Derrick Davis | The Valdosta Daily TimesValdosta High wide receiver J.R. Ingram hauls in a touchdown pass in the first quarter Friday night against Tucker in the Class 6A state championship game at the Georgia Dome.

VALDOSTA — Twenty-four.

It has been 18 seasons since Valdosta won a state championship, but after jumping out to a 17-0 lead in the first half of the Class 6A title game against Tucker on Friday night, and holding on for a 17-7 victory in the Georgia Dome, for the 24th time in program history, the Wildcats can claim they are the best in the state.

“These kids have always heard they’re not quite good enough, they don’t do what the other guys did, ‘If y’all worked harder, you’d have a ring like we have,’ and I’m tired of hearing it,” Valdosta head coach Alan Rodemaker said after the game. “I just want to talk about these guys now, and I’ll let all the critics and everybody else compare them to all the other teams, but they can’t be denied this championship.

“Today, they’re the best in Georgia.”

Valdosta (14-1) scored touchdowns on each of its first two possessions of the game, already surpassing the 10.5 points allowed per game by the stingy Tucker defense this season.

On the Wildcats’ first offensive possession, they quickly drove 79 yards in eight plays and capped off the drive on Josh Belton’s 35-yard touchdown strike to Damarrias Morrow. Valdosta got the ball back at the Tucker 29 yard-line after a 40-yard punt return by Jayce Rogers to set up another Belton touchdown throw — this one to J.R. Ingram from 17 yards.

Valdosta dominated the first half of play, outgaining Tucker 230-86 with 12 first downs to four for the 13-2 Tigers. If it weren’t for a few miscues, the Wildcats may have put the game away before halftime.

In the red zone, Belton had Morrow open over the middle of the field for another touchdown, but the ball was too far behind its target, giving defensive back Tyler Olgesby an opportunity to wrestle the ball out of Morrow’s hands for an interception.

On their next drive, facing a fourth-and-short in Tucker territory, Belton had Wesley Veal wide open behind the defense, and he lofted a ball to him, but Veal couldn’t bring it in.

The Wildcats did add to their lead on the final possession of the half when Davis Baldwin booted the ball 44 yards through the uprights to push the lead to 17.

Getting an early lead has been crucial for Valdosta all season in letting it rely upon its tremendous defense to close out games, and it was even more so against Tucker as a rash of injuries limited the Wildcats’ effectiveness down the stretch.

Already dealing with an injury to half of its one-two punch at quarterback in Hunter Holt, Valdosta had to overcome a foot injury that limited Veal’s playing time and a shoulder injury that affected Belton’s ability to throw the ball.

That’s when Valdosta showed the grit it’s been talking about since a come-from-behind victory against Houston County in the regular-season finale.

“We got banged up early with a couple guys and had to play some 10th-graders tonight, but that’s part of football,” offensive coordinator Tucker Pruitt said. “Injuries are part of football, and that’s why we’ve got young kids. We teach them and coach them and it’s next man up.”

The Wildcats’ offense moved the ball just enough (80 yards in the second half) to prevent their defense from having to play with their backs up against the proverbial wall, and that’s all the defense needed to close out the game.

Although it allowed Tucker to double its offensive production in the first half, Valdosta picked off a pass in the end zone, and after Chris Broadwater’s touchdown cut the lead to 10, nearly intercepted a couple more, to keep the Tigers from ever making it a one-possession game.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock at the Georgia Dome, the home-side of the stands, nearly full with support from TitleTown, exploded with cheers as Valdosta’s coaching staff and players embraced one another.

A few minutes later, seniors Antwon Kincade, Jontae Baker, Devonnsha Maxwell and Veal joined Rodemaker on stage to proudly display — and kiss — the championship trophy to Wildcat Nation in attendance.

After the game, when asked how the team would celebrate bringing the first state championship to Valdosta since 1998, Rodemaker expressed the feelings of an entire town.

“I don’t know, but I don’t plan on going to sleep,” Rodemaker said. 

Derrick Davis is a sports reporter at the Valdosta Daily Times.