By: Michael Spiers

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The 2025 season is shaping up to be a big one for the Charlton County Indians, and with a tough schedule, they won’t have much time to ease into it.

Head Coach Demario Jones enters his second season leading the Tribe, after finishing 5-6 overall in 2024.

The Indians were 2-3 in region play last year and claimed the fourth playoff seed before falling to Lincoln County in the first round of the Single A, Division II state playoffs.

Coach Jones will rely on the return of last year’s leading rusher, Omari Jones. The rising Senior averaged 63.8 yards per game and had six total touchdowns in 2024.

Rising Junior AJ Glover is expected to play QB for Charlton after backing up Ayden Crews, who graduated last spring.

Glover does have some playing experience after seeing action in 5 games last season, going 13 for 31 passing, with 4 touchdowns.

Things get going with a preseason scrimmage against Berrien, but the real action starts on August 15 when the Indians hit the road to face Brantley County.

After that, the Indians get a couple chances to settle in at home. McIntosh comes to Folkston on August 22, and then Jeff Davis visits on August 29.

That Jeff Davis game might come with a little extra edge since the Yellow Jackets were the only team to hold Charlton scoreless in a game last year, so expect the Indians to be fired up for that rematch.

From there, it is back on the road for two more non-region tests. The first is a trip across the Florida line to take on Yulee on September 5.

Then it is off to Toombs County on September 12, another strong program that will not make things easy. Those two games could tell us a lot about where this team stands heading into the most important part of the season.

And then comes region play, where the playoff hopes either get built or broken.

Charlton kicks off Region 2A Division II action on September 26 with a home game against Lanier County, who was winless in the region last year.

But things really heat up in October.

Clinch County comes to town on October 3 and you know the deal. They are always tough and always in the region title conversation. A win here could go a long way toward making a statement.

Then it is another home game; against Irwin County on October 10, and that one is no picnic either.

After a well-timed bye, the Indians head to Brooks County on October 24 for a contest against last year’s region champ. Brooks is a legit contender once again, and getting a win there would be huge.

The regular season wraps up with another road trip on October 31, this time to face Turner County, a team that is hungry to bounce back under their second-year head coach.

Top to bottom, this is a tough slate. The non-region schedule is packed with teams that will push Charlton to get better fast. Once region play starts, there is not a single game they can afford to take lightly. Every Friday night matters.

The key for Charlton will be to win at home, stay healthy, and try to grab one or two of those big ones on the road. If they can do that, they will be right in the thick of the playoff picture in November.

No doubt about it, the road will not be easy, but if this group can grow up quickly and find its identity early, they have a real shot to make some noise. One thing is certain, the 2025 season is going to be a fun and wild ride in Folkston.