AAAAAA blog: Overrated, or just laid an egg? Lassiter, Lowndes, Valdosta left to pick up the pieces
How do you explain it?
The easy choice is to say that Lassiter, Lowndes, Valdosta, Region 1 and Region 5 were overrated and exposed Friday night.
But if that’s true, then why did Region 1’s No. 4 seed (Colquitt County) beat Region 1’s champion (McEachern)? It doesn’t make sense.
Remember that Lowndes and Valdosta dominated their regular-season games with Colquitt County, although Colquitt made those games close in the end.
Meanwhile, McEachern routed North Cobb. And North Cobb lost to South Cobb. Marietta lost to North Cobb and Newnan.
In other news, Region 8 (Grayson, South Gwinnett, Parkview, Brookwood) swept Region 5 (Lassiter, Walton, Milton, Wheeler).
The only shocker was No. 1-ranked Lassiter (10-0 entering) falling to No. 4 seed Brookwood (6-4). Parkview beat Walton in double-overtime. Both players were missing their best running backs. Milton played South Gwinnett close.
But what happened to Lassiter?
Were these teams overrated, or did they just lay an egg?
Here are more things to think about as we enter the second round:
- Lassiter became only the second No. 1-ranked team in the highest classification to lose in the first round since the GHSA expanded the playoffs to 16 teams in 1990 (and then 32 in 1996). The other was North Cobb in 2007. Those are the only Cobb teams to enter the playoffs ranked No. 1 since 2000.
- Hughes, North Cobb, Brookwood or Mill Creek will make the semifinals from what might be called Cinderella’s quarter of the draw. Hughes won its first playoff game in history Friday against Rockdale County, 37-3. North Cobb won its first playoff game since 1979 against Valdosta, 42-14. Mill Creek won its third playoff game in history against Alpharetta, 41-39. Brookwood won its 43rd playoff game, but is a No. 4 seed. Only 12 No. 4 seeds have made the semifinals since 1996. The last to do it in the highest classification was Peachtree Ridge, which won the title in 2006.
- Crosstown rivals Valdosta and Lowndes were simultaneously beaten in the first round for the first time in history. It’s only the third time that both failed to make the second week of post-season since 1978, when Nick Hyder won his first state title at Valdosta. Those seasons were 1993 and 2006, when both failed to make the playoffs.
- Gwinnett County teams went 7-1 in the first round. It took three upsets – Mill Creek over Alpharetta, Parkview over Walton and Brookwood over Lassiter. There has not been a season since 1996 that schools currently in Region 1 or Gwinnett County did not win a state championship in the highest classification. The nine remaining teams that meet that criteria are Brookwood, Camden County, Colquitt County, Grayson, Mill Creek, Norcross, North Gwinnett, Parkview and South Gwinnett.
- Parkview won its first playoff game since 2005, which was the unofficial end of the Parkview dynasty that netted four state titles from 1995 through 2005. Parkview was 136-19. Parkview is 41-34 since.
- Colquitt County is 9-2 since 2009 in road playoff games under Rush Propst. No team or coach has ever had such consistent success on the road in the playoffs.
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123 comments Add your comment
G-dub
November 17th, 2012
9:49 am
FIRST!!!!!!!!!
region4fan
November 17th, 2012
9:58 am
It seems that Region 1 had problems with the teams that had a good passing attack. Lowndes and Valdosta fell victim to teams with really good quarterbacks and receivers. Colquitt played McEachern which had a really good running game.I saw North Cobb stuff the Valdosta running game and then Valdosta could not throw the ball . Valdosta looked slow on offense and North Cobb ran right at them on defense where they seemed to have some speed. I am no expert for sure but Valdosta looked a little slow offensively on their youtube highlights .
Colquitt Fan
November 17th, 2012
10:14 am
Colquitt had 5 turnovers against Valdosta and lost by two and Lowndes knew our plays and won by three. That pretty much sums those games up.
stalin's ghost
November 17th, 2012
10:14 am
Gwinnett vs Cobb – nothing new here. when it matters, Cobb traditionally folds.
stalin's ghost
November 17th, 2012
10:15 am
and Valdosta has been living on rep for over a decade
slim065
November 17th, 2012
10:16 am
Lassiter just laid an egg in the 2nd half. Credit Brookwood for playing tough, but Lassiter was out of synch the entire half. They will be a losing a ton of talent from that team, but in a weird way the loss could lead to a different mentality next year to play 4 quarters every game.
They tried to not lose the game in the 2nd half and not try to keep going for the kill…and they have done that all season. Their defense played amazing, but were just too tired by the 4ht to make 1 more play.
Chad31601
November 17th, 2012
10:28 am
Lowndes has gotten so predictable on offense that my 7 year old son could call defensive plays for the opposing team and completely shut the viking offense down
yo
November 17th, 2012
10:56 am
Colquit Fan are you really Rush Probst? You sure do offer up a lot of excuses.
yo
November 17th, 2012
10:59 am
The Lowndes game wasn’t as close as the score. Lowndes simply stunk this one up. I don’t know why they started a different qback to start the game for about a quarter and a half. Except against Camden Stephenson (qback) had the team playing pretty good ball. By the time he came back in they were already down 16-3.
Unlike Colquit Fan though no excuses. Rush Probst would have definitely beat us too on this night.
And we OWN Rush Probst.
Colquitt Fan
November 17th, 2012
11:02 am
Just stating the facts cuz. Am I wrong? The last 3 years you have a 1 TD win, a FG win, and a 34-7 beat down from Propst. That’s far from owning him IMO
sportsnut
November 17th, 2012
11:11 am
@ Todd H. == It does make sense. What it shows is that region1’s # 4 was not the # 4. Their # 2 and 3 were over-rated. This makes the region not so good. For all the talk, it shows there is good football played all over Georgia and you or anyone else will never know what will happen. I will say that I told many about what was about to take place. Name recognition is great but does not win you games. Sooner or later, all who was involved in the talk of Region 1 being so dominant, must now sit back and wonder if your assesments are true. Apparently, many are mistaken. No one wants to listen to the voice of an outsider. There are those of us who are truely objectionable and look at what is and not what we think it should be. The past is just that, the past. Let us now move on to the next round.
Ballhawka
November 17th, 2012
11:13 am
Marietta entered the 1996 playoff as the No. 1 seed before losing to Parkview in the second round.
Delbert D.
November 17th, 2012
11:28 am
Borrowing a spellchecker word from an ESPN.com article the other day, we are seeing more parody among teams these days.
warhawk
November 17th, 2012
11:38 am
Gwinnett is still GREAT !!!!
Tommydawg22
November 17th, 2012
11:42 am
Its all about matchups…To me it has nothing to do with being over-rated, now laying an egg maybe…
Broncoman
November 17th, 2012
11:44 am
If it wasn’t for Camden moving over to Reg#1 it would almost been a complete sweep. South GA football isn’t what it use to be. There are always two good teams from the region but never three. Too many students in the metro area and better coaching have evened things out.
