MOULTRIE – Think Todd Robinson is feeling better?
The Valdosta quarterback has played off and on for the last five weeks with a painful ankle injury that adversely affected his otherwise sterling mobility.
While the University of Georgia-committed athlete performed with various degrees of effectiveness, the Wildcats lost Region 1-6A games to Richmond Hill and Lowndes that left them in third place with a first-round playoff trip to meet Region 5 runner-up Walton last Friday.
The week off between Valdosta’s loss to the Vikings in the Winnersville Classic and the trip to Marietta apparently worked wonders.
Robinson completed 27-of-40 passes for 414 yards and five touchdowns as the Wildcats eliminated Walton 35-27.
Receiver Eli Lewis caught 11 of those passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns.
Prince Jean caught two others in the mild upset of the Raiders.
The Wildcats, now 9-2, might need a similar effort this Friday when they get on the buses again for the four-hour trip to play at Carrollton.
The Trojans are 11-0 and have been ranked No. 1 in Class 6A since the third week of the season.
Carrollton advanced with 46-7 first-round win over Reggie Stancil-coach Dacula.
Lowndes will face a similar dilemma on Friday.
The Vikings were just a time-expired field goal by Colquitt County’s Brett Fitzgerald away from perhaps winning the Region 1 championship.
As the No. 2 seed, the Vikings got to play at Martin Stadium in the first round and defeated North Paulding 35-17.
Marvis Parrish, who shared Region 1-6A Player of the Year honors with Robinson, scored three first-half touchdowns to help the Vikings advance.
But they, too, will have their hands full on Friday.
Lowndes will have to travel to play Region 8 champion, and No. 2-ranked, Buford, which is 10-1.
The Wolves lost their opener to defending Class 7A champion Milton, but have won 10 in a row since, including a 57-9 first-round pounding of East Coweta.
Buford has scored 431 points in those 10 wins, one of which was a 34-7 victory over Collins Hill.
It turns out that was the only loss of the season for No. 5- ranked Collins Hill, which will visit the Hawg Pen on Friday for its second-round playoff game against Region 1 champion Colquitt County.
Collins Hill eliminated Westlake 35-14 in the first round.
The Packers exploded for four second-quarter touchdowns in a 48-20 win over Wheeler.
The second half was played with a running clock.
Of the four Region 1 teams that qualified for the playoffs, only Camden County failed to advance, falling 28-7 at North Cobb.
The Warriors held Camden’s University of Georgia committed tight end Elyiss Williams without a catch.
Camden scored in the fourth quarter to avoid a shutout.
In its first season under new head coach Travis Roland, Camden won its first five games of the season, but only two of its last six to finish 7-4.
Colquitt County’s three losses this season have come to North Gwinnett, Lee County and Valdosta.
The combined records of those three teams is 31-2.
North Gwinnett, the Region 7 champion, is 11-0 including a 45-7 win over Denmark last Friday.
The Bulldogs led 29-0 in the first quarter.
North Gwinnett will play host to Newton in Suwanee on Friday.
Lee County remained unbeaten by pounding Habersham Central 47-7. Lee led 40-0 at the half.
Trojans quarterback Weston Bryan threw for four touchdowns and ran for another. Ousmane Kromah also ran for a score.
Lee will remain in Leesburg to play host to 10-1 East Paulding this week.
Thomas County Central, whose only loss this season was to Lee County, opened the playoffs with a 70-6 win over Winder-Barrow in the Jackets Nest.
The Justin Rogers-coached Yellow Jackets will travel to play Region 5-5A champion Rome, which is 8-2, this week.
Central got a 94-yard pass reception by Jabari Watkins and a 95-yard touchdown run by Christian Lawrence in its playoff opener.
Worth County, which won its first region championship since 1989 this season, advances in the Class A playoffs after defeating Coosa 54-14 last Friday in Sylvester.
Jeff Hammond’s Rams, who have won six in a row after a 2-3 start, will play host to 9-2 Dodge County this weekend.
The game will feature a pair of former Colquitt County assistants now head coaches squaring off.
Hammond and Dodge’s Phillip Brown were assistants on Rush Propst’s staff in 2016.