High School Football
Bulloch Academy Gators Swimming Toward Playoffs
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
This past Friday, the Bulloch Academy Gators made a statement win on the road in Locust Grove, defeating Strong Rock Christian 42-7. With this win, the Gators moved to 6-1 on the season with only their 3 district games left to play before moving into the playoffs. Before district play starts, the Gators get a much-earned bye week.
In their last 2 contests, the Gators have outscored their opponents 98-7 with dominant wins on the road over both Strong Rock and Robert Toombs. It’s hard for me to put my finger on which side of the ball is most dominant for the Gators.
On offense, the Gators keep humming along, with very few possessions that don’t end in points. The Gators have adapted into a little more of a balanced attack this season, adding some efficient passing elements.
On defense, the Gators basically eliminate running plays with a “swamp of gators” tackling the ball carrier, limiting one-on-one tackling. At the same time, the secondary looks improved from last season and is doing a better job of not giving up long passes.
The big question mark for the Gators defense this season is whether they can get back to the defensive standard that led to the state championship in 2024.
In 2024, the Gators allowed only 6.5 points per game in the regular season; currently, they sit at 16.4 points allowed per game. That is still a very impressive number because it’s basically telling the Gator offense that if they want to win the game, all they have to do is score 17+ points, which the Gators have been doing in the first quarter alone recently.
For playoff seeding, the GIAA uses MaxPreps rankings to determine the brackets based on their rating. The Gators currently have a 46.87 rating, which is #4 in all of the GIAA. Just for reference, John Millege Academy, which handed the Gators their only loss this season, is currently #1 with a 52.66 rating.
The 3 remaining opponents for the Gators have an average rating of 22.39, with only Frederica Academy currently in line for a playoff spot. So, I say all of that to say it should be a smooth ride to the playoffs for the Gators.
The goal for the Gators is a top-2 seed in the playoffs, as that would let them host the quarterfinals and semifinals in Statesboro, and then, coincidentally, the state championship would be in Paulson Stadium. The Gators won the 2024 state championship at Paulson Stadium as well.
In my personal opinion, if the Gators win out, there should be no issue locking up a top-2 seed, as Strong Rock was ranked #3 in AAAA and #4 First Presbyterian Day recently lost to Frederica Academy on 9/18.
This means that as the rankings get updated, there will be a major separation between the Gators and their challengers in AAAA.
The Gators could end up as the #1 seed, as current #1 Stratford Academy is 5-1 but does have to play John Milledge in a few weeks.
So if the Gators handle their business and win out, they will be looking at 3 playoff games in Statesboro to potentially capture their 2nd state championship in 3 years.
Top Teams In 7A
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We’re almost at the midway point for the high school football regular season. I want to take a look at some of the top teams in 7A and see how they have done thus far.
#1 Buford: The Wolves are the top team in the state and ranked #4 nationally by USA Today. They are reigning state and national champions. They have beaten some strong teams like #6 Gainesville (6A), Miami Central (FL) and Grayson.
They got a boost after Week 1 when five-star defensive lineman Jalen Brewster transferred in from Texas. He’s also rated #4 nationally for the class of 2027.
They’re about to start region play this week. AAAAAAA Region 8 is extremely weak. There’s only one other team that has at least a .500 record.
#2 Carrolton: The Trojans are always competing for a state title but coming up just short. They were 14-1 last season, with the only loss coming to Buford in the state championship game. They also lost the state championship in 2024 and 2022.
There are only three other teams in AAAAAAA Region 2 but they are tough. They consist of Douglas County, #8 Westlake and East Coweta. Carrolton is a legit contender. They are ranked #12 nationally.
#3 Newton: This is an odd position for the Rams because they aren’t a traditionally good program. They have a lot of talent on the roster this year like four-star RB Kevin Hartsfield.
They started the season with a double overtime win against Douglas County. Since then, it’s been all blowouts. A couple of notable teams they beat are #8 Roswell (6A) and Warner Robins.
They’ll start October playing at #8 Westlake. They also have Grayson and Archer in their region, so we will find out if The Rams are contenders.
#4 North Gwinnett: The Bulldogs advanced to the state semifinals last season. They picked up where they left off and they have not played a close game yet. They’ve won every game by double digits, with the closest margin of victory being 13 points.
