Sunshine and Peaches: Border Classic will match Florida-Georgia high school football teams - WJXT News4JAX

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – High school football on News4JAX and WJXT Channel 4 returns this fall and expands to the Peach State, with the Border Classic at Glynn County Stadium in Brunswick on the way.

News4JAX, along with Baker's Sports and Airstream Ventures announced the slate on Thursday afternoon. The Border Classic features seven games across three days and pits teams from the Sunshine and Peach states Sept. 8-10. Nine of those programs are from the News4JAX coverage area.

All seven games will be streamed on News4JAX.com and News4JAX+. Once kickoff times become official, a TV schedule will be announced to watch featured games live on WJXT Channel 4 or CW17. The station has televised and streamed high school sporting events every year since 2018.

These include the Bold City Showcase events, the 50th clash of the Northwest Classic between Raines and Ribault, Atlantic Coast and Mandarin battling for the Principal's Cup, the High School 9:12 Baseball Classic, the Fortegra High School 9:12 Basketball Invitational, and the Rivalry on the River lacrosse event.

The Border Classic pushes the coverage across the border for the first time.

"We are committed to being the Local Station for Northeast Florida and South Georgia. That continues by broadcasting and streaming a great event like the Border Classic," said Terri Cope Walton, Vice President and General Manager of WJXT Channel 4. "We have a unique focus on all local high school sports in our area. That will carry on as we celebrate one of our communities' biggest passions."

The headlining clash on paper is a showdown between Bolles and Brunswick. The Bulldogs went 8-3 and reached the Class 4A state semifinals a year ago. They rank second in state history behind Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas with 11 state championships. Brunswick is coming off an 11-1 season and has a new head coach in Garrett Grady.

Both West Nassau and Creekside will play in prominent games for the second consecutive season. The Warriors, who face McIntosh County on Sept. 8 at 5 p.m., played Bolles in last year's Bold City Showcase. Creekside, which faces host Glynn Academy at 8 p.m. on Sept. 8, beat Ribault in the Bold City Showcase.

University Christian and Charlton County restore a long-shelved rivalry that was last played in 1993. The Indians are 5-0 against UC, winning games in 1979, and then from 1990-93, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. Charlton was a powerhouse under former coach Rich McWhorter.

St. Augustine faces Coffee. The Trojans have a new coach in Mike Coe, who left Madison County after winning four state championships with the Cowboys. Coe replaced former University Christian and Union County coach Robby Pruitt, who won seven state championships at those schools before leaving for Georgia. The Yellow Jackets finished 6-3 a season ago.

Baker County, an 11-3 Class 5A state semifinalist a season ago, faces against Richmond Hill.

One of the best games features a pair of out-of-area teams, Madison County and Fitzgerald. The Cowboys, one of the best programs in Florida, won the Class 1A state championship last year. Fitzgerald went 13-2 and won the Class 2A state title.

"High school football is such a grassroots foundation in our society," said Alan Verlander, Executive Director of High School 9:12. "We couldn't be more excited to partner with Baker's Sports, WJXT and Glynn County to showcase the area's best talent and to create an event that will rival any high school event in the country."

Border Classic

at Glynn County Stadium

Thursday, Sept. 8

McIntosh County vs. West Nassau

Glynn Academy vs. Creekside

Friday, Sept. 9

Charlton County vs. University Christian

Brunswick vs. Bolles

Saturday, Sept. 10

Fitzgerald vs. Madison County

Coffee County vs. St. Augustine

Richmond Hill vs. Baker County