High School Football
Top Receiver Transfers To Camden County Wildcats
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The excitement surrounding Camden County football has continued to build throughout the offseason, and the Wildcats may have just added another major piece to the puzzle.
Sophomore wide receiver Ayden “Pocket” Robinson has officially transferred from Sumter County High School to Camden County, giving first-year head coach Tucker Pruitt another explosive weapon as he begins his first season in Kingsland.
According to Sumter County head coach Will Rogers, Robinson’s transfer is the result of a bona fide family move, as a member of Robinson’s family accepted an employment opportunity in the Brunswick area.
Regardless of how he arrived, there’s little question that Robinson immediately upgrades an already intriguing Camden County offense.
Standing 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Robinson is an impressive physical presence for a player who will only be a sophomore this fall.
Last season as a freshman at Sumter County, he wasted little time showing why many believe he has a bright future.
In 10 varsity games, Robinson hauled in 27 receptions for 356 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 13.2 yards per catch. He also contributed on special teams, finishing with 379 all-purpose yards during his freshman campaign.
Those numbers are impressive on their own, but they become even more intriguing when considering Robinson was producing against varsity competition as a ninth grader.
His combination of size, athleticism, and ability to find the end zone gives Camden County another legitimate playmaker on the outside.
And perhaps the most exciting part for Wildcat fans is who he’ll be lining up alongside.
Robinson joins a receiving corps already headlined by Sean Green, one of Georgia’s top receiving prospects and a Florida State commitment.
Green has developed into one of the most dangerous receivers in the state with his ability to stretch the field, make contested catches, and create explosive plays after the catch.
Now, opposing defenses will have to account for both Green and Robinson. That challenge becomes even greater when you factor in another major offseason addition.
Transfer quarterback Xavier Collins arrives in Kingsland after throwing for more than 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns last season at Columbia High School in Florida.
Collins gives Camden County an experienced signal caller with the arm strength and confidence to distribute the football all over the field.
On paper, it’s a combination that should fit perfectly into Tucker Pruitt’s offensive philosophy.
Since taking over the Wildcats program, Pruitt has emphasized playing fast, physical football while creating opportunities for his athletes to make plays in space.
His offenses have consistently featured balance, but they’ve never been afraid to attack defenses vertically when the opportunity presents itself.
With Collins delivering the football and Green and Robinson stretching defenses on the perimeter, Camden County suddenly possesses the kind of offensive firepower that can force opposing defensive coordinators into difficult decisions.
Double-team Green, and Robinson could find himself in favorable one-on-one matchups. Roll coverage toward Robinson, and Green becomes even more dangerous. Play too many defensive backs, and Pruitt’s offense can attack with the running game. That’s the kind of balance every coach hopes to build.
Of course, Robinson is still just a sophomore, and expectations should remain realistic. There will undoubtedly be an adjustment period as he learns a new offense, develops chemistry with Collins, and settles into a new school. But his potential is undeniable.
When you combine Robinson’s arrival with Collins at quarterback, Green’s star power at wide receiver, and Pruitt’s reputation for developing productive offenses, it’s easy to understand why optimism continues to grow around Camden County football.
The Wildcats have undergone significant changes since last season, but each new addition appears to move the program one step closer to becoming a serious contender once again.
If Robinson develops the way many expect, Camden County may have landed one of the biggest impact transfers in South Georgia, and one that could help shape the future of the Wildcats’ offense for years to come.
Colquitt County Packers 2026 Preview
By: Ron Reagin
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Colquitt County Packers enter the 2026 season coming off a solid 9-3 campaign that included a 4-1 region mark and a second-round playoff appearance.
Under head coach Sean Calhoun, who is entering his fifth season at the helm, the Packers continue to rank among South Georgia’s most consistent programs and one of the toughest outs in the state’s largest classification.
2025 Season Recap: Colquitt finished 9-3 overall and tied for one of the top spots in Region 1-AAAAAA.
The Packers handled most of their schedule with physical play on both sides of the ball and showed they could compete with top competition.
