VALDOSTA — Valdosta High faces a tall order tonight.
The Wildcats, trying to avoid falling to 1-4 for the first time since 1974, and only the third time ever, must hit the road to face one of the best teams in the state, and one of their biggest rivals.
Valdosta travels northwest to Moultrie to face the Colquitt County Packers tonight in another chapter of South Georgia’s oldest high school football rivalry. Kickoff at Mack Tharpe Stadium comes at 7:30 p.m.
Colquitt is eager to end a six-game losing streak to the Wildcats, and this looks like its best chance since the turn of the millennium. The Packers (4-0) are No. 3 in Class AAAAA, and are playing about as well as any team in the state. They have amassed 144 points and are averaging 328.3 yards of total offense per game. The Packers have beaten every team they’ve played by at least 25 points, except for AAAA power Thomas County Central (a 24-15 Packer win).
“They’re a good football team. Real good,” Valdosta head coach Rick Tomberlin said.
When asked who impressed him on Colquitt’s team, the first name out of Tomberlin’s mouth was all-purpose player Vance Cuff. Cuff, who has committed to sign with Georgia, leads the region in receiving with 16 catches for 213 yards and two touchdowns, and is also a standout defensive back and kick returner.
But he’s hardly the only weapon the Packers have. Running back Orion Ponder, who is being recruited by a number of schools, has rushed for 273 yards and four touchdowns, on a region-best 8.3 yards per carry, and is also second in the region in receiving (behind Cuff) with 17 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Channing Hudson easily leads the region in passing — his 801 yards is twice as much as any other quarterback — and he has already thrown nine touchdown passes.
“They’ve got some real impressive athletes on their team,” Tomberlin said. “Vance Cuff has great speed, and he’s a great playmaker. Orion Ponder, their running back, is being recruited by just about everybody. Their quarterback throws the ball well. They’ve got some players.”
Tomberlin also mentioned running back B.J. Howard, 6-foot-5, 289-pound lineman B.J. Baker and defensive end Javaris Jackson.
Meanwhile, Valdosta comes in at 1-3, having been not quite good enough in losing three of its first four games by a combined 13 points to teams that could be among the state’s elite in their respective classifications. The Wildcats’ lone win was 19-9 over Chattahoochee.
“We’ve had a tough start to the season, no doubt,” Tomberlin said. “Any of those losses could have been wins. We haven’t gotten blown out in any of them. But the kids keep working, and hopefully they realize we’re getting better.
“It would be great if we had an easy team this week, but we don’t. We don’t have any easy teams on our whole schedule.”
Colquitt County has beaten Valdosta more than any other school (22 times). But the Packers have also been the Wildcats’ most frequent victim, losing to Valdosta 65 times. That’s what happens when two teams play each other as much as these two have.
The series between these two schools dates back to the first game in each school’s respective history. Valdosta tied Moultrie High 7-7 in their debut game in 1913 (Valdosta won a rematch later that season, 20-14).
In 2003, current Colquitt coach Tim Cokely was one of the favorites to get the Valdosta coaching job, but pulled his name out of the hat midway through the process. Two years later, Colquitt grabbed Cokely, who had won four state championships at North Florida Christian in Tallahassee, and right now, the decision looks like a brilliant one.
Directions to Mack Tharpe Stadium: Take Ga. 133 (St. Augustine Road) north out of Valdosta about 45 miles to Moultrie. Go through downtown Moultrie, then turn left onto Main Street. Go 1.5 miles on Main Street, then turn left at the Domino’s Pizza. The stadium will be on your left. Parking is somewhat limited, so arrive early.
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