VALDOSTA — The Lowndes Vikings have won their biggest game of the year, then they clinched the playoffs, and a week later they won the Region 1-AAAAA title.
Now they have to play one final regular season game to determine nothing as far as playoff seeding.
Where’s the motivation going to come from for the Vikings?
“They knocked us out of the playoffs last year,” Lowndes coach Randy McPherson said. “There’s your motivation.”
The Demons (3-6, 2-3 in Region 1-AAAAA) and the Vikings (8-1, 5-0) met in the final game of the regular season last year, with both teams needing a win to get into the playoffs.
The Demons in their first year in Region 1-AAAAA came away with the victory, and the Vikings had to watch their playoffs dreams fall apart in a game between Coffee and Houston County the next day.
Warner Robins defeated the Vikings 16-6 at Martin Stadium a year and two days ago, behind a strong special teams effort.
The game was a close one with a 95-yard Warner Robins kickoff return and field position being the difference.
Even though the teams are on different ends of the experience spectrum this season, the Vikings are still keeping 2006 in their minds.
Lowndes graduated under ten seniors from the team that lost that Nov. night, while Warner Robins returns under ten starters.
“We want to win every game,” McPherson said.
The Vikings have just about done that, except for the first game of the season, falling 9-0 to Harrison in a scene from the “Perfect Storm.”
The Demons meanwhile lost their first three, losing to Camden County, Northside Warner Robins and a 47-24 overtime defeat against Central Gwinnett (the Vikings defeated Central 42-0 a week later).
The Demons also lost three of their last four to Valdosta (20-0), Coffee (41-38 in overtime) and Tift County (20-13).
“Warner Robins is tough, I don’t know how they got the record they have,” McPherson said. “You look at them on tape, and they’re tough.”
The Demons returning strengths are on the defensive and offensive line. Senior Rob Bailey anchors the offensive line with his 6-4, 330-pound frame. On the defensive side, defensive end Jordan Sanders and tackle Thomas Bruce bring some experience from last year’s state semifinals team.
“They’re certainly good enough to beat anybody in this region if you don’t play well,” McPherson said.
The Vikings are also capable of beating anyone, as they have shown.
While every other Region 1-AAAAA team has fallen to the Vikings, they still are looking to defeat the Demons and spring board into the playoffs.
“We want to go forwards not backwards,” McPherson said. “We want to go out there and get better. I think we’ve got a shot to compete, but we don’t want to go out there and go backwards.”
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