Five Region 1-6A teams open 2024 with victories

Published 12:19 pm Sunday, August 18, 2024

MOULTRIE  – The five Region 1-6A teams that played their season-openers on Friday got 2024 started with victories.

All scored at least 43 points and the closest game was Camden County’s 51-41 victory over Brunswick.

Tift County, which, like Camden County, played under a new coach, shut out Griffin 43-0; Lowndes beat Jenkins 49-7; Valdosta overwhelmed Tucker 65-19; and Colquitt County handled West High of Salt Lake City, Utah, 45-28.

Richmond Hill will open its season on Friday at Glynn Academy. The Terrors are 1-0 after defeating Wayne County 16-10 last Friday.

The Jeff Littleton era at Tift County started in Griffin and got off to an encouraging start with Kamari Hollomon scoring four touchdowns and the Blue Devil defense holding the Bears to an unofficial minus-50 yards rushing and grabbing five turnovers.

It was Tift’s largest margin of victory since a 47-0 shut out of Worth County in 2020.

“We played with intensity,” said Littleton, who had coached the last 11 years at Bainbridge, where he won a state championship in 2018. “We played with discipline … we played smart.”

The Blue Devils led just 9-0 at the half, but put the game away in the third quarter.

Tift’s special teams blocked two punts and a field goal attempt and the Blue Devils defense scored on a Jaden Nelson interception return.

The Blue Devils will play their home-opener at Brodie Field on Friday against Gadsden County, Fla., which will be playing its season-opener.

Friday’s game also will serve as Tift’s Homecoming.

Camden County’s Travis Roland got a win in his first game as a Georgia head coach with some inspired second-quarter special teams play.

Brunswick was unable to get off a clean punt on four straight possessions turning an 11-point lead into a 16-point halftime advantage for the Wildcats.

Camden was playing its first game after the retirement of coach Jeff Herron, who had led the Wildcats to three state championships.

The Wildcats will play their home-opener at Chris Gilman Stadium on Friday when East Lake High from Tarpon Springs, Fla., visits.

The Eagles dropped their opener 31-26 to Zephyrhills.

Lowndes, which is coming off two straight losing seasons, will be back at Martin Stadium on Friday to take on Region 5-AAA’s Mount Zion of Jonesboro.

The Bulldogs lost their opener 41-14 to Jonesboro.

After demolishing Tucker, Valdosta will return to Bazemore-Hyder Stadium to play host to Mundy’s Mill.

The Region 3-AAAA Tigers are 0-1 after being shut out 42-0 by Lovejoy in their opener.

Colquitt County will be back in the Hawg Pen on Friday to take on Monroe, which dropped its opener to defending Class 6A champion Thomas County Central 54-7 last Friday in Thomasville.

The Tornadoes were down 31-0 to the Yellow Jackets after the first quarter.

Colquitt County and Monroe have not met since 1987, when the Packers won 21-6 at Hugh Mills Stadium.

The Packers hold an 8-2 all-time advantage over the Tornadoes.