Lassiter had no business being ranked #1. They were out coached. They were supposed to have a potent passing attack but hardly threw the ball down the field which played into our hands because the B’wood secondary is weak. Berkmar threw for over 400 yds against us and the Lassiter POY didn’t throw for more than 150. Thanks for the help Lassiter coaches. Up 21-0 in the 1st half and never came close to scoring again.
packer fan
November 17th, 2012
11:48 am
yo- Lowndes can own probst every year just tune in and watch us in the playoffs every year to.
packer fan
November 17th, 2012
11:51 am
sportsnut You can not change the seeding to make your #1 seed Lovejoy feel better about their lose to the #4 seed out of Region 1-AAAAAA
Heisenberg
November 17th, 2012
12:16 pm
Lassiter laid an egg. I explained 2 adjustments Brookwood made on another blog last night that Lassiter did not have an answer for. As far as ratings go, if I were to look at it from the “if they played on a neutral field – who would win” criteria, I would have rated Camden, Grayson, & Norcross ahead of Lassiter. But Lassiter started the season rated ahead of Norcross, and beat everyone they were supposed to beat while Camden and Grayson had stumbles. So the way the polls work Lassiter did nothing to cause them to move down so they move up when those ahead of them lose. No apologies coming for the 1 week they were on top. I suspect they will move down this week.
As for 2013, Lassiter has all but 1 starting offensive linemen returning and a couple others with significant playing time ready to step into that opening. So O-line should be a strength which is always good to have when breaking a new QB. Never got to see the backup play but I assume he was the guy running the show on a JV team that had a good season. Watching him warmup the arm strength was not what Printz has but that could change as he grows and gets stronger. He will have a returning starter at running back and receivers with plenty of experience. All that experience around a new QB will sure help. It is on defense where Lassiter is losing at lot across all levels – line, linebackers, & secondary. There will only be 2-3 starters returning so they got some work to do there.
The one weakness in Printz I noticed all season was his tendency to hold the ball too long. Those deeper routes require the QB to trust his receiver to get open and deliver the ball sooner. Printz tended to wait until the receiver had separation before throwing which gave defender time to recover. He will need to move through 2nd, 3rd, & 4th options faster as well. Hopefully things that will improve with more coaching and experience at the next level. Those guys were fun to watch this year and I will be back watching them next year.
Murph31
November 17th, 2012
12:26 pm
Todd,
You’re an idiot! I loved your article how mceachern was Region 4aaaaaa’s only hope. Now that the greater Valdosta areas dic$ are out of your mouth, how does it taste?!
BehindEnemyLines
November 17th, 2012
12:29 pm
Overrated pretty much sums up all three teams you asked about.
Packerfan2000
November 17th, 2012
1:03 pm
I laugh at some of the comments on this blog. I’m from south Georgia, and I have a respect for what the north Georgia schools are doing. I’m glad that competition has stepped up over the last decade. However, north Georgia does not really understand south Georgia football. Our region is a gauntlet. You can brag about winning a playoff game, but don’t diss our region. It’s a lot tougher than people think. Also, keep in my mind that there are a lot more state championships in region 1 AAAAAA, and when you added Camden, the stash got higher.
Heisenberg
November 17th, 2012
1:06 pm
Legend has it the tornados that hit south Georgia a few years ago let out the ghosts when Valdosta HS got damaged and they have not been as good since.
Fred
November 17th, 2012
1:11 pm
I’m predicting @Murph31 doesn’t last very long here!
Fred
November 17th, 2012
1:19 pm
@Packerfan2000 – It all comes down to the bad-mouthing that goes back and forth. Except for a few R1 shows no respect to any team/region outside their own. There are other regions where the competition is tough as well. As far as championships, most of those are courtesy of Valdosta and from years ago. Those wins should be respected without doubt. However, they just aren’t relevant to today’s teams. Since the advent of 5A and now 6A, titles have been pretty evenly split. Truth be told, R8 has more titles in that time than any other single region considering where teams were playing at the time of the championship. If you want to combine Camden’s into region 1, then do we get to combine R7 & R8 as those are Gwinnett regions?
slim065
November 17th, 2012
1:24 pm
One thing I think Printz missed this year on those deep throws was WR he could totally trust. Going into the year that looked like it would be Dickey, but he was injured most of the year. Last year he had Dickey and Hegedus to be those threats that could jump and get it. This year just didn’t have that. When he trusts himself to throw the deep ball he puts it in the right spot where only hsi WR can get it, which is huge. Just needs a little better touch which comes with experience.
Lassiter didn’t try and stretch the field much though alst night which still boggles my mind. I think if they tried that more they would have eventually hit something and allowed them to win the game.
Lassiter in 2013 may have to be more like 08 and 09 in that they will need to really outscore opponents the first 4-5 weeks until the defense can gel and gain experience. One bright spot is the secondary for Lassiter should be very good like it has the past 2-3 years. LB corps though will be a perceived weakness…at least based on experience, or lack of.
Colquitt Fan
November 17th, 2012
1:28 pm
The entire region don’t go through the Atl schools, just Colquitt
NCHS Fan
November 17th, 2012
1:34 pm
The boys at North Cobb have a lot of talent and enough toughness to make it to the semi-finals. They’re road is easier than most they just have to come out ready and play like they can! Good team with Great D and a fast pace offense at times that can really tear apart a defense. Tyler Queen is just a sophomore but him and his explosive receiving core have been connecting all year and with the threat of him and Herrod’s running game its hard to stop them when they get rolling. Keep it up Warriors!
WILDHAWG2012
November 17th, 2012
1:47 pm
@yo=I understand u are up set but why attack us like we caused this.Its the playoffs and we were cheering u guys on even tho it was hard too.Camden and Coffee fans were rooting for Lowndes too cause we know its us against Atl.But yet u still have to nerve to be salty at us.Wow. I told BK about 3 weeks ago that at some piont in the playoffs your team will have to depend on your QB at least in one game or better yet on at least one important drive to get a win in the playoffs. So its not our fault your QB’s were not ready at this time of the year its your coaches!!
North Cobb Warrior
November 17th, 2012
1:49 pm
NCHS fan, you are correct! If this team just retains its composure, plays smart and coaches smart it will keep advancing. The D is awesome. The O is when it is calm. Kicker whose name I cannot remember is an unsung hero and entire kickoff coverage team is fantastic.
Reeze
November 17th, 2012
1:57 pm
Breaking news for Lowndes coach Randy Mac http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wmpxkd1CR8
The Cross
November 17th, 2012
2:27 pm
Packerfan2000-You guys try to lean on your past way too much. Youir region (as proven last night) is far from a gauntlet. Gwinnett football pulled neck and neck with you guys over the last 10 years and now it is clear to everyone that we have sped past you. Gwinnett football is way better than region 1 and it is not even close. Keep watching and you’ll see. Next week we have to knock each other out but by round three there will not be a region 1 team left.
