By Wayne Grandy

wayne.grandy@gaflnews.com

MOULTRIE – Lowndes and Camden County both rebounded from losses in the their Region 1-6A openers to earn victories last Friday night.

Both had taken 5-0 records into their first region games.

The Vikings were coming off a 38-35 loss at Colquitt County that was determined by a 43-yard Brett Fitzgerald field goal with no time remaining when they went to Brodie Field to take on Tift County on Friday.

Lowndes took a 7-0 lead over the Blue Devils before taking its first offensive snap.

After winning the toss and deferring its choice to the second half, Tift caught Lowndes unawares with a pop-up kickoff that was recovered by Blue Devil Jaden Nelson at the Vikings 27.

But Tift’s possession stalled and the Blue Devils attempted a field goal.

The kick was blocked by the Vikings’ K.J. Massey, who picked up the ball and ran it 85 yards for the first score of the game.

On its next possession, Tift got an 85-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Damieon Dixon to Dai’jon Hayes and David Olgin’s extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 8:43 still left in the first quarter.

But that proved to be the only Tift County score of the game.

The Vikings scored 10 points in the second quarter and nine in the third to take the 26-7 victory.

Lowndes also blocked a punt for safety.

The Blue Devils were stingy on defense. The Vikings longest scoring drive was 54 yards. Another was 45.

Lowndes is now 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the region. Tift falls to 2-5 and 0-2.

Camden had been shelled at Valdosta 56-37 in its region-opener before playing host to Richmond Hill at Chris Gilman Stadium in a battle of the Wildcats.

Camden scored a touchdown in each quarter for its 28 points.

Richmond Hill got a touchdown on a 25-yard pass from Kirk Scott to Colton Sanchez in the first quarter, but managed only a 39-yard Cannon Kuriya field goal in the fourth quarter the rest of the way in Camden’s 28-10 win.

Camden held Richmond Hill to 67 yards passing and 91 yards rushing.

Richmond Hill attempted just 11 passes.

For Camden, junior quarterback Parks Riendeau completed 13-of-19 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns.

All-State tight end Elyiss Wiliams caught five of those passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns.

Antwan Williams rushed for 140 yards on 12 carries for Camden.

This Friday, Colquitt County will travel to Tift County, Camden County will go to Martin Stadium to take on Lowndes in a battle of 1-1 teams and Valdosta will try to remain unbeaten when it goes to Richmond Hill.

Of this and that:

• Former Packer and current Carson-Newman freshman linebacker Jerron Blakely was credited with two tackles in the Eagles’ last-play 28-27 victory over Mars Hill on Saturday.

The victory keeps Carson-Newman unbeaten. It is the first time the Eagles have been 6-0 since 2007.

Turk Daniels started his sixth-straight game for the Eagles.

• Kaleb Dawson had two solo and four assisted tackles in Alabama A&M’s 56-12 win over Bethune-Cookman that evened its record at 3-3.

• Georgia Tech defeated North Carolina 41-34 on a 68-yard touchdown run by Jamal Haynes with 16 seconds remaining.

Omar Daniels helped the Tech raise its record to 5-2 with one solo and three assisted tackles.

Georgia Tech will be home to face Notre Dame on Saturday.

• Tyler Walker had three catches for 21 yards to help lead No. 11 West Alabama to a 26-0 shutout of Mississippi College.

The Tigers are 5-0 overall and will take a 2-0 record in the Gulf South Conference into their Saturday game at Delta State.

• Red-shirt freshman Kamal Bonner had his most productive game as a member of the North Carolina State football team when he was credited with three solo and six assisted tackles in a 24-17 loss to Syracuse.

Now 3-4, the Wolfpack will play at Cal on Saturday.

• Le’Meke Brockington had two catches for eight yards as Minnesota defeated UCLA 21-17 last Saturday.

The Golden Gophers will play next on Oct. 26 at home against Maryland.

• Jaheim Ward had a busy afternoon for Eastern Kentucky in its 42-21 loss to Southern Utah.

The former Packer defensive back had six solo and five assisted tackles, including 1.5 for losses, and a pass breakup.

The Colonels will travel to Abilene Christian next Saturday.