MOULTRIE, Ga. – Sandy Knighton was once a coach with Colquitt County’s first Pop Warner Football program, the South Georgia Hawgs.

And now he feels the county can support a second Pop Warner team and is forming the Georgia Dawgs.

Knighton has asked to join the South Georgia Pop Warner league that currently has six teams and is starting to raise the $30,000 it will take to get the Dawgs’ four teams on the field this fall.

He has a 15-member board that includes educators, law enforcement officials and local business people.

“I’ve got an excellent team behind me,” Knighton said. “We’re all excited about it.”

Knighton says he and his board believe there are enough players in Colquitt County and surrounding areas to support both the Dawgs and Hawgs, which have played under the direction of George Wallace for five seasons.

“I’m confident there are enough players,” said Knighton, a former Colquitt County football player who coached with the Hawgs for four seasons.

Knighton said he has enlisted Tim Sanders and Vance Cuff, a former University of Georgia defensive back, to help him coach the team.

Glenn Jackson and Todd Myrick, expected to again be volunteer assistants for the Colquitt County middle school football program, also are on board to coach for the Dawgs, Knighton said.

He plans to field Tiny Mite, Mighty Mite, Pee Wee and Junior Pee Wee teams and start a 14-and-under unlimited team after the middle school football season is completed.

Knighton said Pop Warner South Georgia president Daniel Cruz told him that the Dawgs and perhaps two other teams could join the league next season, giving it nine members.

Already in the league are the Hawgs, Valdosta’s Title Town Titans, the Thomasville Tigers, the Lee County Warriors, the Georgia Sting and the Dougherty County Extreme.

Knighton said he has already contacted Colquitt County school system officials about playing on the Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium. He said it could be that the Dawgs and Hawgs alternate weekends at the stadium.

The Georgia Dawgs’ board is now beginning seeking funds to get the organization off the ground.

“This is the tough part,” he said. “We are going to do some fund-raising and we are talking to some sponsors.”

Knighton said the team is seeking its own 501(c), non-profit status, even though the Pop Warner South Georgia association is non-profit.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do to make it happen,” Knighton said. “But we’ve got a great team of people. And we have had a lot of positive feedback from the community.”

Those interested in helping get the Dawgs off the ground can reach Knighton at 589-9024.