The Cross
sportsnut
November 17th, 2012
2:41 pm
@ Packer Fan == Not trying to change anything except for history to show that Region 1 was not all you guy’s said and not what the AJC and others thought. Colquit is still alive and so is Lovejoy. I knew all along that Lowndes was not a serious contender. I have said it all year. I told you, you guy’s need to get out more because there is more than Valdosta in football. That includes both teams. The best football in America is played in Georgia and you guy’s think it is only in South Georgia. You are wrong. I have given Camden their props and will continue to do so as long as they win. Colquit will receive the same. I just don’t like those who think that they have the market cornered on football and football talent. That includes coaching and players. Many are down on Region 1 for one simple reason, their fan’s mouth’s. No respect for other teams, coach’s, fans, stadiums, nothing. Region one posters are the most ardent fans I know but a large tad over-bearing.
sportsnut
November 17th, 2012
2:44 pm
Good one, Reeze !
syrupmaker
November 17th, 2012
2:58 pm
The REGION 1 Higher Classification did go 2 up and 2 down in the first round. AA though AAAAAA are currently 12 and 8 in the first round. Not to bad for REGION 1
HSFootballFan
November 17th, 2012
3:28 pm
Kudos to Camden! Great host’s and incredible sportsmanship. This was Hillgrove’s second time making the trip and all I can say is WOW! Love the tradition and completely impressed with your program, you’re what we want to be when we grow up. Good luck in the playoffs, I’d love to be able to say that we lost in the playoffs to the state champs!
I do hope now that Region 4 will gain a little respect going 2-2 with Region 1.
reddawg
November 17th, 2012
3:32 pm
What I don’t understand is why someone would comment while last night’s game was still being played “watch out Grayson Air something or another is coming for you”. I’m guessing half the folks on here never played competitive sports in their life. Maybe they should learn to worry about the task at hand instead of the next weeks opponent. Georgia is very deep in HS football and I enjoy picking one game each week to try and go see. Congratz to the teams moving on and hope to see ya on a cold, crisp fall Friday night.
wfhs fan
November 17th, 2012
3:34 pm
Absolutely nothing about West Forsyth…yet again. We’ve been a top 10 team since our win over Gainesville the first week of the season. We beat Collins Hill 66-41 last night with 2 kick offs returned for touchdowns. I guess you’re probably saying we’re overrated. All I have to say is we will see you in the dome.
Dostadawg
November 17th, 2012
4:07 pm
colquit fan,please quit showing ur stupidity. The only team to beat lowndes and valdosta was camden co. And as far as stealing signs r.prost knows thing or two bout cheating, just ask is x-wife.
BamaBornDukie
November 17th, 2012
4:13 pm
The article states:
“Only 12 No. 4 seeds have made the semifinals since 1996. The last to do it in the highest classification was Peachtree Ridge, which won the title in 2006.”
Lassiter was the 5A Region 5 (5A was the largest class last year) #4 seed and played Region 5A #1 seed, Walton in the 5A Semifinals.
Perhaps I’m reading the statement wrong.
In terms of Walton, 2012, I wasn’t impressed with their coaching staff and to a lesser extent their college football bound scholarship players as overall, the program regressed. Complacency?? Odd when you have 4 offensive starters that [although injured at various points during the season] are bound for SEC football programs next season…..their offense was not overly impressive after a great 2-0 start. With that said, Walton was missing the top offensive player in the state last night. Hard to overcome his absence.
Colquitt Fan
November 17th, 2012
4:24 pm
Dostadawg, it’s ok man. Y’all might be back next year. Feel free to cheer us on like we did y’all before the choke job. You try and be nice to these other teams but all they want to do is attack us. What has Rush done to anybody besides nothing. It’s really all you guys have, y’all keep being mad when we have our 4th straight final four appearance
Colquitt Fan
November 17th, 2012
4:27 pm
And when did I say we beat y’all? Who’s the stupid one?
Lowndes1995
November 17th, 2012
4:30 pm
Chad and Yo, you were right on about Lowndes. Reeze, great video. Lowndes had a great defense this year but we did not have the QB play to get us anywhere in the playoffs. The Wing-T is not a play from behind offense. I support my team year in and year out but I am sick of the vanilla play calling. We are way too predictable. Marietta was putting 8 and 9 in the box and we did not even try to mix it up to create some space. Marietta’s QB was the real deal and he was the difference maker in the game. They were definitely the better team last night. Lowndes had two weeks to learn to throw a pass other than on 3rd and long when everyone is looking for it as well as practice defending the pass…but as always McPherson is not going to change his bread and butter. Hope we can make some changes before next season. Good luck to Camden and Colquitt! Guess the city of Valdosta gets to think about basketball season now.
Titletown USA
November 17th, 2012
4:39 pm
Wow sportsnut…a packer fan saw through your BS…..how can you say that Lowndes and Valdosta should not have been ranked #2 and #3 when they actually both of them beat Colquitt in the regular season (which by the way is something your team did not do)? And moreso, what does it matter if Colquitt was #2 and they were #3 and #4? I think the results would have been the same.
I understand and respect everyone’s desire to bash Region1, especially because of our incessant posters, but often those who have been abused become the abusers….don’t allow your disdain for South Georgia football cloud your ability for rational thought. If so, then you have become that which you propose to dislike so much.
And to all the Gwinnett, Cobb, and whatever Atlanta area posters, let’s be real….the reason that you have seen an emergence of good teams in your area is due to influx of the African American populations in those rural areas over the past 10-20 years. Georgia has slowly moved from agricultural/manufacturing which gave the South the advantage from a population standpoint. I do not even like to count Valdosta’s titles prior to integration.
NGHS 09
November 17th, 2012
4:39 pm
@ wfhs fan…Quite frankly I was not a believer in the Wolverines…I grew up down the road from the high school before it was even thought of lol. I would have attended West but it opened two years behind schedule so I went to South. What a joke so I transferred to NG and played 4 years varsity in both baseball and football. WEST FORSYTH is the real deal folks. They might not be a proven state title chaser, but this program is building a big name for itself. They won’t shy away from anything or anyone and I highly doubt that any coach would be dumb enough to think that his team can look past them. West Forsyth has put Forsyth County Football on the map (a small dot).
You are absolutely right! I’m tired of talking about North vs South and talking about the “favorable” winners. I want to hear about West Forsyth, North Cobb, East Coweta, Newnan, and especially Marietta. Nobody needs to mention North Gwinnett lol. We are cruising right along well under the radar and loving every second of it!
Let’s talk about the meaningful and the necessary! All games this week and the awesome matchups we will see.
