VALDOSTA —
Seven games into the 2012 season and the Valwood Valiants are exactly where they want to be: Sitting with a perfect 7-0 record and a share of first place in Region 2-IAA.
Tonight, the Valiants will look to improve to 8-0 on the season and move closer to a second straight region championship when they host the Westwood Wildcats at Goddard Field. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Before kickoff, Valwood will honor its 11 football seniors with a senior night ceremony, as tonight is the final home regular season game of the year for the Valiants. Unlike in years past, the senior ceremony will be held prior to the game and will begin at 7 p.m, according to head coach Ashley Henderson.
The Valwood senior class — which includes Rashad Mathis, Khary Paige, Gerrick Williams, Jake Lastinger, Tyler Williams, Dashon Day, Allan Taylor, Jackson Pegg, Aulden Bynum, Griffin Clyatt and Austin Wilkes — has recorded 26 wins compared to just five losses the past three seasons, including back-to-back appearances in the Class AA state semifinals.
“It is a big night for those guys,” Henderson said. “Their first year they went 1-9 and they have turned it around. There are a lot of wins in this senior class. We are just trying to keep that going and what a better way to celebrate that by having a big game on senior night.”
The big game Henderson referred to pits his top-ranked Valiants against a 6-1 Wildcats team in a marquee matchup within the GISA. Both teams are tied for first place in the region with a 2-0 record.
The winner will be just one of two teams remaining that will have an undefeated record inside the region following tonight’s action.
“After this game is over, there are only going to be two undefeated teams in the region,” Henderson explained. “It is go time now.”
While tonight is the final home regular season game of the year for the Valiants, a win tonight and next week at Brookwood will go a long way in Valwood securing a home playoff game to begin the postseason.
“This is the only guaranteed home game remaining,” Henderson said.
“If these seniors want to play in front of mom and dad at home again, they are going to have to keep winning.”
Winning tonight will be one of the hardest tasks of the season for the Valiants. Westwood has a proven track record of winning, even if at a lower classification.
“They are the two-time state champions in Class A,” Henderson said. “They are a really good football team. I mean, they hadn’t lost a game in the past two years until earlier this year.”
The Wildcats won the back-to-back state championships in 2010 and 2011 with undefeated records. Their 27-game winning streak came to an end earlier this season when they lost to Stratford Academy, a Class AAA school, 17-0.
Since the loss, Westwood has won five straight games, including a 42-0 drubbing of Sherwood Christian last week.
Henderson described the Wildcats as a physical football team on both sides of the football.
“Coach (Ross) Worsham used to be at Lowndes under Coach Milt Miller and he does an awesome job. You can see that out there. They play hard for four quarters.”
Offensively, Westwood is a shotgun-based team that runs the football the majority of the time. On defense, they are just as smash-mouth, according to Henderson.
Valwood won its seventh game of the season with a commanding 43-7 win over Terrell Academy last week in Albany. Like in previous weeks, Valwood was aided by several early touchdowns, which were set up by creating turnovers on the defensive side of the football.
“We have been fortunate to score points on defense too,” Henderson said. “Not only to cause a turnover but to take it to the end zone for six (points).”
Last week, the Valiants led by two scores late in the first quarter when Terrell Academy attempted a pass. Valwood intercepted the pass and returned it for a touchdown.
“Being down by two scores at the end of the first quarter, you have to feel like you have a chance,” Henderson said. “And then that happened. That hurts.”
The Valiants have forced turnovers in every game, and has scored either defensive touchdowns or a special teams touchdown in six of its seven games this season.
Valwood football can be heard all season long on The Jock 1150 AM, 96.1 FM.
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Rashad Mathis is one of several Valwood senior football players who will be honored before tonight’s game against Westwood. Mac Ingram | Special to the Times
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Valiants to honor seniors tonight at Goddard Field
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