Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage

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GREYHOUND FOOTBALL

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  • Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage
    Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage
  • Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage
    Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage
  • Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage
    Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage
  • Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage
    Greyhounds hosting Buford for scrimmage
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It may not count as an actual game, and like most scrimmages, it’ll likely see many parts of the roster taking the field on Friday at Greyhound Field. But Friday’s scrimmage hosted by the Greyhounds has a bit more weight behind it.

That’s because JCHS will be hosting arguably one of the premiere programs in the state for a preseason scrimmage on Friday when Buford comes to town. Jones County has played Buford twice, both in the playoffs, with the Wolves winning 29-0 in the 2019 semifinals and 56-26 in the second round in 2016.

The casual observer might be rattled upon hearing the legacy of the Wolves, winners of a state title the last three years, and since 2001, have been state champions 13 times.

The Greyhounds, however, are excited about not just the challenge but also to see how they measure up going into next Saturday’s season-opener against Northside.

“Buford is one of the better programs in the state. I really feel like playing good programs like that really tells you where you are as a team. You find out the things that you have to work on, and you find out really quickly,” Greyhounds head coach Mike Chastain said. “I’ve always tried to find teams for us to play early on that will challenge us, and I feel like Buford is a team that does that.”

They’ll put offensive playmakers such as Zion Ragins, Ed Chester and Javious Bond – along with quarterback Judd Anderson – up against the Wolves defense with the JCHS defense digging in to face running back Justice Haynes, a recent transfer from Blessed Trinity and the second-ranked player on Rivals.com Georgia Top 100 list. The son of former Georgia running back Verron Haynes, the younger Haynes stunned recruiting circles this summer when he verbally committed to Alabama over Georgia despite many analysts predicting him going to Georgia.

As expected, Buford has no lack of talented players that are getting heavy looks for college coaches, but with so many eyes on them, that could also be a golden chance for the Greyhounds.

Among them is LSU commitment offensive lineman Paul Mubenga and quarterback Dylan Wittke, a Virginia Tech commit.

“At the end of the day, we want to compete. We always want to compete,” Chastain said. “Everything we do as a program, we try to compete at. You’re not worried about the score as much, but you’re always going out there to compete and see how your guys do.”