Easy Rider
November 17th, 2012
4:42 pm
Easy WFHS Fan… Your boys have had a good year with only one blemish that could have gone the other way real easy with a call here or there from the officials. The problem is you have more swagger than heart. Talented football players like #3 and #2 would be great if they had the heart of #49. If your team all played like him then you could be a true contender, but swagger alone will not get you past a team full of heart like Parkview…
Colquitt Supporter
November 17th, 2012
5:11 pm
Colquitt fans, you have got to get over the loss to Lowndes because of “stolen” signals. Looking at the video, do you really believe there was enough time to get the signals to the D? I do not think so but you can have a different opinion if you want. The simple reason we lost is because Lowndes scored more points than we did. If you continue to let Buzz get in your head over this incident then he continues to win. Just take the loss like a man and move on. Let’s concentrate on Newnan rather than a game from 2 months ago.
Colquitt Supporter
November 17th, 2012
5:36 pm
Todd, I am not sure that they were overrated – it is just the nature of HS football or any HS sport. The losses by Lassiter, Lowndes, VHS, Mac may reveal the following:
1. Some teams/regions may be more evenly matched that we give credit,
2. # 3 and 4 seeded teams want to win just as much as the 1s and 2s, and
3. my favorite – we are dealing with 15 to 18 year olds who still have a lot of maturing to do. Family, school, and girlfriend issues can certainly affect these kids. The best coach in the world will not be able to overcome these type issues that teenagers face.
Nafu
November 17th, 2012
6:41 pm
If any of you have paid attention the last few seasons you should know that Colquitt County plays their best ball in the playoffs. They are 11-3 in the playoffs since 2009 and have found their way to the semi finals the last 3 years in a row. Valdosta and Lowndes have proved that when it really counts, they simply can not deliver. The McEachern and Colquitt game was by far the most exciting game in the first round and McEachern is a great team and almost pulled off a win. Camden and Colquitt are the only two reps from Region 1 and clearly the best teams in that region when the playoffs start and it is all on the line.
Allen
November 17th, 2012
6:47 pm
And we all know that Lowndes was suffering from not having their star player Buzz Payne. It is had to steal signs without Buzz and those trusty binoculars. I know they really missed him and it showed. Maybe Buzz can help them see the rest of the playoffs as they sit at home wondering what if.
cat doc
November 17th, 2012
6:57 pm
I can’t stand Colquitt, not the team its the coach. I have said it a 100 times, the man has no morals, he didn’t leave Al. on his own. Good games last nite it’s tough to win in the playoffs an off nite and your done. Congats to all the kids that moved to the next round. Play ball. Someone knock Propst out of this thing.
Falconguy45
November 17th, 2012
7:01 pm
Title town…why bring up the stupid race card in this post. How about saying: North Georgia football has adopted the South Georgia football atmosphere over the past decade that was started by Valdosta many years ago. Which means, stronger booster clubs, great youth programs that run the High School systems, bigger stadiums behind the schools that bring out more community involvement, etc. There are your reasons that North Georgia programs have caught up to South Georgia. This is not saying we are better or pounding our chests, but the days of South Georgia dominance are over. Sure there may be a great program like Parkview or Camden that can run the table for a few years, but let’s all be mature and understand what’s happening today and the future and not 20 years ago.
Falconguy45
November 17th, 2012
7:07 pm
One other point. Why do we argue about the best regions and the North against the South? I believe there is not a lot of difference in North and South Georgia football anymore. Maybe back in the 80’s when I was playing, but not anymore. I think last night really proved that.
BILLY JACK
November 17th, 2012
7:14 pm
Titletown your are the biggest moron I have heard on this blog-the great teams in Gwinnett and other metro Atlanta teams have great white players and black players-look at Grayson for instance-they will probably when the state title this year and have a nice mix of white and black players.Geez did you quit school in the 6th grade.
Packerfan2000
November 17th, 2012
7:19 pm
Simple. North Georgia fans don’t respect south Georgia’s history. South Georgia fans don’t respect North Georgia’s current uprising because they feel it’s nothing to brag about.
North Georgia argument: What you did in the past no longer matters. Those championships happened a long time ago. It’s all about the now.
South Georgia argument: So, you’ve won a few championships recently. You still haven’t done as much as we have.
No matter what side you are on haters are going to hate.
Colquitt Fan
November 17th, 2012
7:24 pm
Cat doc, there’s another one. Cry cry cry. We love it.
And I could care less about the signs thing. We’re still playing and they’re not. But you don’t think they can’t relay a throw or run signal from the box to the coaches through headsets. They have 15-20 seconds to do it. Plenty of time. Like I said, I don’t really care, but it’s amazing what grown men will do to try and beat Propst. 3 out of our last 5 losses has involved buzz, a whiny grown man who’s mad bc he got fired
57Cat
November 17th, 2012
7:24 pm
@Colquitt Supporter – I appreciate your comment at 5:36pm. It annoys me no end when so-called fans diss or trash the teams and coaches they supposedly support when they lose or otherwise have a bad game. These 15-18 year-olds have worked too hard in Spring practices, Summer camp, and tough practices throughput the season ( to say nothing of the time spent in the weight rooms off-season) to be treated as though they are deliberately laying down. They deserve our encouragement and support and if a “fan” can’t give it without reservation, go sit on the other side of the field.
Another thing that annoys me is for the North Georgia bloggers to paint all us South Georgia bloggers with the same brush that they use to paint certain Camden/Lowndes/Colquitt posters who have the Muhammed Ali attitude that we’re the greatest. Most of us are no different than @Fred or @GwinettDad. We really like our teams and hope the best for them. But above all, we really like high school football.
Okay, I’m off my soapbox. Thanks for listening.
marktwain
November 17th, 2012
7:59 pm
I grew up in Gwinnett and have lived between Cobb/Fulton/Cherokee for the last 10 years. There are alot of good kids and coaches over here and they play pretty good football. The big difference is lack of commitment to the weight room. There are structural class scheduling issues that got taken care of when I was a kid to get you in weight room every semester, all four years. I don’t see the same willingness by administrators over here to get that done. Right or wrong, that is the way it is. Also, many programs over here lift as little as 3 days a week in the summer. This whole “have to let em recover” philosophy has taken over in lifting. Back in the day, they said, “your 16, no recovery necessary”. I’m no sports physiologist, but having 30 or more kids per team that could clean 200 was common. You may say back then some schools were on the juice, but most did it the right way. I don’t see that over here. Coach Conn was a savage workout warrior. His kids play like he puts him through the same routine. I think some kids on this side of town would be shocked to see what goes on in summer/winter in some Gwinnett programs. Its not true across the board. Kell plays extremely physical football. They would hold their own in Region 8 just fine. Sequoyah used to play very physical. You just don’t see as many as Gwinnett.
To the person who wrote that the only reason metro Atlanta got good at football was the influx of African American players to the country, that overlooks what teams like Southwest Dekalb did back in the day, Tucker at any point in the history of the school, or all the state championships Gwinnett won in the 90’s when they were white as a sheet. Either you are suggesting black coaches or white athletes never got it done. You are wrong on both points.
