For the second game in a row, the Valdosta State football team led 24-0 before the fourth quarter. But this time, the Blazers were able to hold on for the win.
Nine days after falling to Delta State 35-31, VSU defeated West Alabama 37-0 in Livingston, Ala. The Blazers dominated from early on and kept up the pressure until the final minutes. VSU handed the Tigers their first shutout of the season.
The Blazers led 24-0 at half and continued to hold the Tigers’ option offense, while progressing its own offense in the second half.
The Valdosta State football team got off to a solid start against West Alabama in the first half, marching up and down the field, even mixing in some I formation.
VSU ran out to a 24-0 halftime lead by playing possession football, eating time off the clock.
The Blazers started the scoring on a dominating drive after halting West Alabama. VSU took the Tigers’ punt from its own 14-yard line and used 10 runs in 14 plays to march 86 yards in 6:30.
The final play of VSU’s longest-lasting drive of the season was a 3-yard run by quarterback Willie Copeland.
The Tigers also had success running the ball, especially from freshman quarterback Terry Allen. Allen, however, had a miscue early when he pitched the ball right into the hands of VSU defensive back Greg Petty.
On the Blazers’ ensuing drive, senior running back Michael Terry’s had a 41-yard run, down inside the 10. Terry got the handoff again near the goal line, and marched into the end zone, lifting VSU to a 14-0 lead after a four-play, 54-yard drive.
After Zac Williams hit a 22-yard field goal for the Blazers, VSU’s defense held West Alabama to limited yards, and then the Blazers’ offense showed its explosiveness.
For most of the first half, VSU was attacking a smaller defensive line for the Tigers by running the ball, amassing 128 first-half rushing yards.
For the Blazers’ third touchdown, they didn’t need to put the ball on the ground. Copeland tossed a pass to Josh Raham, who took it up field, running for a 51-yard touchdown.
VSU started the second half, the way it ended the first, aggressively.
On their first drive of the second half, VSU used over three minutes of time to waltz 70 yards for a touchdown. Copeland found fellow senior Jeffrey Felton for a 32-yard touchdown reception, bringing the score to 30-0 after a blocked extra point.
A couple of drives later, the Blazers were halted within the Tigers 5-yard line on two handoffs to Michael Terry, and VSU went for it on fourth-and-1.
The Blazers converted the fourth down conversion and put six points on the board. Copeland tossed left to Terry for the 1-yard score. Zac Williams tacked on the extra point for a 37-0 lead.
VSU headed into the locker room at halftime with its coaches, preaching to keep focused, and not suffer the same fate as it had in a 35-31 loss to Delta State nine days earlier.
That loss moved the Blazers to No. 2 in the Southeast Region rankings, behind Delta State, who lost to North Alabama Saturday.
North Alabama will most likely move from No. 3 in the region to No. 1, as they travel to Valdosta to face the Blazers on Saturday.
Local Sports
Blazers dominate West Alabama on Saturday
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Lady Packers beat Lowndes, 55-48
The Colquitt County Lady Packers handed the Lowndes Vikettes a second straight loss Tuesday night, 55-48.
Jamesia Jones led Lowndes with 10 points, while Courtne Washington had nine. Tasia Brown finished with eight. -
Braves unveil another alternate home uniform
Hank Aaron recognized the look. Just not the feel.
The Atlanta Braves unveiled a new alternate home uniform Monday that is based on the attire worn when the team moved from Milwaukee in 1966, with Aaron as its biggest star. -
Valdosta native Garland named to Armstrong Atlantic HOF
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Freeman, Trojans finalize '12 schedule
The Brooks County Trojans’ football motto is to ‘bring the hammer’ each and every Friday night.
Well, the Trojans now know exactly who they will have to bring that hammer to this upcoming season, as head coach Maurice Freeman recently finalized Brooks County’s 2012 football schedule. -
New York wins Super Bowl
Eli Manning and the Giants one-upped Tom Brady and the Patriots again, coming back with a last-minute touchdown to beat New England 21-17 Sunday night for New York’s fourth Super Bowl title.
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Blazer softball sweeps Nova Southeastern
On Super Bowl Sunday, Valdosta State showed why it has been one of the super teams in the south region for years now.
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Blazers fall to Saints
Just 24 hours after earning an impressive opening day victory, the Valdosta State baseball team struggled to find a rhythm against North Georgia, as the Blazers fell to the Saints 8-3.
North Georgia pitcher Blake Hobby was a major factor for VSU’s struggles. The senior right-hander held the Blazers to just one run on four hits across his eight innings of work on the hill. -
Tift County wins region wrestling championship
Tift County won the Region 1-AAAAA traditional wrestling championship on Saturday at Lowndes High School.
Tift had three individual region champions, had wrestlers place in the top three in 13 of the 14 weight classes and qualified wrestlers for next weekend’s sectional tournament in all 14 weight classes. Tift earned 184 team points, two points more than second-place Lowndes. -
Wildcats beat Crisp in overtime
Valdosta’s boys basketball team dominated the overtime period, and defeated Crisp County 66-56 on Saturday night at the VHS gym.
The Wildcats outscored the Cougars 17-7 in overtime to pull away for the win.
“Another big win,” Valdosta head coach Antonio Haynes said. “I’m happy for the guys. They played hard. They deserved this win.” - More Local Sports Headlines
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Lady Packers beat Lowndes, 55-48
