PREP NOTEBOOK: Lee County football to play in Corky Kell Classic

Lee County High School will partake in one of the state’s most well-known events to kick off the 2016 football season.

The Corky Kell Classic, a nine-game, three-day, three-site event that kicks off the GHSA football season will begin Thursday, Aug. 18 at Five Star Stadium with a doubleheader featuring Middle Georgia teams.

While papers still have to be signed for it to be official, the Trojans are expected to open the season against Jones County.

“It is a big honor,” Lee coach Dean Fabrizio said. “To get an invite to an event like this shows the respect we have gained as a team. We are proud to be invited.”

According to the schedule released Wednesday by Corky Kell organizers, a pair of region champions will kick things off at 5:45 p.m., with Houston County taking on Mary Persons. Houston County (11-2) was in a three-way tie for GHSA Region 2-AAAAA title this season and was the region’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs, while Mary Persons (11-1) claimed the Region 2-AAAA crown.

At 8:45 p.m., Jones County, which finished in a tie with Houston County and Northside-Warner Robins for the Region 2-AAAAA title and was the region’s No. 3 seed in the playoffs, will take on Lee County, which finished the 2016 season at 6-4. The Greyhounds went 9-2 this season.

Both games will be telecast by Fox Sports Southeast, as will the games played Friday, Aug. 19, at McEachern and Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Georgia Dome.

“Jones County is a very good team,” Fabrizio said. “When you play in an event like this, you will play a good team. It will be a good test to see where we are as a team.”

U-Save-It Classic kicks off next Friday

One of the biggest high school basketball events in the area gets underway next Friday at Albany High School. The U-Save-It Classic, which was previously three days, has been extended to four days and will feature the four Dougherty County schools, Lee County and Terrell County.

This year’s version also includes Colquitt County, Cedar Grove, Manchester, South Cobb, Southeast Bulloch, Americus-Sumter and Statesboro.

The classic will run from Friday to Tuesday with all teams taking a day off on Sunday.

The new four-day format will mean each team plays three games, but will have a day off in addition to the mandatory Sunday break.