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THOMASVILLE — Next week, the city of Thomasville will host football talent from both sides of the Georgia-Florida line.

The War of the Border Game, which will be hosted at Veterans Memorial Stadium, will give senior football players from local schools a chance to show their skills one more time, as they hope to earn scholarship offers ahead of signing day.

It will take place on Friday, Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and kids five and under get in free.

The game was co-founded by Mike Gammons of Thomasville in 2009. He was a member of the 1974 Thomasville football national championship team, has served as a longtime official and is an inductee of the Thomasville-Thomas County Sports Hall of Fame. The game will be the first of three played in different areas of the Georgia-Florida border.

“What it’s designed to do is give these young men a second or last chance for these college scouts and recruiters to look at them,” Gammons said. “It’s a big deal to have the game here. We’re pretty excited about it.”

The game will showcase players from all over southwest Georgia, including from all four local schools. Running back and receiver Tori Sapp and linebacker Cam Harris headline Thomasville’s seven representatives. Thomas County Central will have Derrick Brock, Dominique Arrington, Bailey King and Reid Ansley in attendance. Cairo kicker Cole Phillips and quarterback John Michael Owens lead the pack of eight Syrupmakers that will make the trip to Thomasville. Brookwood will send Bradley Jones and Alfonzo Spencer to compete.

They will all play on the Georgia team, against Florida players from around the Tallahassee area. Last season, Georgia overcame a late 23-10 hole to beat Florida 24-23.

Some NAIA, as well as Division II and III scouts are expected to be in attendance. The game will be set played with college time, with 15 minute quarters, which is in part to allow everyone on both teams to have a chance to get on the field.

“One of our rules is that everybody has to play,” Gammons said. “We’ve built a platform for them to perform on and now it’s up to them. They’ve got to go out and earn a scholarship. We’ve been pretty successful with kids getting offers.”

This will be the first time that Thomasville hosts the game, with Colquitt County High School in Moultrie being the site of the showcase for the last few years. Thomasville head coach Zach Grage (a former Colquitt County offensive coordinator) and his staff will be coaching the Georgia team, while coach Garrett Jahn of Tallahassee’s Chiles High School will be directing the Florida squad.

“It’s exciting to play one more football game, especially when you’re not expecting to,” Grage said. “Mike came to us right after I got the head coaching job and asked if we’d be willing to host it. We jumped at the opportunity.”

The players will practice from Monday to Thursday of next week, looking to shake the rust off, as it will be first time some of them play a game in months. For Grage, the event means a lot as a final sendoff of sorts for his group of kids.

“It’s another chance to get out there with our senior class,” he said. “To get to coach them on their field one more time, it’s pretty special. It’s a great opportunity for the community to come out after the national championship game to watch some good ball.”