Pat Donahue/Times-EnterprisePlayers from across south Georgia have been practicing together this week for the annual War on the Border all-star game.

THOMASVILLE — The sounds of whistles and pads clashing into each other have been reverberating across Thomas County Central High School’s football practice field this week.

Friday night, they’ll be heard across the Jackets’ Nest as the annual War on the Border game takes place.

Central head coach Ashley Henderson has more than opened its facilities for Team Georgia. He’s also the team head coach. 

It’s one thing to put together a game plan from week to week with your own staff and your own players. For an all-star game like this, the coaches — who like the players are from across south Georgia — have to see what the players do well and build a plan around that quickly.

“You want to build what you do around what they do well,” Henderson said, “and find what fits and what doesn’t. You want to be simple enough they can pick it up in three days. I think we’ve done that.”

An all-star roster, though, does have its advantages.

“These guys have all been nominated for a reason,” Henderson said. “I think we need to let them do what they do and as coaches, that’s the challenge — be simple in what you do but as complex as you can in how you want to present it.”

With Pelham quarterback Kendrick Patterson running the offense, Henderson has a Pelham assistant on offense. Several players are from Valdosta, and there are players from Central, Thomasville, Cairo, Tift, Colquitt and Monroe among the Team Georgia roster.

“It’s a lot of fun. You’re dealing with the best of the best in south Georgia,” Henderson said. 

For some, Henderson acknowledged, it might be their last game. For others, it could open some eyes from college coaches.

While the all-star players, many of whom played against each other for years, are now compatriots, the coaches become colleagues too.

“It’s good for us as well,” Henderson said. “It’s a good way for coaches to teach other and to get to know each other as well.” 

Henderson coached in the first War on the Border and pointed out there is a rivalry between Georgia and Florida, at the college level and for the high schools.

“It’s always for bragging rights,” he said, “anytime you hook up with an out-of-state opponent. It being an all-star game makes it that much more important.”

Editor Pat Donahue can be reached at (229) 226-2400 ext. 1806.

Info box

War on the Border

When: Friday night, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Jackets’ Nest

Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for students