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With Callaway, Troup and Lafayette Christian still playing in the Georgia playoffs, it means a lot of our focus is on those three teams as they continue to play for a championship.

But we also don’t want to forget Springwood School, which is in Lanett, but includes a roster full of LaGrange student athletes. The Wildcats are playing for an 8-man championship on Thursday in Montgomery, and we know there will be a least a handful of folks in Troup County keeping up with every snap.

For those that don’t know, Springwood’s season was on the verge of ending before it ever began. The program had an unexpected coaching vacancy right before the season, but longtime assistant coach Joey Burch stepped up to take the reins of the team. He led them into the unknowns of 8-man football.

Burch not only took on the responsibility, but he has also led Springwood to dominating a good portion of its schedule. The Wildcats also exacted revenge on the one team that prevented a perfect season in a dominant fashion.

It was refreshing to see these young men embrace the challenge and overcome the obstacles along the way. 

The students, staff and parents have also played an integral role in this team’s success.

That success all comes down to four more quarters in Montgomery inside Cramton Bowl, where, for the first time since 2010, a Wildcat team is vying for a chance to be called champions — something the school has not seen in football since 1985.

Congratulations, and good luck to the Springwood Wildcats. We are all pulling for you to bring it all home. (And of course, we can’t wait to see the Cavaliers, Tigers and Cougars play this week on Friday and Saturday).

Springwood’s game kicks off at 11 a.m. on Thursday.