VALDOSTA — Valdosta is Georgia’s prep football mecca. And it had plenty of prep football Saturday.

Valdosta State’s third annual passing tournament occupied four 50-yard fields from just afternoon until well after the sun disappeared from the South Georgia sky.

When the dusk had settled, and the last pass had been thrown, Charlton County emerged the winner. The Indians defeated Toombs County in the championship game, 24-2. Jeremy Privett, Charlton’s All-State quarterback, threw three touchdown passes in the final.

With Charlton and Toombs, both AA schools, in the finals, it was the first time in the passing tournament’s short history that both finalists were from Georgia.

In the semifinals, Charlton outdueled the Daytona Beach Football Club, composed primarily of Seabreeze High players, 47-30. Privett and Xavier Lee, Seabreeze’s prep All-American quarterback, put on a show, throwing a combined 12 touchdown passes. In the other semifinal, Toombs defeated North Marion (Fla.) 32-14.

Charlton joined Valdosta’s 2001 team and Seabreeze’s 2002 team as winners of VSU’s passing camp.

“We saw a lot of good action today,” Valdosta State football coach Chris Hatcher, who oversaw the tournament, said. “Congratulations to Charlton County, they played well.”

Hatcher was pleased with the outcome of the tournament. The 32-team field was the biggest they’ve had in their short history. They also had to turn teams away for the first time.

“These leagues are becoming more popular across the country,” Hatcher said. “It gives teams some competition, and a chance to play against other teams. Hopefully this will continue to catch on.”

In the passing leagues, teams can only pass the ball. From the time the ball is snapped, the quarterback has four seconds to throw the ball. The teams wear helmets but no pads, and it’s two-hand touch, not tackling.

Local teams Valdosta and Lowndes each went 2-2 Saturday. The Wildcats lost their opener to the eventual champions, Charlton, and later fell to Bacon County, but defeated Northview and Bainbridge.

“We did all right, but we weren’t running our offense,” Valdosta head coach Rick Darlington said. “It’s going to help us learn to defend the pass, but as far as throwing it around all the time, I don’t think we’re going to do that… (so) I don’t put much stock into (our performance). You put stock into your kids competing.”

Lowndes lost its opener to East Gadsden, 13-10, in a game that came down to the final play, then lost to Toombs in another close one. But the Vikings rebounded to defeat Mays, last year’s runner-up, and Berkmar.

“I thought we got better as the day went on,” Lowndes head coach Randy McPherson said. “This was the first thing we’ve done all summer, so I was pleased with how we played. It was a good experience for us.”

Both schools, however, found their offenses hampered by the passing tournament rules. Valdosta runs the flexbone and Lowndes the Wing-T, both run-heavy offenses. The passing tournament plays more into the hands of pass-happy spread offenses with good passing quarterbacks, like Seabreeze and Charlton.

“This isn’t our offense,” Darlington said. “We’re not a passing team, and we couldn’t run most of our offense here. We knew that.

“We’re better suited for a running league.”

“For us, the run sets up the pass,” McPherson said. “Most of our passes are play action, which doesn’t work here because you can’t run the ball.”