AAAAAA blog: Valdosta-Lowndes, West Forsyth, Centennial stunner highlight Week 8
Five bits of news from this week in Class AAAAAA –
- The Valdosta-Lowndes series continues to be entertaining, 51 games on. Lowndes, ranked No. 4, improved to 7-0 with a 17-14 victory. The Vikings trailed 14-6 in the fourth quarter before getting a winning field goal in the final seconds. Tijuan Lang had a key pick late in the game and returned to the Valdosta 32 in the final two minutes, setting up the FG heroics. Rance Gillespie almost became the first Valdosta coach to beat Lowndes in back-to-back seasons since Nick Hyder in 1994-95. Valdosta leads the series 34-17.
- West Forsyth is a step closer to 10-0 and a first region title. The Wolverines defeated Johns Creek 37-16 in a game between 5-0 teams from Region 6. West Forsyth trailed 16-3. A 52-yard TD run by QB A.J. Erdely tied it 16-16 early in the third, and a 79-yard pass to TE Ty Anderson set up the go-ahead TD. Jake Wieczorek rushed for 168 yards. West Forsyth, ranked No. 5, appears on its way to a first-ever region title. The school opened in 2007.
- The stunner of the night was Centennial’s 26-7 victory over Lambert. That also came in Region 6. Lambert was 5-0. Centennial was 0-5. Chase Rosenberg threw three TD passes to Christian Robinson. Rosenberg was 17-of-24 for 190 yards, and Robinson caught 11 passes for 145 yards.
- McEachern has taken control of Region 4. McEachern started 0-2 after losses to 2011 Class AAAAA finalists Grayson and Walton. After a 35-14 victory over South Cobb, the Indians are alone at the top in the region race. McEachern is 5-3, 5-0. South Cobb is 5-1, 3-1.
- Norcross has taken control of Region 7. The Blue Devils are 7-0 after a 35-23 victory over Collins Hill. Those were the remaining unbeaten teams in the region. Norcross is 7-0, 5-0. Collins Hill is 4-2, 3-1. Norcross has beaten the other one-loss team in the region, North Gwinnett. Norcross is seeking its first region title since 2007, fourth in history.
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142 comments Add your comment
Flyer
October 14th, 2012
10:02 am
@jimb–Why don’t you give the whole story. NG was content to run out the clock and in fact had run the ball the previous 9 plays. The Mill Creek coach thought the game was still going on, This is evident by him using his timeouts. NG had the ball on the MC 36 yard line with a 4th and 20. The clock was stopped at 44 seconds. Why did the clock stop? Because Mill Creek called time out. Why did Mill Creek call time out? Because they wanted the ball back to score. At this point NG had several options, 1. Punt (we had already had 1 punt blocked and were using our sophmore backup long snapper playing in his first varsity game) 2. Run the ball and potentialy giving the ball over on downs with minimal time off the clock. 3 throw a deep pass where the maximum amount of time is used and the outcome of the play is either a catch for a first dow or touchdown, Interference where we retain possession, Incomplete with alot of time used or an interception which would be just as good as a punt.
Another thing to remember is this game most of the points on both sides were scored quickly. NG scored 20 points in the last 2 minutes of the first half and with the skill and speed of the MC it certainly could have happened to us.
Now to your comment about NG underplaying in the playoffs. Another one and done , Huh. We woudn’t know about that. You must be thinking of MC fine playoff record of one one and done and one trip to the qtr-finals. for an overall record of 2-2. In the sme time period, NG is 11-6 in the playoffs with 3 qtr-finals and one state championship appearance. You must be frustrated beacuse MC is the largest school in the state with arguably the most sucessful GFL program. Now which high school underachieves?
AVikingFan
October 14th, 2012
10:47 am
Mighty Mighty Wildcats —- How soon you forget. The City Coucil does not have the authority to dissolve the Valdosta Charter. One year ago the proposal was on the ballot for the city residents to vote on (Lowndes County residents could not vote.) The action to dissolve the charter failed by 80%
AVikingFan
October 14th, 2012
11:10 am
Next Thursday at Valdosta’s Cleveland Field (Bazemore Hyder Stadium), Lowndes Middle School, with two future Class AAAAAA AllState Players (#4 and #15) will take on Valdosta Middle at 4:30, followed by Lowndes High’s B Team playing Valdosta’s B Team. Or you can go out to Lowndes’ Martin Stadium, aka the Concrete Palace, and watch Lowndes’ 9th graders play Valdosta’s 9th graders. Lowndes has 5 or 6 sophomore starters on the Varsity who do NOT play on the B Team.
