-regions, or divisions. Joining the Bearcats in Division B will be Americus-Sumter, Dougherty, Westover and Worth County. Division A will be comprised of Albany, Cairo, Crisp County, Monroe and Thomas County Central.

These football players sacrifice much to be on the team. Lots are asked of them, and I hope you take the chance to attend all the home games – and even some of the away games – this season. What better place to spend an autumn Friday night than at Centennial Field watching the Bearcats.

The football players and staff are not the only hard-working ones to make those Friday nights the place to be in Decatur County.

The Bainbridge High School band has been hard at work for months to provide its usual awesome half-time show. And, those kids not only work hard during their half-time performance, but all throughout the game, playing from the stands.

And, the Bainbridge High School cheerleaders will be fantastic, as they usually are each and every Friday night.

Hundreds of students and lots of staff work many, many hours in order to play the games on Friday nights. They need and deserve the support of the community, so please make plans now to attend as many games as you can over the next several months. Whatever your motivation, please just come.

In fact, you will have the opportunity to tune up your rooting voice next Friday night. The Bearcats will host Pelham High School in a pre-season scrimmage game. While the players, band and cheerleaders are fine-tuning their approach to the regular season, the fans will be able to fine-tune their Friday night routine, as well.