Their three losses came against strong opponents, all of which made deep playoff runs.
Running back Jae Lamar, a Georgia commit, led the way with 1,015 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in just 10 games.
Quarterback Cohen Lawson threw for over 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns in his second year as the starter, while wide receiver Antwan Lockett provided a big-play threat with 40 catches for 811 yards and 10 scores.
Key Returners and Leadership The biggest losses are Lamar and Lawson (who has transferred to Lee County). Both will be hard to replace.
However, Lockett is back to stretch the field, and the Packers have depth at the skill positions along with returning offensive linemen who should help maintain continuity up front.
Dual threat QB Khi Mitchell transferred in from Mt. Zion and should contribute early and often.
On defense, several experienced linebackers and secondary players return to keep the physical identity Calhoun has built.
Colquitt usually excels in special teams as well, producing strong field goal kickers, returners and a physical front with blocked punts and field goals every year.
Emerging contributors who saw significant snaps in 2025 will be asked to step into larger roles, including the competition at quarterback.
2026 Schedule Highlights: The Packers open with one of the toughest non-region games in the state, a road trip to defending Class 5A state champion Thomas County Central on August 21.
Home games against Monroe, Cook County, and Lee County follow, along with Florida tests against Lincoln and Rickards.
Region play includes trips to Richmond Hill and Camden County, a home date with Valdosta on October 16, and the season finale at home against Lowndes on November 6.
This is a challenging slate that features multiple quality opponents. Under the new PSRF playoff seeding formula, the strength of schedule should help Colquitt if they take care of business against the tougher teams on their schedule.
Outlook: Colquitt County has the experience, coaching stability, and talent to contend again in Region 1-AAAAAA.
Replacing the production of Lamar and Lawson will be a major focus, but the returning skill players, key transfers and depth give the Packers a chance to remain competitive on offense.
The defense should continue to play with the physical style that has defined the program under Calhoun.
South Georgia fans can look forward to the traditional matchups with Valdosta, Lowndes, and Camden. These games will tell the tale for the Packers’ postseason, similar to the other teams in this stacked region.
The Packers enter 2026 looking to improve on last year’s 9-3 mark and make another deep postseason run.
Mack Tharpe Stadium will be ready for another exciting fall. The Pack is loaded with opportunity.
Gator Bait
By: Joe Delaney
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Jason Strickland’s 2025 edition of the Ware County Gators was a senior led group that rolled into the GHSA playoffs with an 8-2 record in a very tough region and title aspirations.
After a first round dismantling of Flowery Branch the Gators moved on and ran into a juggernaut in the Creekside Seminoles. One of the top high school football programs in the nation took it to the Gators early and often. The result was a 9-3 final record for a great group of seniors at Ware County High School.
Now looking toward the 2026 season, the Gators will be young, very young.
Gone are Ja Mario Rice, DL Walker Hudson, DL Seth Seuss, LB Nick Grant, LB Avontae Ballentine, RB Jamir Boyd, RB Tayshaun Franklin, OL Landon Smallwood, OL Carson Hall, and OL Kyler Matthews.
There are others but needless to say that’s a long list of experience and talent that has moved on. The question is are the Gators gonna reload or rebuild?
Several quality players are back for the ‘26 season and Ware is a talent hotbed so the cupboard is definitely not empty.
Leading the 2026 Gators will be returning Quarterback Isaiah White. He was an All-Region player last year and should be one of the top players in south Georgia this year.
And he will have Ja’Londi O’Hara, and Gunter Fore back at wideout. Both were All-Region last year.
Several other pieces of the puzzle are back also on offense so the Gators should be ok. Replacing those 3 All-Region linemen will be key.
Returning are RT Jaylen Sturdivant and OL Kydarian Bennett. These guys will be the leaders with a bunch of young Gators vying for playing time behind them.
At running back look for Moomoo Mckoy and Jimmy Taylor to step in and fill some big shoes from last year. Coach Strickland thinks both of these guys could be special. Great ability and good speed. Coach called them slashers. The offense will be good and look for White to have an All-State type of year.