For you die hard football enthusiests, it promises to be well worth your time.
DOSTA DAWGS
October 14th, 2012
11:48 am
@ AVikingFan – Valdosta has 12 or 13 soph-Jr players that have not played JV all year. Valdosta only plays 3rd stringers on JV. I know Lowndes JV is undefeated and I think unscored on, but I think thats because most teams in the region follow the same plan as Valdosta about JV.
I took you up on your bet about Lowndes scoring Touchdowns and it looks like you owe me. The Vikings only scored 1 TD (which should have been an INT. That DB is a soph, He will defenitely make up for that mistake the next 2yrs.)
DOSTA DAWGS
October 14th, 2012
12:04 pm
@ MIGHTY MIGHTY WILDCAT- What “ELEMENT” are you talking about at Valdosta High? I played at Valdosta and all 3 of my boys go there now. I have been a player and now I’m a parent, so what “ELEMENT” are you refering to? You have many educational choices in Valdosta?Lowndes County. You can chose any you like. However, don’t hide behind this blog with comments like ” Eliminate the ELEMENT at Valdosta High”! Valdosta High is definitely not begging for you or anybody to send their child to VHS!!!!
To your comment about Valwood. No disrespect to Valwood, but have you been to a Valwood game? Valwood has done a great job of getting kids that probably would have never played at VHS?LHS to come and play ball. Those kids didn’t leave VHS because of the “ELEMENT” or the great Valwood education. They left so they could get the chance to play football!!!!
AVikingFan
October 14th, 2012
1:09 pm
Dosta Dawg, what series of plays did not Lowndes go for a TD? I never said they’s make it, just said they’d “go for it.” LOL
AVikingFan
October 14th, 2012
1:14 pm
The Valwood coach (former coach at Valdosta High) told Gillespie his players go to Valwood to “get an education”. I have been told Valwood’s total enrollment in grades 1 thru 12 is less than a 100 students. That has not affected Valdosta High one iota, imo!
Old Towne Guy
October 14th, 2012
2:46 pm
McEachern North Cobb game should be a good one next week. Bet it’s like a basketball score 65-59 or something
NGHS 09
October 14th, 2012
3:28 pm
@ jimb @ Longhorn Nation…..Some gutsy words about a person you do not know, but we are all entitled to our opinions.
@ Jimb….Don’t know if you watched the MC vs. NG game, but MC can score on any given play so of course you take the endzone shot on 4th and a mile to put that quick scoring threat to rest. Not to mention building confidence for your Qb who will have to be flawless in the playoffs, like he was Friday against MC. You can speculate both sides of the equation and say it was “unsportman like”, but at the end of the day you have to look at the facts. If they punt in that situation and MC scores on one big play, which they already had 3 times from 50+ yards, then your up by 5 points. Then an onside recovery by MC only requires another big TD run and NG loses. If you are not the coach then don’t speculate about his decisions. Mill Creek is a DANGEROUS offensive machine and will be a very tough out in the playoffs. They Qb is VERY good and only a sophmore.
NGHS 09
October 14th, 2012
3:29 pm
Thank you Flyer.
NGHS 09
October 14th, 2012
3:34 pm
@ Jimb…For the record, I’m sure Sphire and Mo Dixon would love to have the talent pool that MC has/ under achieves with year in a year out. MC should be contending every year for state titles with all of the talent over there, not 3rd seed playoff slots.
NGHS 09
October 14th, 2012
3:37 pm
And the quiting comment…? When and where has Sphire ever quit a program because of a lack of talent? Do your research on the program that Sphire and company built and won with in Kentucky before coming to Suwanee. Your comments are just premature and comical.
86Vike
October 14th, 2012
3:45 pm
@Camden 74….I guess its just a matter of opinion, but y’all are loaded with talent and speed! I believe you have at least 3 division 1 prospects! Sounds like a pretty good team to me! I’m just saying!!!
AVikingFan
October 14th, 2012
6:59 pm
I’m with YOU Old Towne Guy. McE and North Cobb will settle a lot of questions. I predict McE will win in a basketball score like you posted, just maybe not quite as high.