They’ve already started region play but they will play the tough teams later in the season. That includes #6 Brookwood, Peachtree Ridge and Parkview.
#5 Lowndes: The Vikings are also beating up on the competition. They finished last season 10-2, losing in the second round of the playoffs to North Gwinnett. They start play in AAAAAAA Region 1 October 9th, which is considered the toughest region in the state.
That consists of Camden County, Richmond Hill, #7 Valdosta and #10 Colquitt County. The Vikings are looking to win their first state title since 2007.
#6 Brookwood: The Broncos have looked good so far. They were 10-3 last season, so they have started to get back to being one of the best programs in Gwinnett County. I spoke about AAAAAAA Region 7 earlier when I talked about North Gwinnett, so I won’t mention that here. Their last state title was in 2010.
#7 Valdosta: The Wildcats have more wins than any football program in the country. They also have 24 state championships, with the most recent from 2016. They advanced to the state semifinals last season, before losing to Buford.
This team knows how to win but things will get tougher when they begin region play in mid-October.
#8 Westlake: The Lions are playing well. This school is known for producing talented players like Cam Newton, Adam “Pacman” Jones, Malik Willis, Chance Warmack and A.J. Terrell.
They get to the playoffs consistently but have never won a state championship.
October In Region 1-7A
By: Ron Reagin
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Region play has not started in Region 1-7A. That changes in October.
The five-team region — Valdosta, Lowndes, Colquitt County, Camden County and Richmond Hill — has spent September on non-region slates.
The records look good, but the standings do not mean as much yet. The next five weeks will decide the region title, the first-round home game, and most of the PSR seeds that follow.
The non-region schedules for the majority of Region 1-7A has been managed well by all teams. Colquitt has suffered a couple of early losses, as well as Camden. Luckily for them, Region 1 is an equalizer if they can win in one of the toughest regions in the state.
The October-November gauntlet
Region games come in a tight cluster:
Oct. 9 — Colquitt at Richmond Hill; Lowndes vs. Camden
Oct. 16 — Valdosta at Colquitt, Richmond Hill @Camden
Oct. 23 — Camden at Valdosta; Lowndes at Richmond Hill
Oct. 30 — Lowndes vs. Valdosta (Winnersville Classic); Colquitt at Camden
Nov. 6 — Lowndes at Colquitt; Richmond Hill at Valdosta
That is 10 region games in a five week span spilling over into the first week of November.
Every one of them counts twice: once in the region standings, and once in the PSR formula that will seed the 7A playoffs statewide.
What each team needs:
Valdosta has the best early PSR profile in the region and is projected as a high seed if it takes care of business.
The Wildcats still have to go to Moultrie, host Camden, go to Lowndes for the Winnersville Classic, and close with Richmond Hill. An unbeaten region run would lock up the title and a first-round home game.
Lowndes is 5-0 and has been dominant at home. The Vikings’ non-region wins have not carried much PSR weight. Region wins will.
Hosting Camden, going to Richmond Hill, hosting Valdosta, and finishing at Colquitt is a four-game stretch that will define Adam Carter’s fourth season.
Colquitt has a winning record after losses to Thomas County Central and Lee County.
Those two losses hurt the record and helped the schedule strength. The Packers still have a path to a high seed if they win their share in region play. The home date with Valdosta on Oct. 16 and the finale against Lowndes are the measuring sticks.
Camden needs region wins more than anyone. A decent start and a mid-teens PSR projection leave little margin.
Games at Lowndes, at Valdosta, and at home against Colquitt will decide whether the Wildcats are a playoff team with a decent seed or a team looking in from the outside.
Richmond Hill is off to a tremendous start and still the team the formula has treated the harshest. The early wins have not built much opponent winning percentage.
Hosting Colquitt, hosting Lowndes, and going to Valdosta in the finale is the chance to change that. Those games could flip the PSR picture fast if Richmond Hill can win continue winning in the Region.
Why October matters more this year
The region champion still gets a first-round home game. After that, PSR seeds the field 1 through 32.
A second-place team with a tougher résumé can be seeded higher than a champion from a weaker region. That is why these eight games are not just about first place. They are about who you beat and when you beat them.
