Highlighting week one: Southwest, Westside, Baldwin, Washington County in the Macon TD Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic

Washington County head coach Joel Ingram is making it sound like the Golden Hawks are just the country kids coming to the city when they play at Mercer, but the he's the only head coach of the four who has coached his team in a state championship game.

Video: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Central Georgia, www.centralgasports.com

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          Mondays aren’t really considered good things.

          Unless it’s the Monday before the first football weekend of the season. Getting out of class for a bit isn’t a bad thing, either.

          Players and coaches from Southwest, Westside, Washington County and Baldwin gathered in a conference room at Mercer’s field house to jumpstart the week and talk about Saturday’s Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic.

          Southwest and Westside play at 4 p.m. at Five Star Stadium, followed by Washington County and Southwest.

Head coaches Spoon Risper and Joseph Dupree at Monday's press conference.

Video: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Central Georgia, www.centralgasports.com

          The teams weren’t expecting to be in the Saturday doubleheader until a few months ago when some confusion regarding schedules and the start of the season forced the club to abandon the sequel to last year’s doubleheader of Dublin-Tattnall and Northside-Peach County.

Head coaches Jesse Hicks and Joel Ingram at Monday's press conference

Video: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Central Georgia, www.centralgasports.com

          This is the fourth year of the Touchdown Club’s games, and the first time for each of the four teams. Baldwin head coach Jesse Hicks, though, participated in the game one time when he was head coach at Central.

The longtime Touchdown Club officer talks about this year's Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic.

Video: Michael A. Lough/The Sports Report of Central Georgia, www.centralgasports.com

          Each head coach spoke briefly and introduced four players.

          TD Club officer King Kemper pointed out the reason for the classic.

          “Since the mid-80s ... we’ve give about $350,000 to kids that were good on the field and they were great in the classroom,” he said of the scholarship money. “At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about.

          “This event … the money raised, every dime goes to the scholarships.”

          Tickets are $10 if purchased at the schools, who keep all ticket revenue from sales at the school, and $12 at the gate.