By Chris Walsh
The North Augusta High School Yellow Jackets will be hitting the road yet again this weekend, but this time they are heading to the suburbs of Atlanta to face perennial powerhouse Valdosta High School at North Gwinnett High School's stadium at noon today.
The event is called the National High School Gridiron Challenge.
After turning down the offer a couple years back, NAHS head coach Dan Pippin accepted the offer following the end of last season.
"They called me right after the season, and I was feeling really good at the time. ... They caught me at a weak moment," Pippin joked about accepting the invitation.
In accepting the call to take on one of Georgia's best high school programs, NAHS gets the chance to sell as many tickets as they want to fans who want to follow the team up to North Gwinnett. At $10 a ticket, Pippin is hoping the extra funds - which go to the booster club - will help fund sports outside of football as well.
"I was hoping to sell 500 tickets, and after we feed the team, that's still $4,500, and all we have to do is go play a football game," Pippin said. "We'll be able to pay for umpires, officials, transportation and security for non-profit-making sports, so it's a good deal."
But Pippin is quick to point out the decision wasn't made because of the monetary bonus; it's strictly all about football.
"The reason why I chose to do it is because we've been beat on the road in the state semis the past two years, and I want to get these kids used to big games on the road," Pippin said.
Pippin said, along with this afternoon's high school game, fans traveling to watch the Yellow Jackets may stay in Atlanta to catch the Clemson versus Auburn game tonight in the Georgia Dome or the Braves' Labor Day game, where they will be hosting North Augusta native Tyler Colvin and the Colorado Rockies.
He said the booster club has a bus, and there will be two church buses as of right now heading up north. But the players won't be making a weekend of it; they'll be coming right back to town after the game.
"It's going to be a great experience," Pippin said. "The kids are excited, we're excited, the town seems to be excited, but in the football season you live such a sheltered life, so I'm not really sure."
Tickets can be purchased at the NGHS gate today. The address for those not traveling with the team is 20 Level Creek Road, Suwannee, Ga.
Chris Walsh is the arts and entertainment reporter for the Aiken Standard. He graduated from Valdosta State and hails from Atlanta, Ga.![]()
The North Augusta High School Yellow Jackets will be hitting the road yet again this weekend, but this time they are heading to the suburbs of Atlanta to face perennial powerhouse Valdosta High School at North Gwinnett High School's stadium at noon today.
The event is called the National High School Gridiron Challenge.
After turning down the offer a couple years back, NAHS head coach Dan Pippin accepted the offer following the end of last season.
"They called me right after the season, and I was feeling really good at the time. ... They caught me at a weak moment," Pippin joked about accepting the invitation.
In accepting the call to take on one of Georgia's best high school programs, NAHS gets the chance to sell as many tickets as they want to fans who want to follow the team up to North Gwinnett. At $10 a ticket, Pippin is hoping the extra funds - which go to the booster club - will help fund sports outside of football as well.
"I was hoping to sell 500 tickets, and after we feed the team, that's still $4,500, and all we have to do is go play a football game," Pippin said. "We'll be able to pay for umpires, officials, transportation and security for non-profit-making sports, so it's a good deal."
But Pippin is quick to point out the decision wasn't made because of the monetary bonus; it's strictly all about football.
"The reason why I chose to do it is because we've been beat on the road in the state semis the past two years, and I want to get these kids used to big games on the road," Pippin said.
Pippin said, along with this afternoon's high school game, fans traveling to watch the Yellow Jackets may stay in Atlanta to catch the Clemson versus Auburn game tonight in the Georgia Dome or the Braves' Labor Day game, where they will be hosting North Augusta native Tyler Colvin and the Colorado Rockies.
He said the booster club has a bus, and there will be two church buses as of right now heading up north. But the players won't be making a weekend of it; they'll be coming right back to town after the game.
"It's going to be a great experience," Pippin said. "The kids are excited, we're excited, the town seems to be excited, but in the football season you live such a sheltered life, so I'm not really sure."
Tickets can be purchased at the NGHS gate today. The address for those not traveling with the team is 20 Level Creek Road, Suwannee, Ga.
Chris Walsh is the arts and entertainment reporter for the Aiken Standard. He graduated from Valdosta State and hails from Atlanta, Ga.