ATLANTA — The accolades continue for the Valdosta Wildcats, who were honored Tuesday under the Gold Dome for winning the 2016 state championship.

Coach Alan Rodemaker and four players – Jared Allen, Josh Belton, Devonnsha Maxwell and Jontae Baker – appeared before the House of Representatives, which passed a resolution congratulating the team. 

“When we built this football team and our coaching staff, we built them for the next 60 years of their life, and what we ended up with was a state championship,” Rodemaker told lawmakers. 

Rodemaker rattled off the program’s long list of accomplishments through the decades, which now include 24 state titles, six national championships and 42 regional trophies. 

“I couldn’t be prouder of a group of young men,” he said. 

The Wildcats snagged the 6A title in what was Rodemaker’s first season with the team.

“This is his first year as head coach of Valdosta High School, and he took us to a victory in that first year,” said Rep. Dexter Sharper, D-Valdosta. 

Jill Nolin covers the Georgia Statehouse for The Valdosta Daily Times and CNHI’s newspapers and websites.