Houston County Football Teams Prepare For Fall Kickoff

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY — Football returns to the area Thursday, Aug. 27, when the Grapeland Sandies open at Elkhart. The Crockett Bulldogs and Lovelady Lions will begin their regular-season schedules Friday, Aug. 28.

Each team will begin with non-district games before moving into a new UIL district schedule. Along the way, local fans will have several opportunities to watch area teams compete against familiar opponents, including a Houston County matchup between Grapeland and Lovelady.

The Crockett Bulldogs will open at home against Mexia at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28. The non-district schedule continues with Coldspring-Oakhurst, New Waverly, Tatum and Hardin.

Crockett’s district schedule begins Friday, Oct. 9, when the Bulldogs host Diboll at 7:30 p.m. The remaining District 9-3A Division I schedule includes road games at Fairfield and Huntington, along with home games against Palestine Westwood and Trinity.

District 9-3A Division I also includes Diboll, Fairfield, Huntington, Palestine Westwood and Trinity. The Bulldogs’ schedule will give local fans several chances to see the team at Monte Jack Driskell Stadium before the season concludes Nov. 6 at Huntington.

The Grapeland Sandies will begin the season on the road at Elkhart at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27. Grapeland will then host Lovelady at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, in a game that should bring plenty of local interest.

Although the Grapeland-Lovelady game is a non-district contest, it is a familiar Houston County football matchup. The two teams have shared a schedule in recent years, and the game has developed into a local rivalry with plenty of bragging rights to the winners — at least until next year.

Following the Lovelady game, Grapeland will travel to Frankston on Thursday, Sept. 10, before hosting Groveton on Friday, Sept. 18. The Sandies’ Thursday games against Elkhart and Frankston were scheduled because of a shortage of referees.

The Sandies will compete in District 11-2A Division II. The district includes Alto, Cushing, Malakoff Cross Roads, Mount Enterprise, Overton and Tenaha. Those games will introduce Grapeland to a new district schedule while continuing the Sandies’ regular-season football tradition.

The Lovelady Lions will open at home against Anderson-Shiro at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28. The Lions will then travel to Grapeland on Sept. 4 and Timpson on Sept. 11 before returning home to face Price Carlisle on Sept. 18.

District play begins for Lovelady on Friday, Sept. 25, at Normangee. The Lions have an open date scheduled for Oct. 2 before hosting Centerville on Oct. 9.

The remainder of Lovelady’s District 14-2A Division I schedule includes a road game at Jewett Leon, a homecoming game against Groveton, a road game at Iola and a home game against Corrigan-Camden on Senior Night.

The updated UIL heat rules will also be part of the football season. Beginning Aug. 1, schools must use Wet Bulb Globe Temperature readings to monitor outdoor practices and workouts. WBGT considers temperature, humidity, wind and sunlight, giving coaches a better measure of the conditions athletes are experiencing than an ordinary thermometer reading.

As the WBGT rises, practices must be adjusted with additional breaks, cooling measures, shorter sessions and limits on equipment. At the highest levels, outdoor workouts are not permitted. Under the Class 3 guideline, no outdoor workout may be held at a WBGT reading of 92.1 or higher, while lower classification thresholds are also included in the UIL plan.

Readings must be taken shortly before practice begins and checked throughout the session. The rules apply primarily to practices and scrimmages. Official games follow separate competition guidance, although schools are encouraged to monitor conditions, maintain rapid-cooling equipment and make safety adjustments when necessary.

For local football fans, the season offers a full calendar of familiar names, new district opponents and chances to support all three Houston County programs. The first dates to circle are Thursday, Aug. 27, when the Sandies open at Elkhart, and Friday, Aug. 28, when the Bulldogs and Lions begin their seasons.

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]