To all the South Georgia fans, be happy you are still the only show in town. I feel sorry for these kids and coaches today in the metro area that play to half full stadiums. Its like putting on dinner and half the guests have better things to do.
All-State
November 17th, 2012
8:01 pm
This is what I LOVE about High School Football!!!!!!!!
Although it is the kids who make the plays, it is all about coaching.
I attended the Lassiter – Brookwood game and my kids will go to lassiter.
But, Coach Crews was my High School Football coach in the late 80’s, so I wanted to see a good game.
That is what we got and I what made the difference – COACHING – Brookwood out coached Lassiter and it is why they won – Plain and Simple.
BTW – I do not think Printz is a Div 1 QB and will not make at Missouri – he is very talented, but there is just too much work required for him to make it at the next level – I hope I am wrong, but he is not one of those “rare air” players.
Falconguy45
November 17th, 2012
8:01 pm
57 cat….. Your a good and respectful blogger. Some of the shots that I make at Region 1 are at the select few that come in here and talk about what should have happend, bad refs, the population in Atlanta, 30 years ago, on and on. I personally have come into this blog and have complimented the Camden fans and program. Maybe the Camden people have more class than the majority of the fans from Region 1 and give their North Georgia teams more respect.
Moultrie Downtown Square Fans
November 17th, 2012
8:05 pm
We told y’all that Colquitt don’t worry about rankings or
Preseason issues; we are completely a playoff team
and we are a different animal when it come to playoffs
Moultrie Downtown Square Fans
November 17th, 2012
8:10 pm
Go Pack Go!!!!
D-Nice
November 17th, 2012
8:19 pm
To all my Southern Georgia and region 1 football fans, Don’t let these North Georgia fans get under your skin. Don’t even entertain them with feedback by responding to some of their horrible posts. If we had 8 to 12 teams in the playoffs I’m pretty sure a lot of our teams would still be playing also. We are still well represented, Camden and Colquit will serve us well. They act as though a decade has passed since a championship was last won in South Georgia,lol. Hint/Hint Camden just went back to back a few years ago so how can they all of a sudden claim to be dominate? Hell, Camden still has players on this years team that played in the championship game a few years back,is that recent enough for all you haters!!!! Good Luck Wild Cats and Packers.
WILDHAWG2012
November 17th, 2012
9:58 pm
Congrats to Valdosta and Lowndes for another good season. I know it didn’t end the way u guys wanted it to but hey go back and count how many aaaaaa teams there are in GA and just know u were one of the 32 that mad it to the playoffs. Their r a lot of seniors who didn’t even make the playoffs so they had no chance of even playing for a state title.Teams like Coffee and South Cobb didn’t make the playoffs but had a good team and could have done damage had they made the playoffs. Even Archer who lost 2 critical games by a few points to Brookwood and Parkview could have made some noise had they made the playoffs.So at least u guys made the playoffs and had a chance to chase the title.Good luck to all your seniors and hope that they have thier heads on right and get ready for the world cause when u get grown and out of school they know have to play a new game called the game of life and it is a playoff atmostphere everyday and everyone is hungry for the title!!! Once again congrats on another good season
Columbia Blue
November 17th, 2012
10:01 pm
Ok let me sum the play-offs up. I am a Camden fan and I can assure you that any team can loose on any given night (No Matter how good you are or how high you may be ranked). Our Wildcats did not play very well against Hillgrove. I give Hillgrove a lot of credit. They played hard all night long and they had a lot to do with our inability to score early. If you make mistakes in the playoffs you will loose the game. The teams that make the least amount of mistakes have the upper hand regardless of how good their opponent is. Our Wildcats will remain very humble, work hard and prepare each week for a dog fight. Showing class before during and after the game will never have anything to do with the final score. Remember we all want to win; however winning or loosing with class will always manifest a positive impression on a football program. Good luck to East Coweta. Have a safe trip to Kingsland and be prepared to be treated with respect and dignity. GO WILDCATS
GwinnettDad
November 17th, 2012
10:24 pm
If one were to access blogs from any recent years regarding High School football in Georgia, the semi-Civil war of words of North GA football vs. South GA football would be about identical to the words above ad nauseum.
Nothing more than the perceptions of some folks that apparently don’t have anything better to do.
Good luck to the 16 teams remaining. My condolences to the teams that lost in the first round. I’m convinced that the players and coaches don’t pay any attention to this blog for good reasons.
Talk strategy. Talk the Wing-T or Good D, or 3-3-5.
But this north vs. south is petty garbage promoted by little minds.
Observer
November 18th, 2012
2:02 am
@sportsnut you have become worse than the region one fans you bash. 4 fans on this blog site do not represent the entire fan base. Bksmith and yo come to mind when thinking of posters that have big mouths….and maybe Camden74. But nobody else on here is as puffed up about their team as you are. Please stop whining about it
Observer
November 18th, 2012
2:02 am
Enter your comments here
TItletown USA
November 18th, 2012
7:27 am
On a side note, we can not watch any more current Valdosta HS football players this year, but we sure will be watching a lot of the ex-players with UGA in the coming weeks…. college ball just got real interesting!
To every that was offended at my race comment, I apologize for making some uncomfortable with the topic, I understand just how sensitive that reality can be for some. Good Luck to all remaining.
TItletown USA
November 18th, 2012
7:30 am
Priceless….a dude with the handle “marktwain” is lecturing me about race equality in sports. I have to print this out and show to my students.
Dostadawg
November 18th, 2012
7:57 am
I hope colquit co. does make it to the title game,so. ga. needs a team to stand up to the atlanta teams…seems like valdosta and lowndes can’t make it out of the 1st or 2nd round anymore. go packers.
Candytails
November 18th, 2012
8:02 am
North Gwinnett is far from under the radar screen. These guys are loaded with speed, size and talent. Most importantly – they are very well coached. They will compete hard against Grayson next weekend. I am predicting Bulldogs whip the Rams. Friday’s game will likely decide who will represent this side of the 6A brackets in the finals.
Candytails
November 18th, 2012
8:09 am
BTW…Lassiter was over rated as was their QB. QB simply can’t lead a team through a championship grind. Started in the 8th grade when he and Tyren Jones couldn’t win the NGFL junior high championships at Wheeler with a 23-0 streak on the line. Great arm…not enough fire in the belly.
.
Steelerfan
November 18th, 2012
8:42 am
Great job Rocky Hildalgo and staff this year. I have never seen a team with so many injuries keep playing. What a scrappy team like their coach.
Hang in there!
Keebs
November 18th, 2012
9:31 am
@steelerfan Walton is a joke. Lost to a Parkview team decimated by injuries. They couldn’t win without the Blaylock boys and they played in the weakest region in 6A.
TheTruth
November 18th, 2012
9:47 am
Camden wins it all.
The rest of all this blogging, comments…. is just noise.