The defense will be a work in progress with most of the front 7 graduating. There is talent all over and while these aren’t the biggest group of Gators we’ve seen on defense, they are fast and strong.
Jamarion Keyhay returns at linebacker and is a team leader. Add in Rod Lewis and Jameer Barkley who are coming back from injury and this defense could be good.
Davion Jones returns at corner and will also handle kick returns and punt returns.
One big returning piece to the puzzle is Jeffery Gonzalez. The veteran will handle the kicking and punting for Ware and should be one of, if not, the region’s best.
Landon Smallwood will be missed at snapper and there are three young ones trying to fill those big shoes.
Ware County Gators 2026 Schedule
8/7 vrs Brunswick (scrimmage)
8/21 @ Bainbridge
8/28 @ Coffee
9/11 vrs Richmond Hill
9/18 vrs Groves
9/25 @ Statesboro
10/2 vrs Richmond Academy
10/9 @ Evans
10/23 vrs Jenkins
10/30 @ Wayne County
11/6 vrs Benedictine
The 2026 edition of the Gators will be fun to watch. The backfield could be electric. Add in the returners on the O-line and at wide receiver and Coach Strickland has a lot to work with.
Defensively the Gators will be just as fun. With a good returning group of leaders, the Gators will fly all over the field with stunts and slants, using that speed and power.
Add in very good special teams play and the Gators will be a force in the region and a dangerous group of reptiles come playoff time. The Gators are reloading!
Wayne County Yellow Jackets 2026 Preview
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Wayne County Yellow Jacket Football Program is a very proud program full of tradition and fan fever.
The Yellow Jacket program has fallen on hard times the last few years and is looking to get back to being a perennial state power.
Two seasons ago the Yellow Jackets hired John Mohring who had been the head coach at Calvary Day. Mohring did not survive his second season in Jesup.
Mohring resigned midseason after an 0-4 start to the 2025 season. Mohring’s only full season came in 2024 in which the Yellow Jackets ended up 1-9 and that one win was a forfeited win over Appling.
So overall, Mohring’s short stint in Wayne County saw the Yellow Jackets go 1-13 under his leadership.
After Wayne moved on from Mohring they stunned Warner Robins 32-10 but were unable to build any momentum after that and finished 1-9.
If you do the math the Yellow Jackets come into 2026 with a 2-18 record in the past two seasons and remember one of those games was not an actual win but a forfeit by Appling for playing an ineligible player. Appling did win the game on the field.
The Yellow Jackets made a big time hire snagging Scott Roberts away from Swainsboro.
Roberts had two stints with the Swainsboro Tigers. First in 2008-2009 and then again in 2017 through 2025.
Roberts comes to Jesup with an overall record of 92-43. Most importantly the Yellow Jackets are looking to Roberts to supply some stability to the program; Roberts will be the fourth Yellow Jackets Head Coach in four seasons.
Wayne County will not have an easy road in 2026 to right the ship. The Yellow Jackets will play in Region 1-5A for the next two seasons. Region 1-5A will consist of Benedictine, Jenkins, Ware County, Statesboro, Groves, Richmond Academy, and Evans.
Wayne’s 2026 schedule is as follows:
8/21 v. Liberty
8/28 @ Bradwell
9/4 Bye
9/11 @ Appling
9/18 v. Richmond Academy
9/25 @ Evans
10/2 v. Jenkins
10/9 v. Groves
10/16 Bye
10/23 @ Benedictine
10/30 v. Ware
11/6 @ Statesboro
This is a pretty tough schedule for a program in rebuild mode. However, it is not completely unmanageable. I can see a possibility for a 6-4 season for the Yellow Jackets if they find some fortunate bounces in a couple of games.
A 6-4 season would likely mean a playoff berth for the Yellow Jackets and their first trip since 2023.
I definitely see four concrete wins on the schedule for Wayne and as I said, with a little luck six wins is a possibility.