Late-season upsets can wipe out a high PSR in a hurry. Region wins, in a tough region, can also climb a team several spots in a single Friday night.
The takeaway
September was about getting ready. October is about the region.
Valdosta and Lowndes enter as the favorites. Colquitt has the schedule profile to stay in the high-seed conversation. Camden and Richmond Hill have to prove it against the teams that will actually show up on the playoff résumé, and more importantly, show up in their PSR.
South Georgia fans are already looking forward to these matchups. This year they also decide the playoff seeds, and that makes October in Region 1 as important as it has been in a long time.
The New Era
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We are now a month into the Tucker Pruitt era at Camden County and I think we are beginning to get a pretty good idea of what this new version of Wildcat football might look like.
It certainly hasn’t been perfect. There have been mistakes, some defensive breakdowns and one tough loss. Most importantly, the Wildcats have already shown they can win in several different ways.
The season began with a strange two-day victory at Brunswick. Lightning stopped the game Friday night and forced Camden to return Saturday morning to finish it. The Wildcats handled the disruption, leaned heavily on the running game and came away with a 35-21 victory.
A week later, Camden looked much more comfortable offensively in a 42-13 win over Glynn Academy. Xavier Collins threw four touchdown passes, Sean Green caught three of them and the Wildcats rolled up more than 400 yards of offense.
Then came the first real punch in the mouth. Camden went to Savannah and lost 27-23 to a very good Benedictine team. The frustrating part was that the Wildcats had a 23-17 lead entering the fourth quarter and couldn’t finish it.
That’s why I think what happened against Godby might tell us more about this team than either of the first two wins.
This time Camden was the team trailing entering the fourth quarter, 21-18. Godby quarterback Landon Dougherty threw for 416 yards and 5 touchdowns, and there were plenty of moments when it looked like the Wildcats might suffer a second straight close loss.
Instead, Camden scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and found a way to win 39-36. Collins completed 17 of 20 passes for 214 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Green caught 8 passes for 133 yards and 2 touchdowns. Just as importantly, the defense came up with two interceptions at critical moments.
A week after failing to protect a fourth-quarter lead, Camden found a way to erase a fourth-quarter deficit. That’s progress.
Pruitt inherited a program with plenty of talent, but changing coaches always means changing expectations, terminology, schemes and culture. Four games isn’t nearly enough time to judge where the program ultimately goes under Pruitt, but a 3-1 start gives Camden something solid to build on.
The Wildcats still have Ed White and West Broward before an open week gives them a chance to prepare for what really matters, and that’s Region 1-7A play.
Anyone that knows about Region 1-7A knows it’s not a friendly walk in the park. Lowndes and Valdosta are both 4-0 and ranked among the top teams in Class 7A.
Lowndes has been especially impressive defensively, allowing only 14 points through four games, including shutouts of Harris County and Blanche Ely.
Valdosta has gone the opposite direction and simply overwhelmed people offensively. The Wildcats have scored at least 52 points in every game and have piled up 222 points in four weeks.
Richmond Hill is also 4-0, including a 13-7 road win over Ware County last Friday. Then there is Colquitt County, which may be 2-2 but has played a much different schedule, with losses to unbeaten Thomas County Central and unbeaten Lee County.
Nobody has played a region game yet, so all of this is simply setting the stage. Camden begins region play October 9 at Lowndes, followed by Richmond Hill at home, Valdosta on the road and Colquitt County at home. There won’t be an easy Friday night anywhere in that stretch.
But that’s still a few weeks away. For now, Pruitt’s first Camden team is 3-1. They’ve won on the road, won comfortably at home, lost a close one and responded by winning a shootout.
There is plenty left to clean up. But through four games, these Wildcats have also given us plenty of reasons to keep watching.
Showdown At Womack
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Friday night lights will shine brightly in Statesboro this week as the undefeated Blue Devils welcome in perennial powerhouse Benedictine Military School to Womack Field.
This will truly be one of the marquee matchups this week in the state, as both Statesboro (#6) and Benedictine (#4) are ranked among their top-10 teams in 5-A.
