The 2026-27 athletic year will begin Friday, with regular seasons kicking off on Tuesday as fall sports have arrived.
With summer wrapping up, local student-athletes have been putting in work to prepare for the upcoming season.
Football will kick things off with a preseason scrimmage on Friday, then volleyball will get into full swing on Tuesday for the first regular season contests.
Friday
Andrews football gets things started with a scrimmage on Friday night.
The Wildcats will return to Friday night lights as they play a preseason scrimmage on the road against Copper Basin, Tenn. at 7 p.m.
Last season, the Cats also faced Copper Basin in a scrimmage.
Friday will be the first of two scrimmage that the Wildcats will play. The second will be at home against Fannin County, Ga. at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14.
Tuesday
The volleyball regular season gets underway on Tuesday with four games, featuring three local teams playing at home.
Andrews, Hiwassee Dam and Nantahala play its season openers at home on Tuesday.
Murphy is on the road and playing its first Big Smoky Mountain Conference games in the season opener.
Andrews will take on Summit Charter at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Hiwassee Dam will open the season in The Nest against Swain County, with the game starting at 6 p.m.
Nantahala plays its first game as the Lady Hawks take on the defending Big SMC champions Cherokee at 5 p.m.
Murphy will go on the road and face SMC opponent Rosman at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 12
The men’s soccer season begins on Wednesday as Murphy goes on the road to open its season.
The Bulldogs, the defending SMC champions, will face non-conference opponent Smoky Mountain (5A) at 6 p.m.
Last season, the Dogs faced Smoky Mountain in the first game of the season and lost 1-0.
After a loss to Smoky Mountain, a tie with Tuscola and then a loss to Pisgah last year, the Dogs went on to shutout 11 straight opponents — almost tying the state record for consecutive shutout wins.
Thursday, Aug. 13
Volleyball season continues Thursday with all four teams back in action, with two of them going head-to-head.
Nantahala will host Andrews at 5 p.m. as the Lady Hawks and Wildcats face off.
The last time the two squads played each other was Aug. 22, 2024 when Andrews won 3-0.
Murphy will also be in action as the Lady Dogs host Blue Ridge Early College at 6 p.m.
Hiwassee Dam will go on the road, but will not have to travel far as they face Hayesville at 6 p.m. to wrap up the first week of the 2026 volleyball season.
Friday, Aug. 14
Football returns under the Friday night lights as both Andrews and Murphy will hit the gridiron.
Andrews will play its second preseason scrimmage of the season as the Wildcats host Fannin County, Ga.
In their final tune-up game, the Wildcats will face a Rebels team that went 4-7 last season.
Murphy will also play its lone scrimmage as they travel to face T.C. Roberson.
The Rams went 7-4 a season ago and the Dogs will travel to Asheville as they prepare for their regular season.
Also upcoming
The football regular season is set to start on Friday, Aug. 21 with both county teams playing on home turf.
Andrews will host Madison and Murphy will host Franklin to officially begin the 2026 football season. Both games will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Cross-country began practice on July 29 and will run the first meet of the season on Saturday, Aug. 22 in Hayesville.
Women’s golf is also underway and its first contest could be played on Monday.
Murphy men’s soccer got it season started and Andrews and Tri-County Early College will play its first games later this month.