Camden74
October 14th, 2012
7:43 pm
86Vike……..I guess it is, a matter of opinion and my opinion is that you’re incorrect. Camden is loaded with talent and speed every year. Some years there’s more than others. Some years it comes together better than others. This is however, one of Camden’s better years of offensive talent. But think about the 15-0 2003 and 2008 teams. The defense on the 2003 team was record setting! Camden’s defense this year is still a work in progress, but getting better every week. But the best team Camden has ever had, I doubt it.
bksmith14
October 14th, 2012
8:46 pm
not going tot sugar coat anything for valdosta here……
yall played a great game….but lowndes in the end won a game yet again we should have won by 2 tds or more…..we punted ..ONE time !!! we ran the ball down valdostas throat…and were 6of 7 with 132 yds passing…..we have got to improve on rd zone offense….this game was closer than it should have been….valdosta had less than 100 passing and 100 rushing on us…..not even mighty camden accomplished this with their defense
valdosta had 1 drive where they drove the field on lowndes……the other drive was setup by a kickoff return by valdosta to the lowndes 40……
valdosta played the best they have all year fri night …….lowndes played prob its worse game….and still won…..
lowndes 352 yards….valdosta 189…..
we have to find a way to get better in redzone….against a team like camden…that will not be good…
AVikingFan
October 14th, 2012
8:59 pm
bk, add back the yards we lost due to sacks and the fumbled kick attempt and we totaled right at 400 yards offense on the Cats. Not bad at all. I still think Valdosta is more balanced than Colquitt, and may defeat them in two weeks, like they did last year. AND, Colquitt might just knock off the big boys, Camden on Nov 9th. We all know how Colquitt plays late in the season.
I’m willing to bet Buzz Payne will be there with his binoculars, especially since the GHSA said it’s not against the rules. But from what I know about Camden’s coach, he will ignore Payne much like the Lowndes coaches did. Still, I think he’ll be there to get into Propst’s head again! He wore an Alabama shirt when we played the Packers, but I can’t see him in baby blue! It’s kind of a girlie boy color to me. LOL (Just messing with ya, Camden74)
bk, Lowndes held Valdosta to I think two first downs in the 1st half, while we had, what, two 90 plus yard drives? We got into the red zone three times in the 1st half and only scored 3 points. We’ve GOT to improve on that!
Camden74
October 14th, 2012
9:35 pm
AVikingFan……..That’s okay, there have been a number of people who’ve had that opinion, but it didn’t take long for them to realize they weren’t playing the colors! Go Camden County Wildcats!
57Cat
October 14th, 2012
10:13 pm
@bksmith14 – You ought to be very concerned about your Vikes against Camden. Your mighty team rolled up all those yards, got into the red zone all those times and came up with three lousy field goals? You scored only ONE touchdown against that weak Kitty Kat defense? I sure would be worried if I were you.
Plowboy - Viking
October 14th, 2012
10:40 pm
And Remember …EVERY TEAM in our region had a week off before playing Lowndes!!
DOSTA DAWGS
October 14th, 2012
10:44 pm
@ AVikingFan – Lowndes didn’t go for a TD on the last play before they kicked the field goal!!!!
DOSTA DAWGS
October 14th, 2012
10:57 pm
@ bksmith14 – Valdosta did not play their best game of the year fri. nite!!!! Lowndes just hasn’t played anybody in all those blowout wins. The Vikes are 2-0 by a total of 34-28 against the 2 best teams they have played. I surely hope you didn’t think Lowndes would score 40-50 points against Valdosta? The CATS defense is very young and inexperienced. They play hard, just make a few mistakes that have cost them in games. However, that defense returns 8 starters next year!!!!!
BK- I have seen Lowndes and Camden up close and I will tell you what will happen. Are you ready?
Camden 35- Lowndes 7
Region 1AAAAAA
October 14th, 2012
11:00 pm
Where was the 25 second clock when Lowndes had the ball on offense??? Valdosta didn’t have any yardage because they only had about 6 possesions all nite. Lowndes did a wonderful job of holding the ball.
Valdosta has the “BEST” punter in the state!!! Even better than Mr. Ramsey.
Region 1AAAAAA
October 14th, 2012
11:04 pm
I will also say that the Valdosta Jr. Linebacker #30 Smith is alot better than the Lowndes kid #17 Jackson.
cat doc
October 15th, 2012
5:18 am
I go to the Camden games and so far this year I really can’t see the difference between super region 1 and region 3 from past years. The cats are not on a roll, the are on the war path. Lowndes gear up camden is coming into Martin stadium with a chip an their shoulder.