Even if Wayne only wins four games it would be a great step forward. The Yellow Jackets would double their total win number from 2024 and 2025 combined.
Scott Roberts will return Wayne County back to respectability at the bare minimum.
Brantley County Herons 2026 Preview
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Brantley County Herons Football Program is one in transition and is looking for stability.
This offseason former Brantley Head Coach David Shores accepted a job on the Camden County staff and resigned from being the Herons head man.
Shores was a splash hire two offseasons ago in Nahunta and came with big time experience at Camden, Lowndes and Brunswick.
In two seasons Shores went 2-18 with the Herons, including a winless 2025 campaign.
Enter new Head Coach Matt Hickox. Hickox is a Brantley County Alum and is coming over from Pierce County. Hickox spent seven seasons in Blackshear serving as the Bears Defensive Coordinator and won two state titles at Pierce in 2020 and 2023.
Hickox is looking to provide some stability to the Heron program as he is now their 3rd coach in 4 years.
In reclassification the Herons find themselves in Region 3-3A. This region is tough at the top with Appling, Pierce and Toombs but leaves room for the Herons to possibly be a playoff team if they can handle business against everyone else, which is very possible.
Outside of the aforementioned big three the rest of the region lines up with Beach, Islands, Johnson, and Tattnall.
The Herons will take on these region foes along with Bacon County, Lanier County and Claxton.
The Brantley Herons 2026 schedule is as follows:
8/21 @Bacon
8/28 v. Lanier
9/4 @Claxton
9/11 Bye
9/18 v. Islands
9/25 @ Appling
10/2 v. Toombs
10/9 @ Johnson
10/16 Bye
10/23 v. Pierce
10/30 v. Tattnall
11/6 @ Beach
The Herons have a tough first half of the schedule but I expect the Herons to be a playoff contender.
I am not sure this will be the year for the Herons to make a return to the playoffs but they will be in the mix down to the wire.
I definitely see at least four wins on the schedule for Brantley, which would be a huge step in the right direction coming off of an 0-10 season.
Effingham Rebels 2026 Preview
By: Joe Delaney
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Coach John Ford and the Effingham County Rebels are hard at it.
They are out to show that last year’s 9-3 record and a narrow one-point playoff loss was no fluke.
Coach Ford was upbeat about the coming 26 season. And while there are definitely holes to fill from a great group of graduated seniors, this is a team on the rise in southeast Georgia.
In my conversation with Coach Ford, he was dialed into coach speak. “We’re taking it one day at a time’ and “we’re working hard to make something happen today and every day.”
Sure, you’ve heard that before but in listening to Coach Ford you could tell that’s where the Rebels were, working hard and focused.
It doesn’t hurt that Effingham County itself is one of the fastest growing areas in the state and that makes the turnover more manageable.
In 2026 the Rebels will have a schedule that includes opening games at Richmond Hill and at home against Tift County.
That’s a tough way to start and the Rebels will have to be on their game early.
From there it’s into region play with Brunswick and Glynn Academy looming. It is a workable schedule and being tested in those two opening games should have the Rebels ready for games down the road.
On offense Effingham has a very good running back in Jamere Doe-Davis. He is a great center piece to work from and expect him to shoulder the load early and often.
He will run behind a completely revamped offensive line as all five of the O-line graduated. This and the quarterback position will tell the tail for the offense.
Three youngsters are currently in the mix to start at QB. Whoever takes the job will be young and inexperienced and need to mature quickly.
One thing the new quarterback will have is a talented and experienced group of wide receivers.
Back are Isaiah Brown, Malik Letman, and Trayvis Hunter. Look for Coach Ford to lean on these 3 quality wideouts. They all have good speed and hands.
Defensively the Rebels should be stout. Back on the defensive line is Deyvon Aaron and RJ Brown. Behind them at linebacker are Genard Albright, and Jackson Eubanks.
This should be a very good front seven and couple it with the entire secondary coming back and the defense should carry the team early.
