AMERICUS – It’s not often that teams get a second chance, especially on an opposing team’s Homecoming game.

After all, it was only less than three weeks ago that the Valiants squandered a 26-6 lead to Tiftarea Academy on their Homecoming.

However, as Southland Academy’s would-be game-winning 36-yard field goal attempt went wide left, head coach Justin Henderson and the Valiants knew that they were given a second chance as the game headed to overtime knotted at 23.

“The speech before overtime was, ‘Two weeks ago, we lost a game we shouldn’t have lost’,” Henderson said. “‘We put ourselves in that position this week. Only difference is we have a second chance. