VALDOSTA — Overall, Valdosta High’s spring season was a productive one.
The Wildcats entered spring practice faced with a lot of holes to fill, after graduating 16 starters off of last year’s team. Ten practices later, the coaches feel they are a better football team.
“This is one of the best springs I’ve been a part of,” Valdosta head coach Rick Tomberlin said. “We got a lot done.”
Friday night, Valdosta’s first-team offense scored touchdowns on two of its first three possessions, but was shut out after that by the first-team defense. The defense was ahead of the offense most of the spring, but the offense had its moments.
Valdosta’s coaches put the Wildcats through a physical, hard-hitting spring.
“We were very physical. It was full pads, full contact all 10 days,” Tomberlin said. “We did a lot of hitting. They really got after one another. Our ones have been very competitive.”
Tomberlin says he’s pleased with the team’s improvement.
“We’ve come a long way this spring,” the third-year head coach said. “We’re not ready to beat Lowndes or Northside yet, but we’re taking steps to being a real contender in (Region) 1-AAAAA.”
The defense has made big strides, Tomberlin says, after losing eight starters from last year. The leaders on defense this spring were the three returning starters — linebacker Michael Gilliard, defensive tackle Parker Mathis and defensive end Damian Doe — but other players have also stepped up to fill some of the unit’s holes.
Tomberlin also praised the improvement of the offensive line, which will have three new starters and played this spring without standout left tackle Antonio Foster, who was held out of practice while he recovered from an injury.
Valdosta will have a talented group of receivers, led by sophomore Jay Rome, who had a big spring, returning starter Tavoris Belcher and Dontavius Sapp, who got a lot of snaps in 2007 as a sophomore.
Looking at the team, Tomberlin believes the 2008 Wildcats will be the biggest and strongest he has had since becoming the head coach in 2006. He feels like the team’s weight program and agility drills have made a big difference.
“I believe that we really will be bigger, faster and stronger than we’ve been the last two years,” Tomberlin said. “Will we be better? That remains to be seen. We’ve still got a long way to go. But we will be bigger, faster and stronger.”
Question marks still remain for Valdosta. Foremost is the quarterback situation, with four-year starter Michael Turner having moved on. Kyle Rowe and Chad Prain, the top two candidates to replace Turner under center, did not take a single snap in practice, because they are playing for Valdosta’s baseball team, which competes in the state quarterfinals on Tuesday. But Tomberlin says they will be getting a lot of reps during the summer and especially once the pads come on in the fall.
Running back is also a big concern, since the Wildcats have lost college signees David Arnold (Georgia Southern) and Marcus McNair (Valdosta State). A number of backs lined up in the backfield this spring, led by Tim Kier and Vashun Johnson, but none of them separated themselves from the pack.
“We need somebody to step up at running back,” Tomberlin said. “We’ve got two big question marks there. At fullback, we feel like Damian Doe (also a defensive lineman), Desmond Smith and Emanuel Virgo are going to be able to get the job done. At I-back, we’re working Tim Kier, Vashun Johnson, Justin Williams, Reggie McQueen and possibly a couple of others who were ineligible. We’re hoping an I-back will step up.”
Valdosta will also be looking for a kicker. John Mark Stephenson, a junior, will be the starter heading into the fall, but Raphael Duncan and Stephen Adams are two other kickers who will compete for the job.
The Wildcats’ numbers are real high. The team ended spring with 97 players on varsity, and Tomberlin says basically all of the players are committed to doing what it takes to be in the program.
“We’ve got a good group of kids,” Tomberlin said. “I think, over two seasons and three offseasons, we’ve been able to eliminate the guys that don’t really want to be Wildcats. We’ve got a lot of guys out there that want to be Wildcats, and are willing to lift weights and run and be here for our workouts, and that’s encouraging.”
Valdosta’s players will take a break from football to finish out school, but will be back in the weight room for voluntary summer workouts in June.
Local Sports
Related Photos
-
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times
-
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times
-
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times
-
Pat Gallagher/The Valdosta Daily Times
Discussion
Good spring for ’Cats
- Local Sports
-
-
The losing continues
Tommy Hanson says the Braves aren’t in panicking after their longest losing streak in two years reached eight games.
-
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.
-
Valwood’s Savino, Elliott named All-State soccer
Two Valwood boys’ soccer players have been named to the GISA Class AA All-State team.
-
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
-