2026 Effingham County Rebels schedule:
8/21 @Richmond Hill
8/28 vrs Tift County
9/4 vrs New Hampstead
9/18 @ Lakeside
9/25 vrs Bradwell
10/2 @ Glynn Academy
10/16 vrs SEHS
10/23 vrs Grovetown
10/30 @ Brunswick
11/6 vrs Greenbrier
Look for the Rebels to field a very good football team in 2026.
While it may be difficult to match last year’s total. The early toughies on the schedule should make this team mature quickly.
The keys will be the offensive line play and a solid season from the new QB. If those fall into place this could be a very tough out come playoff time.
Richmond Hill Wildcats 2026 Preview
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Richmond Hill Wildcats football team is looking to take a big step in 2026, building off of their success in 2025.
The Wildcats play in the newly added 7-A class, which is GHSA’s highest classification. Their region is one of the most competitive in the state and consists of: Camden County, Colquitt County, Lowndes, and Valdosta.
Last year they made the state playoffs as the 4 seed coming out of Region 1 in 6-A (was GHSA’s highest classification at the time). The Wildcats would take an early exit after drawing national power Buford High School in the first round on the road.
This year, they look to play well during the regular season and use the GHSA’s new power-ranking formula for playoff seeding to their advantage.
To do this, they will rely heavily on senior quarterback Gunner Mobley. Last season, he got region honorable mention, and during the season he threw for over 1400 passing yards and was responsible for 13 touchdowns. He was also named a top-5 quarterback in the greater Savannah area.
The schedule sets up pretty well for the Wildcats. By being in GHSA’s highest classification, most of their games outside of region play will be against lower-classification teams and should favor the Wildcats.
They will take on a nearby opponent in the Effingham County Rebels. In this game, On3 gives the Wildcats an 86% chance to win this game. Effingham County is a solid opponent that hosted a first-round playoff game last year in GHSA’s second-highest classification (5-A).
They will also take on another nearby opponent with Liberty County; according to On3, this game should be all Wildcats as they are given a 99% chance to win this game.
The Wildcats will also take on Jenkins out of Savannah, who has become one of the toughest opponents for any team can face in the 912 area code. Another one of South Georgia’s perennial powerhouses is also on the schedule for Richmond Hill.
The Wildcats will take on the Gators of Ware County in what is sure to be one of the top games of the year in South Georgia.
The Wildcats will also compete in a border-battle game as they take on Wando High School, which is located near Charleston, South Carolina. This is the only out-of-state game on the schedule for the Wildcats in 2026.
Richmond Hill will also take on West Georgia powerhouse East Coweta in what is sure to be one of the top games of the week in the state. On3 has this game at basically a coin flip, with it being listed as 41-59 favoring East Coweta.
Finally, to end the season, the Wildcats will take on the South Georgia Gauntlet; their region play will consist of games against Colquitt County, Camden County, Lowndes, and Valdosta in that order to end the season.
The bonus here is that each of those teams has the potential to be a playoff team, which should boost Richmond Hill’s power ranking under the new GHSA formula.
I see Richmond Hill as a team that, based on its strength of schedule, is able to compete for a top 16 seed and could potentially host a home playoff game in the first round of the GHSA state playoffs.
Frederica Academy Knights 2026 Preview
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When the 2025 Frederica Knights season ended in the state playoff semifinal round, the outlook for the future was bright regardless of the most recent game.
Unfortunately, the offseason between 2025 and 2026 was not kind. Several departures have taken the Knights from state title contenders to where some are questioning whether they will even make the playoffs.
Those people have obviously never dealt with Coach Brandon Derrick.
Known for “doing more with less” on the gridiron, Coach Derrick has got his work cut out for him as he enters his fourteenth season at the helm. Instead of the nine returning starters from the 20256 campaign they were expecting, Frederica will instead see five starters return. The four lost starters are significant, most notably starting QB/FS Stanton Beverly.
“(Stanton)’s gonna go to Valwood. So, yeah, so I lost a two year starter, all state quarterback and free safety.”