Statesboro has really impressed a lot of people so far this season, as they currently sit undefeated at 3-0. They have wins against in-county rival Southeast Bulloch, and they also got strong measuring-stick wins against Burke County and ECI.
They also got an early bye week before this big-time matchup, which should have them ready to go at nearly full strength.
Benedictine comes into the game 2-1 with wins over Hebron Christian and a big statement win over 7-A Camden County. Their lone loss came to the 3-A state title favorite Toombs County, which has a roster loaded with FBS commits and prospects.
Speaking of prospects, Benedictine has 2 Power-4 commits on their roster: wide receiver Eron Mallard, who is a 3-star committed to the Purdue Boilermakers, and 3-star safety Stanley Smart, who is committed to the Hokies of Virginia Tech.
Benedictine has been built as a powerhouse that has constantly sent players to the FBS level. Some argue it is the most successful program in Southeast Georgia over the last decade or so.
The Cadets have captured state football championships in 2022, 2021, 2016, and 2014. In years they did not win the state title, they have made deep playoff runs, including last year, when they finished runner-up to Creekside by just 3 points.
Speaking of sending players to college, here are a few notable cadets at the next level: Bubba Frazier (Notre Dame), Luke Kromenhoek & Za’Quan Bryan (USF), Stephen Cannon and Ladamion Guyton (Texas Tech), Third & Ralph Scroggins (Miami), Jacobe Ward (Auburn), Kameron Cody (Clemson), Bryce Baker (Georgia Southern), & Holden Geriner (Pitt).
Statesboro also has a couple of notable players currently on FBS rosters as well. Edge rusher Amonntrae Bradford is currently with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and all-purpose athlete Kam Mikell plays for the hometown Georgia Southern Eagles.
Most likely, this game will be a major factor in determining who the region champion is for class 5-A region 1. This region also consists of perennial favorites Ware County and Jenkins (Savannah).
However, with the new rankings formula being implemented in all of GHSA, a loss in this game will not be detrimental to either team if the status quo holds. I predict each one of these teams to be in the 7-9 win range, so as each team moves on after this game, their ranking should continue to improve as the other team keeps winning.
With this being a home game, the Blue Devils are hoping the hometown fan base will bring a lot of energy and rally them to a seismic win that will show the rest of 5-A that Statesboro plans to make a run at the state title this year.
Brunswick High Pirates Set Sail On Region Play
By: Teddy Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
After posting a 1-2 non-region record, the Brunswick High Football Pirates kicked off Region 1-6A play on September 18.
First year head coach Dr. Byron Slack’s Pirates kicked off the 2026 campaign at home against the Camden County Wildcats, losing 35-21.
In week two, Dr. Slack’s Pirates hosted the Groves Rebels and walked away with a 63-0 shellacking.
Following a bye week, Brunswick High hosted 7-A powerhouse Grayson. Despite being a huge underdog, the Pirates played the Rams tough, even taking the lead in the third quarter before Grayson eventually prevailed, 44-31, giving BHS their 1-2 non-region record.
Coach Slack’s squad began region play with a four-hour bus trip to the Augusta area to take on the Grovetown Warriors, who were 0-3 on the season. This could have been trap game for the Pirates, as they have sometimes struggled on long road-trip games. It was not, BHS won the game 38-14.
The following Friday (Sept. 25), BHS returns to Glynn County Stadium to host the Greenbrier Wolfpack, another Augusta area school, who is currently 1-2.
On October 2, Coach Slack’s Pirates will travel to Hinesville to clash with the Bradwell Institute Tigers, currently 3-1 in 2026.
Over the years, the Tigers have not fared well against the Pirates, but Bradwell appears to be a much better football team than in recent years.
After their second bye week, Coach Slack’s Pirates will be the home team on October 16 at Glynn County Stadium against the Glynn Academy Red Terrors in the City Championship game. This promises to be a very important region tilt, as well securing local bragging rights for the next twelve months. The Terrors are currently 1-3.
After the City Championship game, the Pirates will host back-to-back games against South Effingham (3-1) and Effingham (2-2). The Mustangs and the Rebels, respectively, will continue a long-standing rivalry against the Pirates.
Brunswick closes out the regular season on November 6 by returning to the Augusta area (another trap game?) to take on Lakeside-Evans.