TItletown USA
October 15th, 2012
7:28 am
You know what “element” the Mighty Wildcat poster was talking about…the “black element” at Valdosta HS. If there is one thing that burns me is HS football fans complaining about urban black youth culture….can you imagine what football would be without African American youth? We make up 12% of the population and 80% of the meaningful athletes on any given team. So whenever you speak of the “element” just remember that. You guys love these kids on Friday nights, but when they finish their senior season, you treat them like threats and criminals…I see on a daily basis at Lowndes and Valdosta…..there has not been a significant hiring of a past player on either staff involving a past player….use em and abuse em.
sportsnut
October 15th, 2012
7:59 am
Amen, Titletown USA. well spoken.
WILDHAWG2012
October 15th, 2012
9:40 am
@TitletownUSA= Wow!!! I feel you 100% man!!! GREAT POST!!!
gman57
October 15th, 2012
9:44 am
Coffee will beat Lowndes and Valdosta, if they have kicking try-outs between now and Friday. There has gotta be someone at that school that can kick the ball into the end zone and if their defenesive cordinator doesn’t wait til the 3rd qtr to make adjustments!!! In the past 2 games, Camden and Brunswick, once those adjustments were made, ….”2nd half”… no points were scored on Coffee. I do not understand why we wait! Someone explain, please?
Fair Play Fan
October 15th, 2012
10:15 am
The Truth; I like your assessment of what could possible happen in the AAAAAA play-off brackets. One exception——-Middle Ga. do not have any AAAAAA teams.
Camden74
October 15th, 2012
11:06 am
Dang! Can’t believe I’m agreeing with Titletown USA! The planets must be aligned…….
Camden74
October 15th, 2012
11:08 am
gman57……I think you might be living in an alternate reality, come on back man!
bksmith14
October 15th, 2012
1:15 pm
DOSTA DAWGS………i will make a bet with you that camden will not score 35 on this lowndes defense….14 to 24 points will be it…..and i will set it up where i can meet you to collect my cash if you want to put your money where your mouth is
i actually made a mistake……..valdosta never drove the field on lowndes to score……both of their scores were set up by 1) a kickoff return to lowndes 40……and then an int by a valdosta d linemen which was returned to our side the 50…….
Valdosta played their guts out…..lowndes played ok….just blew up in the redzone….socre should have been 27-14…but a win is a win…..
camdens offense is very good……we all know that……their defense is pretty good also…..but it can be scored on and will be…..
camdens offense cant do much when its standing on the sideline can it? wait and see what happens nov 2nd……if camden cant stop lowndes from picking up 3 and 4 yds at a time…it will be a LONG night for camdens offense on the sideline……Lowndes held the ball 10 more min of offense than valdosta and 13 more than colquitt…..the recipe to beat camden is to keep their offense off field
first we got to brew some coffee fri night…….Lowndes 27- coffee 10….
bksmith14
October 15th, 2012
1:20 pm
Dont look to much into the score of the valdosta and lowndes game……i dont care how good either team is…its a rivalry and is usually a good game…..
Columbia Blue Blood
October 15th, 2012
2:33 pm
To be honest I would rather Camden do well in the playoffs than the region. I know that winning the region decides your seeding but as I said before I feel that the top 3 teams in Region 1-AAAAAA would beat any team in the state with the exception of Grayson. That’s just my opinion.
the truth
October 15th, 2012
4:07 pm
Fairplay, you are correct. I was using Atlanta as a northern border since district 4-8 are north of Atlanta. I should have said south of Atlanta, not middle GA.
shimshawne
October 15th, 2012
4:36 pm
McEachern will win convincingly against N. Cobb just like they did against S. Cobb.
AVikingFan
October 15th, 2012
6:12 pm
gman57 “Coffee will beat Lowndes nand Valdosta.” Friiend have you been mixing nmoonshine with your koolaid? Coffee won’t beat either one of those teams THIS year.
And have you thought about why Coffee scored in the 3rd Q on Camden? I imagine Camden was playing it’s BTeamers the whole 2nd half.
Titletown USA, name me one afro-american coach with a degree from somewhere other than Ft. Valley State who has applied for a job at Lowndes, WHO WASN’T HIRED. Get your facts straight before making accusations like that. Better yet, you might consider keeping racial things out of these blogs!
FWIW, I agree with you shimshawne! McE is playing good ball!
Camden74
October 15th, 2012
6:56 pm
AVikingFan……It’s not for me to defend Titletown USA, but it’s very possible you might have misunderstood the foundation of his post and why he made the comments.
i'mjustsayingwhati'msaying
October 15th, 2012
7:00 pm
Plowboy – Viking , And Remember …EVERY TEAM in our region had a week off before playing Lowndes!!
Did you look at all of the schedules:
Camden has Brunswick, then Lowndes and then Colquitt. That does not look like an off week before they head to Lowndes. Looks like they have 2 big games to close out the region.
