Region 1-7A gets four wins in first week of the season

Published 12:13 pm Monday, August 21, 2023

MOULTRIE — Colquitt County’s convincing 48-17 rout of Dutch Fork, South Carolina’s defending state champion and current No. 1-ranked team, capped a first week of the 2023 season that saw four of the five Region 1-7A teams open with victories.

Lowndes 46, Christ School (N.C.) 21

The Vikings played the first game of Saturday’s Georgia-Carolina Challenge and fell behind 7-3 in the first quarter when Josh Harrison picked off a Marvis Parrish pass and ran it back 30 yards for a touchdown.

But Lowndes controlled the game the rest of the way and led 32-7 before the Greenies scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.

The Vikings pounded the Greenies, whose roster included just 39 players, on the ground with Jacurri Fleming rushing 21 times for 111 yards and three touchdowns and Aalim Brown carrying 21 times for 78 yards and two scores.

Parrish completed 9-of-13 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.

The game was the first for new Lowndes coach Adam Carter, who spent the last four years at Grayson, going 45-9 and winning a state title in 2020.

The Vikings will be back at Martin Stadium on Friday to play host to Gadsden County (Fla.). It will be the Jaguars season-opener.

Gadsden County was 2-8 last year, including a 33-0 loss at Lowndes.

Camden County 23, Columbia 12

Trailing 6-0 at the half, Camden County rallied in the final two quarters to avenge last year’s loss to Columbia with a 23-12 victory.

Jaden Dailey carried 15 times for 140 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Mason Robinson completed 4-of-5 passes for 118 yards and a score.

Sophomore Parker Riendeau also had a touchdown pass for the Wildcats.

Camden will be home again at Chris Gilman Stadium on Friday to take on Brunswick.

The game will be the opener for the Pirates, who defeated Camden 16-10 last year and went on to finish 10-1.

Washington (Massillon, Ohio) 28, Valdosta 17

In a battle of two of the most successful high school football programs in the country, Valdosta jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead only to be outscored 28-3 the rest of the way in the game played at Massillon.

Quarterback Todd Robinson completed 13-of-22 passes for 222 yards and two scores and Shakevious Wright ran for 109 yards for Valdosta.

Eli Lewis had six catches for 75 yards and sophomore Prince Jean had four receptions for 85 yards. Each had a touchdown catch.

Washington is one of the nation’s oldest high school football programs, dating back to 1891.

Valdosta and Washington are considered the winningest high school football teams in America.

The Tigers have 24 state championships, the last in 1970. Valdosta also has 24 state titles, the last in 2016.

Preseason All-State defensive lineman Eric Brantley had 11 tackles, including three for losses, for the Wildcats.

Valdosta will travel on Friday to Adel to take on Cook in a game whose head coaches — Shelton Felton of Valdosta and Byron Slack of Cook — are both former Colquitt County assistants.

Cook opened with a 28-0 victory over Pelham last Friday.

Richmond Hill 34, Effingham County 7

Nick Bliss scored on an 86-yard kickoff return, a 55-yard blocked punt return and a 4-yard run to lead Richmond Hill to a 34-7 season-opening win over Effingham.

The Wildcats led 20-7 after the first quarter in Springfield and were never threatened.

Joshua Troupe led Richmond Hill on the ground with 76 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Kirk Scott completed 5-of-8 passes for 74 yards.

Gabe Bauman had seven tackles, including one for a loss, and intercepted a pass for the Wildcats.

Richmond Hill will play host to Ware County, the top-ranked team in Class 5A, on Friday.The Gators opened with a 20-17 win over Appling County.