Senior quarterback Keygan Walker has stepped into the leadership role very comfortably for the Pirates. In the three non-region games, Walker threw for 430 yards and 7 touchdowns.
At an exclusive coach’s show with The Bishop Media Sports Network, Coach Slack lauded Walker’s performance thus far, “and he’ll continue to get better,” Coach Slack added.
Seniors Nigel Gardner and Josiah Gibbons have anchored the running game for the Pirates.
The defense has been anchored by Samir Dobbins, Zay Bennett, Zi’yan Rankin, and Chozen Owens, among several others.
Kicker Braxton Davis has been busy kicking extra points.
Following the conclusion of the regular season, the playoffs get underway using a system called the Post Season Rankings Formula, concocted by the Georgia High School Association.
Unless I’m missing something, this is one of the stupidest ideas I’ve ever heard.
Best I can tell, it works like this: Unless you actually win a region championship, you may or may not qualify for post-season play.
Other than winning a region championship, a team’s eligibility for the playoffs depends on its won-lost record, its opponents’ won-lost record, its opponents’ opponents’ won-loss record, and the wind direction on the Ides of March.
Under the old playoff system, of course, the top four teams in each region qualified for post-season play, regardless of the wind.
At any rate, my prediction is as follows: Dr. Coach Byron Slack’s Pirates run the table in region play, winning the city championship as well as the region championship in his first year at Brunswick High, and then makes a playoff run, getting past the second round for the first time since 1999.
Go Pirates!
Richmond Hill Wildcats Coming Out Party
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Richmond Hill Wildcats have gotten off to a great start in the 2026 season.
Going into Friday night’s game with the Ware County Gators the Wildcats found themselves undefeated on the young season at 3-0.
The Wildcats survived a week 1 encounter with the Effingham Rebels 22-21.
In week 2 Richmond Hill flexed their might against the Liberty County Panthers to the tune of a 42-7 win.
In week 3 the Wildcats welcomed a very good Jenkins Warriors team to ‘The Hill’ and outlasted Jenkins; winning 31-27.
Richmond Hill has had the advantage of all three wins being in the friendly confines of ‘The Hill’ at Wildcat Stadium.
In week 4 the Wildcats would not have the advantage of being at home. In fact, they would travel to one of the toughest places to win in the state, Memorial Stadium in Waycross-‘The Swamp’. Many seasons have been ruined and title dreams ended in Waycross at the hands of the Ware County Gators.
This was the task in front of the Richmond Hill Wildcats, to beat Ware in ‘The Swamp’ to remain undefeated. This is a tall order.
Ware came into the game at 1-1. The Gators took down Bainbridge in week 1 22-21 and lost to rival Coffee County in week 2, 27-7.
Ware also was coming off a bye before the Richmond Hill game so the Gators had a full 2 weeks to prepare for the Wildcats.
At first look this seemed like a game that Richmond Hill would suffer their first loss of the season; playing in ‘The Swamp’, it being their first road game of the year, Ware having 2 weeks to prepare and the Gators coming off a loss. Not to mention it was the first home game of the season for the Ware County Gators.
None of these things mattered and what looked like a likely loss instead turned into a coming out party for Richmond Hill.
The Wildcats upended the Gators 13-7 to remain unbeaten and climb to 4-0 on the season. This game was one of the best games of the season.
With time about to expire and the game tied at 7-7, Ware County lined up to kick a game winning field goal.
Instead of the kick sailing through the uprights for a Ware win, the kick was blocked and pick up by Eli Grant and returned 96 yards for a touchdown with no time on the clock giving the dramatic win to Richmond Hill. Literally snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
DB/WR Eli Grant had a monumental performance to help Richmond Hill win this football game. Grant scored both touchdowns for the Wildcats; one receiving and the other returning the blocked kick. Oh, and also Grant added in an interception just for good measure.
Next up for Richmond Hill is Wando High School out of South Carolina. The Wildcats will be back at home for this contest. Wando is off to a 3-1 start so this will be another tough test for the Wildcats.
Coach Matt LeZotte has the Wildcats off to a great start and they will be a force in region 1-7A.
