By: Ron Reagin

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Tripp Perry waited three seasons for a night like this one. The Valdosta senior quarterback threw for a career-high 383 yards, completing 20 of 25 passes, and ran for his first career touchdown as the Wildcats outlasted Colquitt County 52-44 Friday night at the Hawg Pen in the Region 1-7A opener for Valdosta.

It was Valdosta’s first win in Moultrie since 2010, snapping a seven-game losing streak at Mack Tharpe Stadium and avenging last October’s 18-17 loss.

The Wildcats improved to 7-0 and 1-0 in the region and now lead the all-time series 72-35-4 after the 111th meeting. Colquitt fell to 5-3 overall and 1-1 in region play.

In an era when move-ins reshape rosters every fall, Perry is a reminder of the other way to do it. He stayed.

Before this season he had thrown just 71 passes in 17 games over three years mostly as a backup, for 554 yards and one touchdown. He kept working behind the scenes, and as a senior he has turned the job into his own. Friday’s 383 yards came within 171 of everything he threw for in his first three seasons combined.

Valdosta Coach Shelton Felton made sure the quarterback got his credit. Speaking to the Valdosta Daily Times, he pointed out that Perry has been in the program four years and said the Wildcats would not have won without him.

Valdosta’s offense piled up 703 yards, 27 first downs and a 6-for-9 mark on third down.

Oregon State commit Deron Foster scored the first three touchdowns for a 21-0 lead and finished with 114 yards and four scores.

Stanford commit Marquis Fennell rushed 16 times for 200 yards and caught seven passes for 143 more. He also produced the swing of the night, taking a wildcat direct snap 95 yards for a touchdown one play after Colquitt quarterback Khi Mitchell fumbled at the Valdosta 5. That made it 28-7.

Colquitt kept coming. A field goal and a 3-yard Tucker Saporita touchdown after a muffed onside kick cut the lead to 28-17. Perry answered in the final minute of the half, hitting Fennell on a 50-yard strike and then finding Jamarian Mingo for a 15-yard touchdown and a 35-17 cushion at the break.

The Packers opened the second half with a quick touchdown, recovered another onside kick and scored again to pull within 35-31 with 9:28 left in the third. Perry calmly led an 80-yard drive and finished it himself with a 6-yard keeper, the first rushing touchdown of his career, for a 42-31 lead.

Colquitt answered with a Lavorice Blyther touchdown to make it 42-38 entering the fourth quarter. Foster’s fourth touchdown pushed the lead back to 49-38. Mitchell found Antwan Lockett for his third scoring catch, but the 2 point conversion failed, leaving it 49-44.

Alans Garcia’s field goal capped Valdosta’s longest scoring drive of the season, a 6:55 march that made it 52-44 with 60 seconds to play. Colquitt got one more chance, and junior defensive end Arman Carter, ended it with a strip-sack of Mitchell, recovered by Jordin Foster with 13 seconds left.

Mingo finished with seven catches for 171 yards and a touchdown. Garcia was perfect on seven extra points. Dashun Core, Isaiah Langston and Brennan Lampkin each had a sack.

Mitchell threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns, all to Lockett, and ran for 57 more as the Packers totaled 490 yards.

Perry’s season numbers now read 70 of 92 for 1,033 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception. Those are numbers that Perry has worked his entire career for, which started in 6^th grade at Valdosta Middle School.

Valdosta hosts Camden County at 8 p.m. Friday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium, with Lowndes the following week.

Foster and Fennell will draw the headlines, as they have all season. But on the night Valdosta finally won in Moultrie again, the quarterback who waited his turn was right in the middle of it, helping lead the Wildcats to another victory.