For many people, August means one thing: football season is back! Here in the lowcountry, we don’t have a professional or even large college football team to unite us all, but that doesn’t mean a love for football doesn’t exist in these parts. While many of us will travel upstate at some point to catch a Carolina or Clemson game, or maybe even attend a Panthers game, there is still plenty of football fun to enjoy with the family right in our own town. The Citadel and Charleston Southern make for a fun Saturday seeing college teams in action, and high school football teams provide plenty of entertainment under those Friday night lights.
To get kids in the fall football spirit, you may want to consider attending the 2015 CT Lowndes and Co. Sertoma Football Classic. This event pairs up high school football teams from across the lowcountry for a quarter or half scrimmage game.
But it’s so much more than football. It’s about the bands and the fight songs. It’s about the cheerleaders showing off the moves they’ve worked on all summer. It’s about the funnel cakes, hot dogs, boiled peanuts, and frozen lemonade. It’s about school pride. It’s about reuniting with friends after a summer apart. It’s yelling, jumping, cringing, hoping, and celebrating. It’s about the adrenaline, the determination, and the passion of football in the South.
This is a great event for kids to get them excited about all things fall. The Sertoma Football Classic takes place at the Johnson Hagood Stadium (that’s the Citadel football stadium downtown Charleston located a block or two away from the Riverdogs stadium) on Thursday, August 13 and Friday, August 14 (it is a two night event because there are so many teams participating, but you just one night will be enough to help you get excited about the season). Gates open at 4:30p.m. and the National Anthem is at 5:30p.m. After that, teams will match up for 12-minute quarters.
In addition to football, you can see each school’s showing for the spirit contest. Each school receives a score based on their school-color and mascot-based stadium decorations, crowd and band participation, cheerleader performances, number of tickets sold, and promotion on social media. There will also be a few Powder Puff matches between quarters, and a cheerleader football throwing contest.
If you’re interested in attending, take a look at the schedule of games below to figure out when your hometown team will be playing. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time from cheerleaders or online here, or you can purchase tickets at the gate.
The best part is that your ticket money will go to supporting one of Sertoma’s many charities, such as Windwood Farm Home for Children, Eagle Harbor, Trinity Worldwide Outreach Ministries, and Camp Sertoma.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
Ridge Christian…vs…Faith Christian (8 man)
Stall…vs…Lincoln
North Charleston…vs…First Baptist
Powder Puff: North Charleston vs Stall
Powder Puff: Military Magnet vs Garrett
Military Magnet…vs…Palmetto Christian
Northwood Academy…vs…Garrett
Ashley Ridge…vs…Baptist Hill
Cane Bay…vs…Bishop England
West Ashley…vs…St. Johns
Stratford…vs…Hanahan (2 quarters)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
St. John’s Christian…vs…Coastal Christian (8 man)
Academic Magnet…vs…Pinewood
Woodland…vs…Burke
Powder Puff: Fort Dorchester vs Hanahan
Powder Puff Play-off: winner of game 1 vs winner of game 2
Berkeley…vs…James Island
Wando…vs…Porter Gaud
Goose Creek…vs…Timberland (2 quarters)
Ft. Dorchester…vs…Summerville (2 quarters)
