VALDOSTA —
In between two-a-day practices, team building exercises and sleeping on an air mattress on the gymnasium floor, in late July, Valwood offensive lineman Aulden Bynum found time to send out a tweet to one of his team’s first opponents of the season.
“Tiftarea we are in here at camp getting ready for y’all,” his tweet read.
Bynum’s tweet was just one tweet in a long string of social media smack talk that took place this summer between the two GISA schools that have become rivals over the past few seasons.
Despite the increased intensity, tonight is an exhibition game, and according to GISA rules, no score will be kept and no kickoffs or punts will be held. Instead, tonight’s game will serve as a strong measuring stick for the rest of the season.
“It is an opportunity to play under the lights at home,” Valwood head coach Ashley Henderson said. “It is a dress rehearsal for the real thing. We have to use this as a teaching tool. When we get done, we will be able to evaluate the film. There is a lot we can get out of this.”
Tonight’s exhibition meeting will mark the 12th meeting in the last 11 seasons between the two schools, although this season is the first meeting in preseason fashion. Valwood holds a two-game winning streak over the Panthers after a 25-21 win in 2010 and a 62-0 blowout victory last season.
Tonight is different, though. Both teams enter looking to improve and build towards the regular season.
“It is a very controlled format,” Henderson explained. “There won’t be special teams, except extra point and field goal. We are running on a script, with the amount of plays we run.”
Like the teams, both head coaches are very familiar with one another. Henderson and Tiftarea coach Ryan Branch were both on staff at Valdosta last season, and their teams this season look very familiar.
“They have some skilled athletes,” Henderson said of Tiftarea. “They run the same exact offense and defense as us. Scheme wise, we are going to be very similar.”
The Valiants enter the season with high-expectations and ambitions of winning the state championship. Under former head coach Brannon Tidwell, who took the head coach position at Cardinal Newman High School in Columbia, S.C., the Valiants made back-to-back appearances in the state semifinals in 2010 and 2011.
With high expectations and ambitions, the Valiants have plenty of key returning players. Quarterback Jake Lastinger is back to lead the offense, while a dominating trio of linemen — Bynum, Griffin Clyatt and Jackson Pegg — are back to anchor both the offensive and defensive lines.
Wide receiver and defensive back Rashad Mathis is back for his fourth season. Running back and linebacker Khary Paige, who finished the 2011 season just shy of 2,000 rushing yards and with 23 total touchdowns, returns to carry the Valiants’ running game.
Altogether, the Valiants have more depth than ever, with 33 players on the roster, nine more than what participated in spring practice in May.
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Valwood welcomes Tiftarea for scrimmage
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