Signed,
Valdosta Fan
Bullnuke
November 18th, 2012
10:00 am
Just to interject a little sanity here…I am a Camden fan and I hope that they win it all. In fact they have a good chance. But, so do the remaining teams. If Camden doesn’t play more consistent on offense (turnovers and penalties), they are going to find themselves in trouble sooner or later. As far as North vs South, being a relative newcomer (20 years) to Georgia, I believe the South has the recent history on it’s side. That said, there are some up and comers coming out of Gwinnett and others. How about we just PLAY THE GAME!!!
CAMDEN1981
November 18th, 2012
10:25 am
Falconguy45…you are probably the only voice of reason on here.
Sportsnut….grat post but lighten up on Region 1
Everyone on here needs to remember that these are a bunch of high school kids playing the game of his life.
sportsnut
November 18th, 2012
10:28 am
@ TitleTown USA == I stated it as I saw it. There will be no changing in my thought process. The truth is what it is. Region 1 was and is not what all thought. Valdosta never had a chance since they were not that good to begin with and Lowndes played a softer schedule than many thought. They were not battle tested, as they or all region 1 posters thought. I give Colquit credit because they were picked as a favorite early on and lost a couple but are still here. They deserve to be here. The other two don’t.
@ Observer == No one can be what region 1 posters are. I only give it to those that deserve it, good or bad. The posters you mentioned were the most guilty of all and they should be able to handle it if they can dish it. If you are not in that group, all the talk was not intended for you. I am sorry if I hurt your feelings. Region 1 just was not what you all thought. Lovejoy is in it to win it. I will support them until the end. You are wrong about me whinning. What have I said ? Get back to me and show me this puffed-up stuff you are refering to.
sportsnut
November 18th, 2012
10:33 am
@ Camden 1981 == Region 1 posters brought this on themselves. I will continue to give props where they are deserved but to all those with all the talk, I will dog you every chance I get due to the relentless torture I received from Region one posters. There is no turn the other cheek in football. I am just like the football team, competative.
Titan Hound - Former Raider
November 18th, 2012
11:20 am
When does recruiting season open at Walton? I’m sure that after a disappointing season the Walton Coaches want to hit the ground running to get new talent on the field. Sorry to hear Walton’s all tome best recruit wasn’t available for the play offs. Sucks when you have to coach 30062 talent. LOLOLOLOL
unbiased fan
November 18th, 2012
11:28 am
These R1 towns live for high school football. It is the only game in town for most of these communities. Stadiums are filled for most games and there is a buzz around town on Friday game days. Kids go to these games and grow up dreaming of playing for their hometown school. Fans become emotionally attached to their teams. With all this going on, you get some “crazed” R1 bloggers.
The truth is there is good HS football being played all over the state. The best teams usually have the best coaching, and best tradition of winning.
tide roll
November 18th, 2012
11:41 am
What happened to Lowndes? Hell, ANTHONY JENNINGS happened tp Lowndes! What does it take for the AJC to give the kid his due? Every week you have to read the Marietta Daily to get an accurate report on JENNINGS. Newnan’s head coach was quoted as saying: “IF THERE’S A BETTER QUARTERBACK IN THE STATE, WE DON”T WANT TO FACE HIM.” This from the Marietta paper. Another quote. This one from Lowndes’s Head Coach, McPherson: “HE WAS THE DIFFERENCE. HE’S A DIFFERENCE MAKER. HE’S EVERYTHING AND MORE THEY SAY HE IS.” This from the Valdosta Daily Times, where they also described JENNING’S game clinching 88 yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter. “JENNINGS RAN THROUGH THE ENTIRE LOWNDES DEFENSIVE LINE, MAINTAINED HIS BALANCE, AND OUTRAN THE VIKINGS SECONDARY ON HIS WAY TO AN 88 YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN.” How can the AJC continue to ignore the best dual threat Quarterback in AMERICA!? Who’s your editor, MIKE BOOBOO? MARK RICHT?
Fan
November 18th, 2012
12:01 pm
tide roll- aka ANTHONY JENNINGS DADDY/AGENT. get over it!!! Here is an idea for ya. Start a fan club on facebook.
GREATDB
November 18th, 2012
12:54 pm
I Hope North Cobb dosent think it will be easy when they come down and play Hughes if so they will have a rude awaking because that defense for Hughes is nothing nice
slim065
November 18th, 2012
12:56 pm
Well, Lassiter’s QB led them to the semis last year. He didn’t perforn well on Friday, but they only tried to stretch the field a couple times and went away from a passing game. He will be a fine college QB at Mizzou.
shankit
November 18th, 2012
1:06 pm
Yep, our high scool football down here in Dosta is the only show in town.
Oh, VSU is playing for another championship, forget about them?
With nothing else to do now, guess I will have to decide whether to play
golf, go on a dove, quail, duck shoot or go deer hunting. And I don’t have
to call my country club for a tee time and I always have buddies to show
up for a game. Life down here in the slow lane ain’t all bad.
Falconguy45
November 18th, 2012
2:31 pm
Shank it…. I travel to Valdosta a lot for business and some of my best customers that I call my friends are in Valdosta. I live in Gwinnett and sometimes we get into some friendly high school football debates. I enjoy traveling to the Valdosta area and I believe there is plenty of places to have fun outside of going to a high school football game. I also believe that The strong programs in North and South Georgia bring out the fans because it’s the place to be and there is no other place that kids, parents, players, etc. would want to be. Every community has other distractions, but we choose to go to the games to socialize with our friends and support our school and players.
BILLY JACK
November 18th, 2012
2:49 pm
TIDE ROLL- GET OFF THE BLOGS NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOUR IDIOTIC COMMENTS-YOUR A TECHIE COWARD HIDING BEHIND OTHER HANDLES-GEORGIA IS GONNA GIVE YOU WHAT YOU DESERVE SAT-GEORGIA77 TECH17
BILLY JACK
November 18th, 2012
2:59 pm
I have a tremendous amount of respect for south georgia schools-I am from south georgia-I call Warner Robins south-but I have lived in metro Atlanta for 28 years and my kids went to Grayson and played for Coach Conn.I believe Grayson will win the state title but teams like Colquitt Co have always been tough games vs Grayson.The truth is both north and south play great football and this state takes a backseat to nobody and I coaced high school football in Texas for 8 years.I will put the state of Georgia against any state in the US and that means north georgia and south georgia are really just Georgia.
CoffeeC100
November 18th, 2012
3:16 pm
@ Reeze. Funny one dude. If everyone will notice the bashing from Region 1 against the world has virtually disappeared for right now. That is because ONE person is not posting right now. bksmith. The infamous a**holes arrogant ranting has created 99% of the animosity against region 1.
Think about that for a second.
The vast majority of region 1 fans would be quite content if he never touched a keyboard again.
Marietta fan
November 18th, 2012
3:37 pm
Just announced… Marietta at Lovejoy will be shown on CSS in the southeast
Falconguy45
November 18th, 2012
3:43 pm
Coffee…..great point. Maybe we should all stop the Region 1/ North Georgia bashing because of the idiots that come in here and pound their chest. Maybe BK is looking for a car pooling van to give him a ride to the dome. That’s why he has been lost in action.
