VALDOSTA — Valdosta High lost a football game it could ill afford to lose Friday night, falling 35-18 to Coffee.
The Wildcats trailed most of the game, but cut their deficit to 21-18 with 5:04 left in the game. But Coffee scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes to put the game away.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 4-4, and 1-4 in Region 1-AAAAA. Valdosta is still mathematically alive in the playoff race, but will have to win its last two games and get some help to make the playoffs.
On Friday, Coffee (7-1, 4-1 region), the No. 10 team in the state, had more talent, made more big plays, and outplayed Valdosta. The Trojans have now won four of their last seven games against Valdosta, after losing their first 32 from 1924-2001.
Valdosta took the opening kickoff and marched down the field. The Wildcats kept the ball on the ground all nine plays, and moved the ball to the 1. But on both second-and-goal and third-and-goal from the 1, VaShun Johnson was stuffed. John Mark Stephenson kicked a 22-yard field goal, giving the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
Coffee responded by going 56 yards in five plays. On second-and-1 from the Valdosta 22, fullback Melvin Loving took the handoff on an option dive. Loving found a hole, broke through and raced into the end zone for the touchdown. Aaron Lott’s extra point gave the Trojans a 7-0 lead.
Valdosta moved the ball into Coffee territory on the ensuing possession, but fumbled it away. The Trojans took over, and were driven back on their first two plays. Then, facing third-and-17 at their own 32, they went deep. Wide receiver Demario Bennett, a South Carolina commitment, leaped and hauled in L’Shaun Smith’s pass for a 52-yard gain, down to the Wildcat 16. Three plays later, Loving dove over the top from 2 yards out, making it 14-3 at halftime.
On the first drive of the second half, another big Bennett reception led to Coffee’s third touchdown. On second-and-25 from the Valdosta 33, following a penalty, Smith threw a fade pass, and the 6-foot-3 Bennett leaped and hauled it in at the 4. On the next play, Loving scored his third touchdown of the game, making it 21-3.
But Valdosta wasn’t ready to give up yet. The Wildcats drove 75 yards in 11 plays, 10 of them runs, for a touchdown. Justin Williams had a 25-yard run and Johnson a 20-yard gain on consecutive plays, which moved Valdosta into the red zone. Then on fourth-and-goal from the one-foot line, Johnson crossed the goal line, running behind big left tackle Antonio Foster. Valdosta went for the two-point conversion, and quarterback Kyle Rowe hit Chad Prain to cut the deficit to 21-11.
Early in the fourth quarter, Johnson picked off a Smith pass at the Valdosta 25 and raced down the Coffee sideline, all the way to the Trojans’ 19, before being stopped by Smith. That gave the Wildcats a great opportunity, but a 15-yard holding penalty helped stall the drive, and they wound up turning the ball over on downs.
Then the Wildcats caught a break. With the ball at the Trojan 12 — right around where the Ghost of Cleveland Field has long been rumored to hide out — Coffee lined up to punt. The snap went over Lott’s head and into the end zone. Lott ran after the ball, but couldn’t pick it up cleanly. Valdosta’s Rob Morrison fell on the ball for the touchdown, cutting the Wildcats’ deficit to 21-18, and putting them back in the game.
But that was as close as Valdosta would get. On the ensuing possession, Coffee turned to its star back, and Loving delivered, carrying seven times for 52 yards. On fourth-and-goal from the 1, with a chance to put the game away, Loving dove over the top again, and crossed the goal line to make it 28-18 with 1:50 to go.
Valdosta went to the air on the next possession, trying desperately to get a quick score. But on third down, Rowe’s pass fell at the feet of a receiver. Even though the pass went slightly forward, it was ruled a fumble. Coffee’s Darius Turner scooped up the ball, and raced 30 yards for the game’s final score.
Loving rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns in the win. Smith went 5-for-8 for 89 yards and rushed for 45 yards on five carries.
Johnson led Valdosta with 67 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
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Discussion
Coffee upends Valdosta
Wildcats drop to 4-4 after defeat
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