VALDOSTA — Flashes from Lowndes’ record-setting 2016 season are still something special to watch.

Players, coaches, parents and supporters got to relive highlights from the football team’s powerful season Thursday night at the annual Viking Touchdown Club awards ceremony inside the Lowndes High School cafeteria.

“Each week we got a little better,” Lowndes coach Randy McPherson said. “We’ve got a tremendous senior group that we will miss tremendously, but I feel like with the young kids coming back next year, I think the sky’s the limit.”

Both senior players and underclassmen were on display during the 15-minute highlight package that featured plays from the 35-34 road win against Parkview, the 37-0 shutout of Shiloh, the 56-35 victory against Ware County and the 45-24 triumph against Tift County, among others.

McPherson noted the Parkview victory as a major point of progression early in the season.

“Every one of those skill guys had a big game,” he said. “The defense came through in the clutch when they had to and I think the team kind of took a big step forward this week, because it was a good team that we beat.”

McPherson reminded everyone that the team that almost came back to win in Lilburn will be visiting Martin Stadium next season.

“It should be a real good game,” the coach said.

There were exciting scrambling plays from Region 1-7A Player of the Year Michael Barrett. Devon Holmes, the region’s Defensive Player of the Year, roared through the opposition’s offensive line and wreaked havoc on quarterbacks. Tyson Harris ripped off long touchdown runs, showing a glimpse into how he earned the region’s Athlete of the Year award.

The Vikings’ top tacklers, Jeffrey Davis, Tommy Owens and Fred Stewart were shown shutting down runners and tackling receivers across the middle and recovering fumbles.

What a season.

The review transitioned into recognition of volunteers of the Viking Breakfast Club, which prepares breakfast and an afternoon snack for players. Then the football awards were given out to players by position coaches.

New Touchdown Club president Bruce Hayden provided 2016 club president Gary Hutchinson with a special plaque for his service and introduced new club officers James Darling, Owen Prince and Luke Bush before giving closing remarks.

“I’d like to thank everyone of you for your confidence in allowing me to lead the Lowndes High Touchdown Club this coming year,” Hayden said. “I’m extremely humbled to be elected to this position and I look forward to serving the continued great Viking football program.”

JOHNSON’S EXIT

Defensive line coach Hiram Johnson presented his group with awards for the final time as a member of Lowndes’ coaching staff. Johnson came out of a three-year retirement stretch to return to coaching for the Vikings in 2016 and is set to return to retirement.

“I really enjoyed it,” he said. “I had a great time with those guys once we got to know each other. We had a ball, especially going against that offensive line every day.

“I think that’s one of the things that made both of us better. The defensive line made the offensive line better and the offensive line made the defensive line a better defensive line.”