WARNER ROBINS — It wasn’t pretty, but the Valdosta Wildcats prevailed in their season finale over the Houston County Bears, 21-0.
The Wildcats scored three second-half touchdowns to pull away for the victory Saturday night at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.
Valdosta finishes 8-2, its best regular-season record since 2001. The Wildcats, who finish second in Region 1-AAAAA, will be off next week, before opening the AAAAA state playoffs the following Friday against the No. 3 seed from Region 3.
In the first half, each team struggled to get anything going offensively. Valdosta quarterback Michael Turner went 3-for-7 with two interceptions, while the Bears only gained 15 yards on the ground. Even when either team would start to move the ball, a turnover would end the drive. In all, the two teams combined for eight turnovers in the first half.
Then the Wildcats came alive in the second half. After stopping Houston three-and-out on their first drive of the half, Valdosta received the punt and started on their own 47-yard line.
It then became the Marcus McNair and David Arnold show for the Wildcats. Big runs by McNair and a big pass from Turner to Arnold helped Valdosta move the ball to the Houston 3-yard line.
Arnold took the snap and plunged three yards for the first score of the night. The extra point try by Lawrence Clagett sailed wide, but VHS held a 6-0 lead with 6:19 left in the third quarter.
Each team then took turns punting back and forth, until Houston made their move at the start of the fourth quarter. The Bears drove from their own 17-yard line to the Valdosta 34-yard line.
On fourth down, Houston quarterback Jeff Thompson hit Craig Presley for a 20-yard completion and a first down, but a block in the back brought the play back. The Bears had another chance on fourth down, but the pass fell incomplete.
Valdosta rode the momentum of that stop all the way down the field. Looking at a fourth down of their own, Turner hit a wide open McNair for a 25-yard touchdown pass.
Turner hit tight end Marcus Ewings in the end zone for the two-point conversion, and Valdosta held a 14-0 lead with 4:13 left in the game.
The final score for Valdosta came after the Wildcats again stopped the Bears’ offense. Defensive end Jamaal Hunter came up with a big fourth down sack, which gave VHS the ball at the Houston 5-yard line.
Three plays later, Arnold plowed into the end zone from one yard out. Clagett converted the extra point, and Valdosta walked off the field with a 21-0 victory.
For Valdosta, Arnold gained 120 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, and had 40 yards receiving on three catches. McNair had 13 carries for 61 yards and two catches for 24 yards and one touchdown.
Valdosta has played two games at McConnell-Talbert this year, and in both of them, the Wildcat defense has shut out its opponent. Valdosta’s defense has not allowed an offensive point in three of the last four games.
Local Sports
Wildcats close regular season with 21-0 win
Valdosta’s defense records third shutout in last four games
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