These will be uncharted waters for the coach, who has never had to face a former player on the field of play. Adding insult to injury, reports out of Hahaira are that Beverly will be the starting QB for the team when the Knights come calling on September 3rd.
At the end of the day, this means that two-year backup Braxton Sykes moves into the QB1 role a year ahead of schedule.
Entering his Junior year, Sykes was competent in the QB role when called into action in 2025, but was showing significant strides as a Wide Receiver in the meantime.
This summer, his primary focus has been travel baseball, but has been all-in on the QB role while at practice.
“We will be more pass oriented than we have been in the past,” says Coach Derrick. “with Stanton we could run the option. Braxton, he’s more pass oriented. He’ll have to run some and do a lot of RPO stuff, but I think he’s a solid player. He does a good job, he’s got a pretty good understanding of what we’re doing. It’s gonna be the decision making. The more he practices, the more he plays, the faster his decisions will be made, he’ll make better decisions.”
Those decisions will have to be made without two offensive weapons that his predecessor had; TE JC Wessel and WR Jayden Gibson who have left the team for different reasons.
Gibson has moved to the Atlanta area and will not be available for what should have been his senior season with Frederica.
Wessel, on the other hand, made a decision for what his family considers a better option for his future – transferring to Bolles Academy in Jacksonville, Florida.
“(JC and his dad) think he’ll be coached up better by one of the tight end coaches down there that they’ve brought in.” Several Bolles players are being recruited by D1 NCAA programs.
In addition to these losses on offense, DE Eric Alford also is no longer with the Frederica Academy Knights.
While roster depth is always an issue with Frederica (they will start 2026 with 27 players), this year’s squad will still be heavy on the upperclassmen.
OLB Eli Middleton and DE Clay Sproule will lead the class of eight seniors that will include stars RB Jordyn Rollins and CB/WR Jaylen Baldwin. Newcomer to the Senior class will be Sal Vinci who will be taking over placekicking duties from the recently graduated Mary Ford Fitzjurls.
In addition to the upperclassmen, look for freshmen WR/DB Henry Dorminy and DE/OL Hayes Brock to make immediate contributions.
Coach Derrick knows it won’t be easy, but honestly it never is in the GIAA.
“We’re going to put the best product we can on the field. We’re planning a really tough schedule. Hopefully our seniors, like I tell them every year, grab the steering wheel and drive the bus. I drive the bus, it’s bumpy. You drive the bus, it’s a lot better.”
The 2026 Frederica Knights season kicks off August 14th at home against Bethesda Academy.
Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets 2026 Preview
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There’s plenty of “new” in Brooklet heading into the 2025 season.
A new head coach, new coordinators, heck even a new principal. The comforting thing for Southeast Bulloch is the fact that while the roles are new, it’s familiar faces filling those roles.
After a 5-5 finish for Southeast Bulloch in 2025, former Head Coach Jared Zito submitted his resignation and SEB named then Defensive Coordinator Jason Anthony as interim head coach throughout the 2026 season.
After the elevation to Head Coach, Anthony announced the promotion of two current SEB Coaches to the coordinator roles.
Brandon Peterson, who has spent the past two decades on the SEB Football staff and is honorarily inducted into the SEB Athletics Hall of Fame this fall, will take over as the offensive coordinator.
Replacing Coach Anthony as Defensive Coordinator will be Anthony Hammett who has been on staff for the past four years working with the secondary.
With Jayden Murphy and Colby Smith finishing their time as a Yellow Jacket, there are roles to be filled. Those roles will look different with the change in leadership and style.
The past 3 years have seen SEB run a version of the split-back veer. Now the Jackets will transition back into the shotgun and see the Jackets spread the ball around.
While there is some production that has to be replaced, there are many weapons already on this roster that have been waiting in the wings.
The most glaring is the new signal caller Ja’kalian “JK” Small. The rising sophomore saw very few snaps last season but is a budding talent waiting to burst on the scene.
