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Other key matchups include a contest with David Emanuel, and a new rivalry with Citizens Christian, which is new to the football league but has a longstanding rivalry with Heritage in baseball. VHA will play nine games this season, with eight of them being crucial region games. Their only non-region matchup is against Baker County, a public school.

Community: A Foundation of Support The team's community has been a source of unwavering support, particularly after Hurricane Helene. The storm destroyed the school's bleachers and scoreboard, and the community rallied to replace them through donations. This spirit of support extends to all of the school's sports programs, something McCormick is truly grateful for. 'We have such a great community,' he said.

'Our games are all well attended and other schools even comment about how well our fans travel.' He added, ' We have great support from all over. After Hurricane Helene we didn’t have any bleachers, no scoreboard, it destroyed them all. Insurance covered just a small portion of the damage. Everything that you see that has been replaced has come from donations from this community and we can’t thank them enough. And that wasn’t just for our athletic facilities, it was for the whole school. We had roofs that had to be replaced, damage to buildings; what this community did was incredible. The people here just look out for all the kids, whether it be at the public schools or the private ones.'

“We also have a great staff at our school, great parents and community coaches for our players from archery to cheerleading to baseball and football. All our sports have so many people that are involved, it is humbling to see. We really are blessed here.”

With a new coach, a strong senior class, and a supportive community, the Vidalia Heritage Academy Eagles are ready to put their experience to the test and make their mark in the GIAA. 'We have had some fun getting ready for this season,' McCormick concluded. 'We have seen great things leading up to now, and we are excited.”

VHA Running Backs & Receivers – (L to R, Front): Cole Johns, Dylan Green, Carson Morales, Levi McDade; (Back): Chuck Page, Pearson O’Neal, Trevor White, Wayne Richardson, Jackson Franklin, and Peyton McLain.Photo by Mike Branch

VHA Kickers – (L to R): Sergei Fontaine and Levi Mc-Dade.Photo by Mike Branch