MOULTRIE — Lowndes can clinch the Region 1-AAAAA championship and Tift County can secure a playoff berth on Friday.
Unfortunately, both won’t happen.
The Vikings, 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the region, and Blue Devils, 5-2, 2-2, will meet at Martin Stadium with Lowndes trying to keep its region record unblemished.
Lowndes is 4-0 and will claim the region championship with a victory, regardless of what second-place Valdosta does or what the Vikings do in their regular-season finale next Friday at Warner Robins.
But Tift County has something to play for as well.
If the Blue Devils can pull an upset and Colquitt County falls to Warner Robins, Tift County will take the region’s final playoff berth.
The Vikings are coming off a convincing 36-7 victory over Colquitt County in which they rolled up 335 yards of offense and gave up just 121, including 55 on a touchdown run by Quin Roberson.
Lowndes is on a seven-game winning streak after losing its opener 9-0 to Harrison High.
If Tift County wants to knock off the No. 4-ranked Vikings, they must find a way to neutralize Greg Reid, who ran for two touchdowns, caught a pass for another, intercepted a pass and returned a punt 39 yards against Colquitt County last week.
Now that starting quarterback Nick Prostko is healthy, the Blue Devils appear more formidable.
After recovering from a shoulder injury and a concussion, Prostko threw a pair of touchdowns in the final 9:23 to help Tift defeat Warner Robins 20-13 last Friday night at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.
The Blue Devils will try to counter the Lowndes strong running attack of Reid, Darriet Perry, Jerry Postell, Adrian Hargett, Tavaris Williams and Khary Franklin with All-State running back Kaream Hess, who leads Region 1-AAAAA in rushing.
Valdosta appears primed to finish second in the region and play host to a first-round state playoff game.
And like the Vikings, the Wildcats are rebounding from a 2006 season in which they did not make the playoffs.
Valdosta, 1-9 last year in Rick Tomberlin’s first season as the Wildcats head coach, is 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the region, with its only region loss coming by an 18-8 score to Lowndes.
Friday’s game against Houston County at McConnell-Talbert Stadium will be the last of the regular season for the Wildcats.
And they get to tune up for the postseason by meeting a Houston County team that is 1-7 overall and 0-4 in the region and is mired in a six-game losing streak.
The Bears were off last week after falling to Colquitt County 21-7.
Houston County counts on its passing duo of quarterback Jeff Thompson and receiver Craig Presley.
But the Bears might find it difficult to score against a Wildcats defense led by region Player of the Year candidate linebacker Curtis Weatherspoon.
The Valdosta defense did not allow a point in its surprising 35-7 victory over Coffee High last Friday.
The Trojans Johnny Williams returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown, but Coffee was ineffective the rest of the game.
Valdosta gets workman-like performances from running backs David Arnold and Marcus McNair and four-year starting quarterback Michael Turner.
In the other Region 1-AAAAA game on Friday, Colquitt County (2-6, 1-3) will try to keep its playoff hopes alive when it meets Warner Robins (2-6, 1-3) in its annual Senior Night game.
Coffee will be off on Friday and will play its season-finale on Nov. 9 at home against Houston County.
Region 1-AAAAA will be paired with Region 3-AAAAA in the first round of the state playoffs that open on Friday, Nov. 16.
Heading into Friday’s games, Camden County leads the region with a 5-0 record.
The Wildcats are 7-1 overall and ranked No. 9 in Class AAAAA. Camden’s only loss was by a 17-16 score to Chattahoochee.
Jenkins and Bradwell are 4-1 and Windsor Forest is 3-2 in Region 3-AAAAA.
Local Sports
Lowndes can clinch region title against Tift County
- Local Sports
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Conference champions
The Colquitt County seventh-grade girls basketball team celebrates its South Georgia Athletic Conference championship. The team includes, front, from left, coach Sheila Williams, Za'Nautica Downs, Akia Sutton, Ty'Asia McNeal, Shy Seay; and back, Sydnee Dalton, Shay Stanfill, Kiarra Lovett, Abiyah Spencer, Coach Jon Scroggins, Angel Kinchen, Chyna Calhoun, Michaela Bennefield, Istajhe Johnson, Ashuntee Stewart and Ja'nysia Brown. Not shown, Coach Tamika Seay and Emily Dozier.
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Lady Pack clinches top seed for region tournament
Makeba Ponder’s free throw with 6 seconds remaining gave the Colquitt County girls a 55-48 victory over Lowndes on Tuesday on the William Bryant Court at the Gladys Espy Gymnasium and ensured the Lady Packers would have the top seed in next week’s Region 1-AAAAA tournament at Tift County.
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Rifle team defeats Worth County
The Colquitt County High rifle team remains unbeaten after taking a 1,098-1,082 victory over Worth County on Tuesday in Sylvester.
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Prine shines at Snowflake Invitational
Kenyadah Prine is progressing just fine in her comeback from two frustrating seasons that were marred by injuries. The Lowndes High senior is making the most of her opportunities to return to top form, no matter how big or small the stage.
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Prine shines at Snowflake Invitational
Kenyadah Prine is progressing just fine in her comeback from two frustrating seasons that were marred by injuries. The Lowndes High senior is making the most of her opportunities to return to top form, no matter how big or small the stage.
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Level 3 gymnasts first, Level 4 team second in Thomasville
The Moultrie YMCA MGs headed to Thomasville on January 28 to continue their meet season in the Rose City gymnastics invitational and the Level 3’s took first place and the Level 4’s placed second.
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Register wins region wrestling championship
Travis Register will take an unbeaten record into next weekend’s state sectional after going 2-0 and winning the 220-pound weight class at Saturday’s Region 1-AAAAA wrestling tournament at Lowndes.
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Lady Packers hold off Tift County
The Colquitt County girls basketball team held off a determined Tift County second-half rally on Saturday on the William Bryant Court at the Espy Gymnasium to get a 59-48 Region 1-AAAAA victory.
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Talking it over
The defending Region 1-AAAAA champion Colquitt County High baseball team held an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday at Ike Aultman Field at Packer Park. The Packers are gearing up for their Feb. 21 season-opener against Lawton Chiles of Tallahassee at Packer Park. Packers assistant coach Jake Mobley talks with sophomore pitcher, and little brother, Gabe Mobley during Saturday’s scrimmage.
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Seventh-grade girls win conference championship
The Colquitt County seventh-grade girls’ basketball team claimed the conference championship Saturday, upsetting previously undefeated Coffee, 20-19.
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