Small is anything but standing at 6’3”, the new QB1 has a dynamic arm and playmaking ability. To me, Small could be one of the most impactful players in this area in his first season in the role.
There are also many threats for SEB for Small to connect with. Obviously, Aaden Peterson has been on the college camp circuit this offseason with multiple offers already heading into his senior year.
AP can affect the game in a couple different ways on the offensive side but mostly will be seen as a receiver and defensive back for the Jackets.
Eli Reed is another receiver that makes an impact this year for SEB with the size and physicality he brings.
On the defensive side, it’s a unit that could be incredibly impactful. The secondary seems to be solidly intact with AP, Eli Reed, and a number of returners, but the group that is expected to be the force is the linebacking corps.
Led by Brant Horst who had over 200 tackles in his career and almost career TFLs will anchor the group in the middle of the SEB Defense along with returners like Bailey Hutchins, and Kaiden Gaskins.
At the end of the day, SEB faces a steep mountain with the schedule in front of them.
A non-region slate that includes games against Statesboro, East Laurens, Burke County and Westside (Augusta) combined with the new region slate poses an elevated challenge for SEB, but it’s one that this Jackets team feels up to the task.
Despite much of the change being filled by familiar names, the feeling around this SEB team has shifted in a positive way.
A big credit of that goes to the new Head Coach Jason Anthony who has talked all offseason about the sole focus of this program is the players.
That mindset is what has made ‘Ant’ one of the most respected coaches by his team that you’ll come across.
SEB has hit the weightroom hard, and I’m fired up to see what the Yellow Jackets look like in less than a month when it gets shown on Fred Shaver Field.
Lowndes County Vikings 2026 Preview
By: Ron Reagin
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Lowndes Vikings enter the 2026 season with high expectations after back-to-back 10-2 campaigns.
Under head coach Adam Carter, the program continues to compete in South Georgia with physical play, strong culture and fan base that usually deliver consistent postseason appearances.
This will be Carter’s fourth season at the helm, and the continuity he has built is showing.
2025 Season Recap Lowndes finished 10-2 overall and 4-1 in Region 1-AAAAAA, earning a home playoff game in the first round.
They fell in the second round to an eventual Final Four team, North Gwinnett. The Vikings dominated their non-region schedule early, outscoring opponents by an average of 43-8 in the first five games.
In region play, they rolled through Colquitt County, Camden County, Tift County, and Richmond Hill, scoring over 30 points in each contest while allowing just 13.25 points per game.
Their lone region loss came in the Winnersville Classic to rival Valdosta.
Key Returners and Leadership: The offense returns one of the state’s top dual-threat quarterbacks in Jayce Johnson. The Texas A&M commit brings elite arm talent, mobility, and valuable experience.
Several skill players and key offensive linemen are back, giving Lowndes continuity up front and in space.
On defense, experienced playmakers return to anchor a typically physical front seven that gave up less than 14 points on average over 12 games last season.
However, look for emerging contributors from 2025 and some new names, who gained valuable reps and are poised for bigger roles. Coach Carter and his staff have emphasized depth and competition throughout the offseason.
2026 Schedule Highlights: Lowndes will test itself early and often at home. The non-region portion includes Jenkins, Harris County, Lithonia, Blanche Ely (FL), Long County, and Winter Haven (FL).
Region play brings the annual battles with Camden County, Richmond Hill, Valdosta (Oct. 30 at home), and the season finale at Colquitt County (Nov. 6).
With the new PSRF playoff seeding formula in place, this schedule gives Lowndes multiple opportunities to boost their ranking through quality wins. The Florida games and tough region slate should prepare them well for a deep postseason run.
Outlook: The Vikings have the talent, experience, and coaching to contend for another region title and make noise in the state playoffs.
Coach Carter’s emphasis on fundamentals, physicality, and player development has the program trending upward since he took over.
South Georgia fans know the Winnersville Classic against Valdosta (Nov. 30) and the late-season games against Colquitt and Camden will be tough games and shape their post-season.
Lowndes enters 2026 hungry to take big step towards another title.
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