AVikingFan
October 15th, 2012
8:48 pm
I hope so Camden 74, and if so I apologize. But I went back and read his post again, especially the last part, and I take exception with it. We have hired former players, white and black. We think it’s a good thing to hire a former player who went to college and got a degree. My family and friends often entertainplayers and former players in our homes, especially when they are home from school, and on weekends. One former black player called my son at 3:30am the night another of our former player (Ed Christian) was shot to death at Auburn, AL. He thanked my son for being “the daddy he never had.”
Lowndes doesn’t turn its back on former players. They are part of the Viking family, always. Our Touchdown Club has helped many, many former players, white and black, in times of need, some of them years after they graduated from Lowndes. Our school system diligently tries to hire former students. I know this for a fact. I served 8 years on the Lowndes Board of Education.
I often have former players come up to me at Lowndes games, shake my hand and sometimes even hug me, and often introduce me to their wives and kids .And, I am by no means the only person this happens to.
Now can we please go back to talking about our upcoming games.
HaveBinocularsWillTravel
October 15th, 2012
8:53 pm
An astute observation, i’mjustsayingwhati’msaying. At least Camden won’t have an extra week to prepare for Lowndes like Colquitt, Brunswick, and Valdosta did!
truth teller
October 15th, 2012
9:00 pm
BKSMITH14 CAMDEN WILL DRAG LOWNDES, HECK YOU CAME WITHIN SECONDS OF LOSING TO A TEAM THAT, YOU SWORE LOWNDES WAS GOING TO BEAT DOWN. TIRED OF THAT RIVALRY BS. CAMDEN COULD HAVE PUT UP 50 PLUS. ENOUGH WITH YOUR STUPID BLOGS. YOUR OWN FANS DON’T ASSOCIATE YOU WITH LOWNDES FOOTBALL. I HAVE NO DOG IN THIS FIGHT . HECK YOU HID SINCE FRIDAY. YOU SWORE VALDOSTA WAS A TERRIBLE FOOTBALL TEAM, AFTER THE GAME FRIDAY, WHAT DOES THAT MAKE LOWNDES. AFTER THAT LUCKY TIP OF THE FOOTBALL.
HaveBinocularsWillTravel
October 15th, 2012
9:01 pm
Has anyone seen the FaceBook photo being circulated of Lowndes’ last play field goal in last week’s game with Valdosta? It was reported as being a 39 yard kick. It was almost as high as the uprights, and slightly to the right of center. It would have been good from 50 or more yards! An incredible kick by someone who had never played football before this past July. He had never kicked a football before this past July! And he’s a 4.0+ student. He’s earned his lifetime place in the “Viking Family!”
HaveBinocularsWillTravel
October 15th, 2012
9:07 pm
truth teller —- Ouch! Sounds to me like you DO have a dog in this fight. You can’t have it both ways. Me, I’d much rather read one of bk’s posts than someone who writes nine lines in CAPITOL LETTERS!
truth teller
October 15th, 2012
9:16 pm
Bksmith14,,,,man you’re really terrified of Camden because in everyone of post you mention Camden, even when it’s no reason to mention them. Watch that blood pressure I’m concerned for you dude
Camden74
October 15th, 2012
9:25 pm
AVikingFan……..I don’t know about the hiring practices of Lowndes or Valdosta, but Titletown’s post was in response to another post. But maybe Titletown should be defending himself and his post. As of now, I’m removing myself from this particular disagreement.
yo
October 15th, 2012
10:51 pm
I read it the way AVikingFan read it and found it a waste of breath to reply to racism.
mistermak
October 15th, 2012
11:16 pm
These next few weeks gonna be interesting! Go Cats!
DOSTA DAWGS
October 16th, 2012
3:57 am
@bksmith14 – You claim to have soo many contacts, so ask any Lowndes coach and they will tell you that Lowndes tried to execute the same scheme as Camden did against Valdosta. The difference is Lowndes just doesn’t have the same caliber athletes Camden does. You clamor about all the Lowndes yards, but break this down: Lowndes had 385yds total offense. 45yds came on a screen play and 35 came on another pass play to Burgman. Burgman also had a 25yd run. Thats 105yds on 3 plays. So really Lowndes gained 280 yds on all other plays. Valdosta had only 2 possesions in the first half and only 7 for the game. Lowndes scored their only TD with 4min left in the game.
I’m not taking anything away from the Vikings win, but the stats are alittle misleading. The eye test showed a different game.