Bulloch Academy Gators Another Big Win
By: Joseph Stuckey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Bulloch Academy Gators came into this past Friday’s game with a 3-1 record. This game came the week after the hard-fought loss to John Milledge Academy, 23-35 in Milledgeville.
The good news is the Gators have played a really tough schedule, and their MaxPreps ranking is taking note as they came into this game #2 in the AAAA rankings and #4 in all of GIAA.
With their win on Friday over the Westfield School Hornets out of Perry, GA, the Gators improve to 4-1 and look well on their way to locking up a top seed in the GIAA AAAA playoffs.
Westfield came into the game ranked #2 in AAA and #6 in all of GIAA. This game featured playmakers in all aspects of the game.
The offense was able to control the clock by running the ball consistently and getting big runs when needed from impact players like Connor Perry and quarterback Sam Hubbard.
Hubbard continues to show how impressive his ability to make decisive runs and calculated throws is.
The offensive running game also felt an impact from Rocco Reiss, B.J. Smart, and Nick Eason Jr. The offensive line upfront also continues to show why it is the most consistent group for the Gators year after year.
The Gators’ defense was able to capitalize on the Hornets playing from behind the sticks most of the night. They allowed minimal big plays and implemented a bend-but-don’t-break mentality.
The defense only allowed a couple of big receptions and tried to keep everything in front of them. The defense allowed the Hornets to make mistakes and then capitalized for big stops.
The defense had several playmakers, including Jayce Farmer, Tate Williams, and Colin Grooms.
Also, the quarterback felt pressure all night from Braylon Cone at nose guard and Billy Crider off the edge. Crider also knocked down a pass late in the game to help seal the victory.
On special teams, the Gators relied on good returns from Perry and Crider as well as consistent kickoffs and extra points from Case Woodrum.
Special teams seem to be an area where the Gators find an advantage over other teams, and with a little fine-tuning, it could become their best aspect of their team.
The game against the Hornets basically ran at a 2-score deficit most of the night; even though they scored a late touchdown, which made the score look closer, the Gators controlled the game from start to finish.
Westfield also had a failed 2-point conversion towards the end of the game, which all but put the final nail in the coffin, as the Gators offense was able to run out the clock.
Outside of a few minor errors and slip-ups, the Gators seem to have rebounded well from the loss to JMA and look to have their eyes set on going for the big GIAA prize.
Now that this game is in the book, the Gators will travel next week to Robert Toombs in Lyons and hope to avoid a 3-overtime marathon game like last season. After that, the Gators will travel to Strong Rock Christian in Locust Grove for their biggest AAAA regular-season matchups of the season.
Valdosta Wildcats Strong Start
By: Ron Reagin
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Opening the season on the road is never easy, especially with a young defense and a lightning delay that pushed kickoff all the way to 9:20 p.m. Valdosta handled both challenges Friday night and came away with a solid 52-14 win at Jones County.
The Wildcats treated the game like a business trip. They went on the road, took care of business, and left with a victory despite the late start and the usual early-season social media noise.
The offense looked ready from the start. With most of its key pieces returning, Valdosta rolled up 426 yards of total offense — 251 through the air and 175 on the ground. Marquis Fennell and Deron Foster once again formed one of the most dangerous backfield combinations in the state.
Fennell scored four touchdowns just about every way a running back can. He rushed for the game’s first points, caught touchdown passes from two different quarterbacks, and returned a punt 55 yards for another score. He finished with eight catches for 143 yards and two receiving touchdowns, plus nine carries for 48 yards and a rushing score.
Special teams for the Wildcats was solid as well. Along with Fennell’s punt return touchdown, sophomore kicker Alans Garcia handled the kickoffs and made a 36-yard field goal with plenty of distance to spare. New punter Freddy Poole had two punts and averaged 30 yards per punt, with veteran Troy commit long snapper William Mosley handling all the snaps flawlessly.
Oregon State commit Deron Foster did the lion’s share on the ground, carrying 18 times for 107 yards and a touchdown. Senior center Austin Spray and the experienced offensive line helped create running lanes and gave the quarterbacks time to work.
Speaking of the quarterbacks, Tripp Perry delivered the best game of his career. He completed 9 of 12 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns while showing the leadership and command he has displayed throughout the offseason.