57Cat
November 18th, 2012
3:48 pm
FalconGuy45 – In the past three years I have travelled to VHS games at McEachern, North Gwinnett, and North Cobb. Each trip was very enjoyable, made more so by the hospitality and good naturedness of the local fans? All of us real fans of high school football enter another world during football season and go into withdrawal when our team’s season ends. I really hate that I will have to wait nine months before I can attend our Monday night TD club meetings again to see the game film and talk with the coach, and then cook sausage dogs for the team after practice on Tuesdays.
I really envy the teams that have successfully entered round two of the playoffs and will avidly follow them. It is really going to be interesting to see how Grayson, Camden, Colquitt and, yes, even Lovejoy do.
Meanwhile, I don’t want folks worrying that Cat fans here have nothing to do. We’ve got such cultural events as the Flatlanders Frolic in Lakeland, the Honey Bee Festival in Hahira, the Alapahoochee Antique Tractor Show near Lake Park, and the Peach Festival in Morven. And as Shankit said, the VSU Blazers are still in the chase for another Div II national championship.
But still, there’s that big empty hole ……
Jimmy
November 18th, 2012
4:02 pm
2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009 cuurent region one football programs GA State titles. Not a bad decade. Look forward to see which Altanta region will dominate this decade like the South did last decade.
Camden74
November 18th, 2012
4:27 pm
I’d rather post my true opinion than the FALSE HUMILITY I see from a lot of the posters on this board!!!!……. Besides, more times than not, I’m right!!!!…….. Release the CATS!
Howard
November 18th, 2012
4:27 pm
Nchs character and leadership skills comes from the formation of the unity council this summer. The team is changed . They have unity . It’s not perfect but much better than the last 2 years . The unity council came from Tom Osborne , head coach of Nebraska . Our team attitude has changed and so has our record . Don’t fool yourself Valdosta has character unlike some other schools we played this year . Teams that play with character and great team leadership win more often . That is my opinion only and bore fruit with Tom Osborne as the coach of Nebraska . The young men take ownership for small attitude problems before they get bigger and report back to the coach . The issue gets solved . Some kids will not approach the coach but will talk openly with a voted in player of the unity council to discuss with the head coach . His worst record at nebraska was 9 wins and 2 losses . It’s not perfect but beats losses . The team is must happier .
Mighty Mighty Wildcats
November 18th, 2012
6:49 pm
Until we redraw district lines in Lowndes County, Valdosta will continue to suffer. Ask anyone in the know, until decent lawabiding tax paying parents send their kids back to the city school instead of Valwood, (a recent private school powerhouse btw), Valdosta will not win bigtime and should drop down two classifications where they belong.
Falconguy45
November 18th, 2012
7:15 pm
Mighty Mighty Wildcat…. I have heard that during my travels and it’s a shame that the County doesn’t recognize that. Unfortunately in this new 6A classification, a lot has changed and you must have the student body population to build a competitive program each year. Many of the old power houses: Lagrange, Griffin, Clarke Central were hit with this issue and had to move down a classification. We are also hit with constant redistricting up North due to new schools opening up. I know Gwinnett county is extremely strict on an athlete choosing schools. Permissive transfers are even hard to get for teachers kids. My point is, everything has changed.
Reeze
November 18th, 2012
8:43 pm
@CoffeeC100…….Not meant to bash Region 1 ,just a message to Randy and the Vike nation…. You know Northside was in your region for a couple years and mutual respectwe had for each other , epic games were played….It’s really time for Lowndes to get with the program ……Region 1 hasn’t gotten any worse ,The North GA schools have stepped up their game the last 5 years..Grayson is the flag bearwe now , but you’ve got the likes of Mill Creek and others that will be a force soon…Look at Northside’s offense from 2005-2007, We went 44-1 in those years with the shuttle pass and misdirection plays ..The Camden and Whitewater debacles were a clear indication that change was needed , Take a look at the Northside offense now ,multple formations, I can’t even call a play now and ive been watching the Eagles for years……Lowndes running the same offense for years and everyones seen it and has caught up to it.
HSFB Follower
November 18th, 2012
11:58 pm
As I’ve stated on this blog since August GEORGIA IS DEEP! The proof is now showing. However Lassiter and it’s entire region was vastly overrated all season but Lassiter’s coach is a great politician with many in the poll/ranking business. The Wing T offenses of South Georgia are great when your ahead once you get down and have to throw it the trouble begins and yes this goes for Camden also but the difference is they actually can throw it this season. Marietta got up on Lowndes quick fast and in a hurry and then Lowndes had to throw the football…ummm problem!
Another team folks are not ready to give props to is Lovejoy but get ready for them to have a massive showdown with Grayson/North Gwinnett and don’t be surprised if it’s North Gwinnett. Sphire knows how to win and with no school this week he has all the time in the world to dial up a serious game plan for the Rams. I’m not saying they will win but I am saying don’t be surprised. As far as Lovejoy I hear the knock on their Region and it’s valid but their body of work top to bottom can’t be touched. I know some Colquitt people will disagree but I’ll remind you that the flags were flying fast and heavy in Moultrie that September night. Buckle up it’s going to be a fun fun fun ride the rest of the way!
Abu Dhabi
November 19th, 2012
7:01 am
Congratulations to ALL the teams who made it to the Play Offs especially those who are advancing to Round 2. To the great fans of Georgia…you are only as good as your last win. Each year the landscape changes…coaches, players, and title winners. Quite living in the past, folks. North Cobb is the Truth and I love a quite storm winner. Let’s Ride, boys. Keep shocking the world.
Falconguy45
November 19th, 2012
7:36 am
I have to give kudos to North Cobb and Marietta for traveling down south and knocking off two very good teams. We will see how deep these two teams will go. They have some very big challenges ahead.
sportsnut
November 19th, 2012
8:53 am
The Marietta vs Lovejoy game is going to be a good one. The one problem I see for Marietta is their D. They will need to do a better job come friday. They will quickly learn that Lovejoy is not Lowndes. They should be prepared for a well balanced team. They stacked the box with eight men against Lowndes and this will not be possible against Lovejoy. They can try but Lovejoy has such a passing game that you stack the box and you get beat on the pass. Try to play man or a zone and the run will come alive.
57Cat
November 19th, 2012
8:59 am
Falconguy45 – For the record, Valdosta travelled to North Cobb for our whuppin’. I’m not sure the outcome would have been any different had the game been in Valdosta, but we would have played in a much nicer stadium and wouldn’t have had to use PortaPotties.
LTrojan Fan
November 19th, 2012
9:36 am
HSFB Follower…you don’t have a clue what your talking about when you say that “Lassiter’s coach is a great politician with many in the poll/ranking business”. I can assure you that he has NEVER thought much of rankings. The hype came from everyone else based on the success that the team had last year and the number of returning players from that team that went all of the way to the semi-finals.
