Staff report

LANDIS — The date for the 4th annual Rowan County Football Jamboree is Aug. 12.

Rowan schools host the event on a rotating basis. This one is at South Rowan, so the 2023 version will be at either Carson or East Rowan.

West Rowan was the host team for the first one in 2018. North Rowan was the site in 2019. After COVID knocked out the 2020 Jamboree, it returned successfully in 2021 at Salisbury.

In addition to COVID, lightning has been a serious adversary. It turned the 2021 Jamboree into a parking-lot traffic jam and a two-day deal for some teams.

It’s a long day (and night) on the field with five scrimmages — from 5 to 10 p.m, and that’s if everything goes smoothly. There’s always a chance of a random lightning bolt creating a delay.

Except for special teams, it’s basically two halves of real football, but there’s a running clock for most of the action.

Punts are live and coverage units can practice running their lanes, but they won’t be returned. Extra points and field goals will be kicked, but without blockers or a rush. Kickoffs will be booted and defenders can work on running their coverage lanes, but the kickoffs won’t be returned.

A number of high-profile offensive players with a ton of staggering stats are back in the county, including the North Rowan trio of quarterback Jeremiah Alford, receiver Amari McArthur and back Jaemias Morrow and the Salisbury trio of quarterback Mike Geter, running back JyMikaah Wells and receiver Deuce Walker.

A.L. Brown’s Xavier Chambers, a safety and receiver, has been offered by Missouri.

Luke Graham, who is expected to be West Rowan’s new quarterback, finished up his American Legion baseball season on Thursday.

East Rowan, West Rowan, South Rowan, Carson and Salisbury have been designated as the “home teams.”

Teams will scrimmage with opponents they won’t face during the regular season.

South Rowan’s scrimmage with Lake Norman Charter isn’t an issue. Lake Norman Charter is a member of the South Piedmont Conference in almost every sport but doesn’t play an SPC football schedule.

Cost for the Jamboree is TBA.

The schedule:

• Central Davidson at East Rowan, 5 p.m.

• West Stanly at Salisbury, 6 p.m.

• North Rowan at Carson, 7 p.m.

• A.L. Brown at West Rowan, 8 p.m.

• Lake Norman Charter at South Rowan, 9 p.m.