When sophomore Lamar Thomas got his opportunity, he answered with a sharp 5-of-8 performance for 84 yards and two touchdowns of his own.
Sophomore Quincy Hunt added a hard-running 30 yards on five carries, and senior wideout Jamarian Mingo hauled in five catches for 87 yards, scoring from both quarterbacks.
Before the game, head coach Shelton Felton was asked what he wanted to see from his young defense. His answer was clear: “I want to see a physical, fast and detailed defense. They could make mistakes but make them full speed… new season, want them to have fun and run to the football.”
Outside of a couple of missed fits on run defense that led to long runs, the defense answered the call. Jones County finished with just 14 points and 245 total yards.
After the game, Coach Felton praised the unit for making adjustments at halftime. When asked how he sees them growing, he said, “One play at a time, one week at a time and one game at a time… gotta stay with us. Growing pains. A lot of guys this is their first time playing big-time football.”
It was not a perfect night, but it was a professional one. The Wildcats did what they were supposed to do on the road in Week 1.
Next Friday night they return to the friendly confines of Bazemore-Hyder Stadium for the home opener against Howard.
After a businesslike start on the road, the Cats will look to keep the momentum going in front of the home crowd over this 5 game home stand.
1-7A Week One
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
If the opening weekend of Georgia high school football told us anything about Region 1-7A, it’s that nobody should expect many easy Friday nights once region play begins.
Camden County, Valdosta, Lowndes and Richmond Hill all opened with victories, while Colquitt County suffered the region’s lone defeat. That makes Region 1-7A a combined 4-1 after week one.
Of course, we’re only talking about one game. Nobody wins a region championship in August. But first impressions are still important, and each of the five teams gave us something to think about.
Let’s start close to home with Camden County. The Wildcats’ 35-21 victory at Brunswick might have told us something about Tucker Pruitt’s first Camden team that won’t show up in the box score.
Camden led 14-7 Friday night when lightning interrupted the game. After a lengthy delay, the decision was made to suspend play and resume Saturday morning.
Think about that from a high school player’s perspective. You prepare all week, travel to a rival’s stadium, get yourself emotionally ready, play one quarter….. and then go home. A few hours later, you’re getting up, loading the buses and doing it all over again.
Brunswick tied the game at 14 before halftime Saturday, but Camden responded by taking control in the second half.
That’s a pretty good first test for a new coaching staff.
Valdosta probably made the loudest statement of anybody in the region. The Wildcats went on the road and absolutely dismantled Jones County, 52-14.
It’s only Week One, but putting 52 points on the scoreboard away from home gets my attention. If anyone wondered whether Valdosta would once again be a serious factor in Region 1-7A, the first answer appears to be yes.
Lowndes wasn’t quite as explosive, but the Vikings did exactly what good football teams are supposed to do.
Jenkins scored first, but Lowndes responded with 31 unanswered points and cruised to a 31-6 victory.
The game itself was delayed nearly two hours by lightning, so apparently Mother Nature decided everybody in South Georgia needed a little extra adversity on opening night.
Richmond Hill had a much more stressful evening. The Wildcats escaped Effingham County with a 22-21 victory after Effingham scored on a long touchdown run with just over two minutes remaining. The potential tying extra point was blocked, allowing Richmond Hill to survive.
It wasn’t pretty, but I’ve never seen a standings column that asks how pretty the win was.
And then there’s Colquitt County. The Packers drew easily the toughest opening assignment of anyone in the region, facing defending Class 5A state champion Thomas County Central. Still, I don’t think anybody expected a 57-21 final score.
I’m certainly not ready to write off Colquitt after one game against one of Georgia’s best programs. The Packers have earned far too much respect over the years for that kind of overreaction. But 57-21 is still 57-21.
So what did we learn? Maybe nothing. It’s August. But we did get our first clues.
Camden showed resilience. Valdosta showed firepower. Lowndes took care of business. Richmond Hill found a way to survive. And Colquitt discovered it has some work to do.
The best part is that none of these teams have played each other yet. Eventually they will. And judging by the first weekend, Region 1-7A might be every bit the fight we expected it to be.
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