Smug
November 19th, 2012
10:00 am
Hey, hey, hey – It’s time for Lowndes & Valdosta to consolodate their school systems so they can have a winning team in town again. Neither school can be as strong as the two together. Oh, didn’t they have a straw vote on this a couple years ago? It makes sense to do it but the ghosts of Valdosta football would have none of it. Valdosta will never regain its glory days. Hey, hey, hey.
McEachern sucks
November 19th, 2012
10:31 am
Just sayin’
In Valdosta
November 19th, 2012
11:16 am
The Lowndes and Valdosta systems won’t ever consolidate. They recently fought that battle and decided against it. They are far too territorial and stubborn. You’d have to live in this town as I do to really grasp it but I can tell by comments that most people have an understanding of the issue. Wh would benefit from it? Everyone would but it aint happening.
Cobb fan
November 19th, 2012
12:59 pm
@sportsnut I agree Lowndes was pretty easy to read, our losses this year were to teams exactly like Lovejoy that had balanced attacks and a QB that could run or throw! Our defense was scorched by North Cobb “who look very much like Lovejoy” and we had some turnovers that game. We can score with anybody so this looks like a shootout Friday night, should be fun and only an hour from Marietta. Go Blue Devils!
Tipp Smooth
November 19th, 2012
1:31 pm
Abu Dhabi, go get a Lamb Shawarma and check
out the Gold Souk. Dubai is great….Go Camden.
57Cat
November 19th, 2012
1:56 pm
Listen ya’ll, consolidating to Lowndes and Valdosta school SYSTEMS does not mean consolidating the two schools’ student bodies. Administration of the schools would be unified with little effect on the school enrollments.
sportsnut
November 19th, 2012
2:00 pm
@ Cobb Fan == I am so glad you guys made it. Great job. I don’t want anyone to think Lovejoy did not want Lowndes, we did. You beat us to it but we are greatful. Last season, the pundits called for an all Warner Robins final in AAAA and it was up to Lovejoy and Tucker to stop that from happening. We did. As you know, those same pundits, including the pollster and this publication, were calling for Region 1 to battle it out for the title with Gwinnett. That may still be possible but there are many of us left(Marietta included) that will have something to say about that. Jennings is a special player and he will present Lovejoy with a hard task. Your receivers are good also. They work well together. Going to be a good one Oh yeah, Friday, don’t get caught on Tara and the going home rush. It will be bad, as usual, from about 4-7pm. It does not break up until it gets to Lovejoy. There are about 18 traffic lights from the time you exit 75.
oldsarge99
November 19th, 2012
3:10 pm
The honest truth about Valdosta is they are a team of the past. Coaching by Wright Bazemore and Nick Hyder made the difference. Back in their hey day Valdosta had tons of talent and could field 150 good players if necessary. The system that those coaches created and sustained over 30 years produced 23 state titles and 6 national championships. those days are history. Not to mention that as the demographics of Valdosta changed and white flight took hold, the wildcats lost many very good white ball players to Lowndes County. That’s not to be construed as a racist statement,because it was not intended to be that way. But they simply don’t get very many good white athletes at Valdosta anymore. They’re are no more Buck Belue’s, John Lastingers, Greg Talleys, or John Bond’s attending Valdosta these days. They’re all at Lowndes County. Valdosta can still win 7 or 8 games a year and make the playoffs, but they will be eliminated in the first round every year. Lowndes has the best talent in the area and will win big again.
GwinnettDad
November 19th, 2012
6:25 pm
HS football fan
November 16th, 2012
7:25 am
Lassiter was missing one of our best wide receivers during region play…he’s back! I’m not sure any team has enough talent at db to cover all of their weapons. To make matters worse, Lassiter averages 152 yards rushing per game too. They put up over 400 yards per game EVERY Friday night! Good luck!
There’s a lesson to be learned here, don’t you think?
Falconguy45
November 19th, 2012
9:29 pm
Old Sarge…. I understand your comments, but I believe the main reason a lot of the North Georgia schools, mainly Gwinnett have had is due to the coaches that have adopted the strong programs that Coach Bazemore, Hyder, Billy Henderson, and others created. It takes more than pure athletes to create a contender. I look at Camden and Grayson’s programs and the demographics are about the same. The coaching and community involvement is excellent in both programs.
Falconguy45
November 19th, 2012
9:34 pm
Another point, up until about 20 years ago, most of the metro Atlanta schools that played in the higher classifications had to share a county stadium. It was very difficult to compete with a Valdosta team in their large stadium that brought 10,0000 fans.
Camden74
November 19th, 2012
10:34 pm
Wow! There are a lot of people who either don’t know or are in denial, posting on this board! Everyone took Titletown’s statement and tried to make it something that it wasn’t. Just because you don’t agree with it doesn’t mean it’s not true………Release the CATS!
GwinnettDad
November 19th, 2012
10:34 pm
Twenty years ago most of the Gwinnett Schools of today didn’t exist.
TItletown USA
November 20th, 2012
7:23 am
Oldsarge99, with all due respect, I have to respectfully disagree, but you are certainly entitled to that opinion.
oldsarge99
November 20th, 2012
8:25 am
Titletown, you disagree with my statement without stating your views. I have been a Valdosta fan for over 30 years. I watched them win all the big games and now I am watching them lose the big games,even at home. What I said is the cold hard truth. Those truly integrated valdosta teams were awesome, Especially the 71,77,78,82,84,86 teams. But in high school football you need the best black and white ball players to have a truly great team. The point that I was trying to make is that the two things that Valdosta has lost are great coaching and good white ball players. Again this post is should not be construed as racist, it’s just the facts.
BullDawgRick
November 20th, 2012
9:51 am
AAAAAA Championship Comes thru Gwinnett County!!
Been that way for 12 + years!!
57Cat
November 20th, 2012
10:58 am
oldsarge99 and TitleTownUSA – If you don’t mind my butting in. I’ve watched Wildcat football since the early 50’s (except I regrettably missed the Hyder years when I was in the Washington, DC area) and my feeling is that in Coach Gillespie we have the makings of a great high school football coach. If anyone can take the kids that make up the current crop of athletes afforded him by the Valdosta city school system and forge them into winning, championship football teams, I feel he can. I agree that we miss having big, white athletes like Lowndes has. And when you do the math, as the 5th or 6th smallest school in AAAAAA, we have a much smaller pool of candidates to work with. But the kids we get are talented and committed. What has been missing, and what was destroyed by coaches Darlington and Tomberlin, is the PROGRAM that is instituted at the 6th grade and provides a feeder system of athletes that, by the time they reach varsity, are well versed in the system. Coach Gillespie is doing that now. He was behind the 8 ball when he got here, but all of the coaches at the various levels have bought into his program. It will take time (it took Coach Hyder 8 years to win his first state title at VHS) but we’re definitely headed in the right direction.