VALDOSTA — The Valdosta Wildcats hit the road today, after two home wins to start the season.
The Wildcats (2-0), ranked No. 9 in Class AAAAA, travel 250 miles to Snellville today to face Gwinnett County power Brookwood (0-2). Kickoff comes at 7:30 p.m.
“We have got to be ready, and we’ve got to play a great game,” Valdosta head coach Rick Tomberlin said. “Look at all Brookwood’s got going for them. This is their first home game. They’re 0-2. They’ve got Valdosta coming. They’re going to be a tough opponent. We’ve got to play well, and we’ve got to do it on the road.”
It will be a long day for the Wildcats. They’ll leave Valdosta High School at 9 a.m., after attending their first-period classes, and won’t return until 3 a.m. Saturday. Along the way, they’ll eat lunch in Macon, an early dinner at Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, then arrive at Brookwood at 5:15 to get ready for the game.
This is the only long trip Valdosta will make this season, until the playoffs. They will be riding in charter buses, thanks to the school and the Valdosta Touchdown Club.
“We’re taking the Cadillac of chartered buses. They’re going to be nice,” Tomberlin said.
Brookwood enters the game 0-2, but those losses came to defending state co-champion Roswell (10-7) and No. 6 North Gwinnett (22-21).
“They’re the best 0-2 team in the nation. I’ll guarantee you that,” Tomberlin said. “They look like Boston College to me. They’ve got that red and gold on their uniforms, like Boston College. Some of their starters could probably play for Boston College, because they’re so big and so good.
“They’re unbelievably dangerous. They’re 0-2, which is the worst thing that could happen. They lost to a co-state champion, Roswell, 10-7, and they played them about equal, and maybe had better stats. Then they lost to North Gwinnett, who were quarterfinalists last year and had 16 starters back. They had two punts and a kick blocked in that game.”
The best matchup will be Brookwood’s running game, which has been hard to stop, facing Valdosta’s rushing defense, which has been nearly immovable. Last week, Broncos running back Kenny Miles gained 218 yards against North Gwinnett. Valdosta has held both of its opponents, Jordan and Collins Hill, to negative rushing yards. But the Beetdiggers and the Eagles used a pass-heavy spread offense. Brookwood runs the ball most of the time, and will test the Wildcats’ front seven a lot more tonight.
“They’ve got the best run game we’ve seen, by far,” Tomberlin said. “The quarterback (Terrance Davis) has committed to Wake Forest. The I-back (Miles) looks like Herschel Walker. The fullback is a big old boy. The tight end and those big linemen look like college players.”
The Broncos have had a slew of big offensive linemen over the years, which works well with their power running attack. Four of Brookwood’s linemen this year — seniors A.J. Mackey, Hunter Simms and Eric Grube and junior Kellen Williams — are 280 pounds or bigger, opening holes for Miles and other runners. Davis is also a threat to run, with his blazing speed.
Brookwood’s defense is young, but still talented. Davis, a free safety, is the only starter from last year who didn’t graduate. But that inexperience didn’t keep the Broncos from holding the No. 1 team in the state, Roswell, to just 10 points.
Valdosta has started the season strong, with consecutive wins. The Wildcats, who averaged just 12 points a game last year, scored 23 points against Jordan and 31 against Collins Hill. The defense posted a shutout last week, and held the Eagles to just 50 yards of total offense.
“We’re happy with where we’re at, but it’s only been two games,” Tomberlin said. “There’s still a lot of football left to play, and we’ve got to keep getting better. We’ve got a tough one this week.”
Last year, Valdosta’s defense kept Brookwood out of the end zone, yet the Broncos still won 9-7. Dawson Zimmerman, now a senior, kicked field goals of 24, 29 and 41 yards for the Broncos’ points. Brookwood managed just 82 yards of total offense that night, but the only offense Valdosta could muster was Michael Turner’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Brian Mathis.
Valdosta and Brookwood are traditionally two of AAAAA’s top programs. In the past 12 years, Brookwood has a state championship (1996) and two runner-up finishes (2002 and 2005). Valdosta, of course, has won 23 state championships.
The teams have split their four meetings, all since 1996.
Valdosta at Brookwood
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Brookwood Community Stadium
Radio: Tod Edwards and Jay Clark on WAAC 92.9
Directions to Brookwood: Take I-75 north to Atlanta. Take I-675 (Exit 227) north until it connects with I-285. Go east on I-285. Take U.S. 78/Stone Mountain Freeway (Exit 39B) east for 13 miles. Turn left on Highpoint Road, and go 2.5 miles. Highpoint’s name will change to Hollybrook Road. Park at Brookwood Elementary School, which is next to the stadium.
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Valdosta High running back David Arnold looks upfield after escaping Collins Hill's Brad Wood last Friday.
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