By Christian Malone
VALDOSTA — The Beetdiggers are back in Valdosta.
Jordan High has returned to Winnersville for another matchup with Valdosta High School. The teams will square off at 8 p.m. this evening at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
Last year, Jordan flew in from Sandy, Utah, and played about as well as any of Valdosta’s opponents, defeating the Wildcats 21-13. The Beetdiggers went on to go 8-3 and made it to the 5A state quarterfinals. They beat the defending state champions, Skyline (22-21), and nearly beat the eventual state champs, Bingham, losing 31-29.
Some key players have graduated, but Valdosta’s coach says the Beetdiggers are just as good this year as they were a year ago.
“They may have the best team in the state of Utah,” Valdosta head coach Rick Tomberlin said. “They’ve got a lot of talent.”
Jordan, ranked No. 5 in Utah’s Class 5A, has opened the season with two close victories over Northridge (27-26) and Layton (19-13). In their season opener, the Beetdiggers blocked an extra point attempt to escape with a one-point win. Last week, their defense stopped Layton inside the five-yard line with less than a minute to play to preserve the 19-13 win.
“Jordan’s got a good team,” Tomberlin said. “They’re 2-0. I have no doubt they’ll be one of the top teams in Utah this year. They didn’t come 2,500 miles to play us unless they thought they had a really good team.”
Jordan has one of the best sets of receivers in the state of Utah. Senior Cody Raymond has been All-State each of the last two years. Last year, he led the state with 1,052 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns (one against Valdosta). Teammate Darren Carter was a first-team All-Region receiver and a second-team All-State defensive back.
“No. 31 (Raymond) is leading the state in receiving. He caught three touchdowns in their first game,” Tomberlin said. “Then No. 11 (Carter) is a big, physical kid. They’re both real good.”
The Beetdiggers also have a big offensive line. That group is led by standout juniors Vyncent Jones and Kyle Johnson. Jones is 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, while Johnson is 6-foot-3 and weighs 265. Both were All-Region as sophomores. Tyler Larsen, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound junior, was second-team All-Region. Tight end Jake Rogers, an offensive lineman last year, is 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds.
One player Valdosta fans will be glad is gone is quarterback Sean Taylor, who is now playing for Southern Utah. Taylor gave Valdosta’s defense fits last year, throwing for 199 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 35 yards and another touchdown.
Valdosta wasn’t the only team that couldn’t contain Taylor. He went on to be his region’s Co-Player of the Year, and was the first-team All-State quarterback for the second year in a row, throwing for 2,805 yards and 32 touchdowns.
But the Beetdiggers continue to put points on the board with new quarterback Chaun Cook. Last week, Cook passed for 220 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone.
Dillon Hill, a 193-pound junior, is Jordan’s top running back. He was a second-team All-Region pick a year ago.
“Coach (Alex) Jacobson does a real good job of putting his players in the right positions,” Tomberlin said. “Those players are right where they need to be. He identifies talent, and develops them into players.
“We saw last year that they are real solid on defense. They don’t make a lot of mistakes, don’t beat themselves on defense. They tackle well.”
Jordan has a long history of success in football, having won 11 state championships.
Last year, before the game, Jordan gave Valdosta a beetdigger, a tool used in beet farming. That beetdigger is now in a glass case in the museum at the stadium.
Jordan has held fund-raisers to raise money for this trip, and Valdosta is paying them $12,000. The Beetdiggers will also be doing some sightseeing, like they did a year ago.
Tomberlin expects a 48-minute battle from Jordan.
“I hope people will come watch us Friday. I think it will be a real good matchup,” he said. “It will be an exciting game.
“I like playing good teams early on. Not every week, but still enough to challenge you and make you better. We’ve got two real tough non-region opponents this year, and two teams that are also very good.”
Valdosta is coming off a 41-13 scrimmage victory over Bainbridge last week.
Valdosta vs. Jordan
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Bazemore-Hyder Stadium
Radio: Bobby Scott, Tod Edwards and Jay Clark on WAAC 92.9 FM
Tickets: Individual game tickets are $8 for adult reserved seating and $5 for student tickets. All tickets at the gate are $8.
