Some of the most heated rivalry games on the Georgia high school football schedule take place in October.

A few match-ups are so well-known and anticipated, they go only by a label, like the 378 War. The game pits Lincoln County’s Red Devils against the Tigers of Washington-Wilkes High. The name comes from the short stretch of US Highway 378 in east Georgia that separates the two schools.

On October 7th, it was the 50th matchup of the Winnersville Classic between Valdosta and Lowndes County High Schools. Lowndes carried a seven-game winning streak in this series into the contest. But Valdosta jumped back on the winning track with a 21-17 victory.

Before the game, Valdosta head coach Rance Gillespie spoke to GPB's Edgar Treiguts about why this rivalry is so heated, and why it means so much to the players and coaches of the two sides, and the community.

Tags: Georgia, sports, high school football, Lowndes County High School, Valdosta High School, Winnersville Classic, rivalries