VALDOSTA —
Fourth. That was where the Valdosta State football team was ranked in the first Division II Super Region 2 rankings, released Monday afternoon.
The Blazers are ranked fourth after starting the season with a 6-2 overall record and a 5-2 record against Division II competition.
“I thought we would be about three or four,” Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. “If you look at the national rankings, we are the third ranked team in the South Region. So I figured we would be somewhere in there around three or four.”
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) leader Miles is ranked No. 1 in Super Region 2 with a 7-1 record against Division II schools. Mars Hill is ranked second with a 5-1 record against DII competition, followed by West Alabama, who is 4-1 against Division II teams.
Carson-Newman is ranked fifth and Fort Valley State is ranked sixth. Both teams have 5-2 records against Division II competition.
The top six teams in the final region rankings, set to be released Sunday, Nov. 11, will make up the playoff field.
The top two seeded teams will receive bye weeks in the first round, while the third seed will host the sixth seed and the fourth seed will host the fifth seed. The playoffs begin Nov. 17.
“The thing is, it is going to change,” said Dean of the rankings. “We have three weeks left in the regular season, so a lot of those folks are going to play each other and have tough games yet to play. All we can do is take care of ourselves.”
Lenoir-Rhyne (4-2), Wingate (5-3), Newberry (5-3) and Albany State (5-3) round out the top 10 of the rankings.
The Blazers visit Gulf South Conference newcomer Shorter Thursday night in the GSC Game of the Week.
With such a quick turnaround, the Blazers couldn’t afford to take a day off, and practiced Sunday and Monday night under the lights at their practice facility.
“I was very pleased,” Dean said of practice. “I was really surprised that we came out with the spunk and the fire that we did. I thought, coming off three emotional games and a very physical football game from the day before, I thought we would have to be pulling teeth a little bit. And it was actually pretty good. I was pleased.”
VSU will practice again Tuesday afternoon before holding a walk through Wednesday afternoon. The Blazers will depart for Shorter on Wednesday evening.
With the region rankings being released hours before Monday night’s practice, the Blazers now understood where they stood in the aspect of earning a playoff berth.
“Our players know what is at stake now,” Dean said. “They put themselves in a position to be in the playoff hunt. I’m sure when they find out they are ranked in the top six of the region that will create a little bit of juice.”
Saturday’s 59-41 win over rival Delta State, the Blazers’ first victory over the Statesmen since 2005, was a physical football game. Several players left with injuries.
Dean said offensive lineman Edmund Kugbila is questionable for Thursday’s game, while wide receiver Quin Roberson (neck) is out, along with defensive lineman Andrew Lauritsen (ankle) and defensive back Xavier Crane (broken arm).
“There are some guys limping around,” quarterback Cayden Cochran said. “But I think, for the most part, we are all right. Edmund is a little sore, he is walking around with a stiff leg, but for the most part, we are all right.”
Local Sports
Blazers ranked fourth in first region rankings
VSU preparing for Shorter on short week
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VSU eliminated
Valdosta State softball’s bid for a national title repeat came up short this season.
The Blazers were eliminated from the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament Saturday with a 7-5 loss in nine innings to Armstrong Atlantic University, a school based off the Georgia coast in Savannah. -
Win or go home
The Valdosta State softball team faces Armstrong Atlantic University in an elimination game for the 2013 Division II Softball Championship Tournament today at noon.
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HOOPER: An early look at the 2013 football season
I haven’t written a column in quite some time, largely because there has been so much going on and we haven’t always had the space, nor have I felt up to it after writing so many other stories.
But today, I am writing this column and taking up the inches in the daily sports section and giving a little love to the upcoming football season. -
Blazers fall to Molloy in eight innings
With only one out remaining and trailing by three, the Molloy Lions strung together four hits to plate three runs in the seventh followed by another run in the eighth inning to defeat Valdosta State’s softball team 5-4 in the first round of the 2013 Division II Softball National Championship Tournament on Thursday in Salem, Va.
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Albritton, Johnson earn All-America honors
Valdosta State softball players Courtney Albritton and Morgan Johnson gathered multiple All-America honors late Wednesday night.
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Golfers take course for Wounded Warriors
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Valwood football hosting 4-man scramble golf tourney
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VHS football cheerleaders to host Junior Cheer Camp
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Gillespie, McPherson pleased with spring practices
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Then again, both coaches know their teams have a ways to go before the start of the football season. -
Signing day at VHS
It was signing day galore at Valdosta High School Wednesday.
Six student-athletes signed national letter of intents to compete at the next level, while two VHS athletes both signed academic scholarships to Division I universities. - More Local Sports Headlines
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