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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The losing continues
Tommy Hanson says the Braves aren’t in panicking after their longest losing streak in two years reached eight games.
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Gulf South approves invitation to Lee University
The Gulf South Conference’s search for additional members bore fruit when GSC Commissioner Nate Salant announced the GSC Executive Committee’s unanimous approval of an invitation to Lee University to apply for membership.
The approval comes on the heels of a recommendation from the GSC Expansion Committee, which visited Lee University’s campus last week -
Dario Franchitti wins Indy again
Dan Wheldon couldn’t win his third Indianapolis 500. Dario Franchitti did it for him.
And if it wasn’t going to be Franchitti, then it would be Scott Dixon. Maybe even Tony Kanaan.
No matter what, one of Wheldon’s best buddies was going to Victory Lane. -
VSU teams hosting summer camps
The national champion Valdosta State softball team will host two separate summer camps this summer, as well as weekly clinics throughout the summer.
The two summer camps will be held on June 11-13 and July 9-11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The camps will cost $100 each. -
David Dean Youth Camp begins next week
The David Dean Youth Football Camp is quickly approaching.
The fourth annual camp will be held May 29-June 1 at the Athletic Fieldhouse off Mary Street. -
National champion head coach rewarded with new truck
National champion head coach rewarded with new truck Valdosta State head softball coach Thomas Macera was rewarded with a new Toyota Tacoma from Valdosta Toyota on Wednesday for his team’s 4-1 victory over the University of California-San Diego in the Division II Softball National Championship Game.
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Valwood’s Savino, Elliott named All-State soccer
Two Valwood boys’ soccer players have been named to the GISA Class AA All-State team.
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All-American again
Go ahead and add another award to resume of this year’s Valdosta State softball team.
Between conference player of the week awards, a national player of the week award, All-Conference and All-Region honors and four All-American awards, the national champion Blazers had plenty of individuals honored for performances throughout the season, which ultimately led to VSU’s first ever softball national title. -
Local area events coming soon
Several local area runs will take place in the coming weeks.
Monday, May 28, there will be a Memorial Day 5K, which will begin at 8 a.m. from the VECA School located on the corner of Azalea Drive and College Street. -
Tech bound
Donjahae Jones gets it done in the classroom and on the track.
One of the top students in her class, and one of the top track and field competitors in the state, Jones will be taking her talents to the Division I level after she signed a track and field scholarship with Georgia Tech on Tuesday. - More Local Sports Headlines
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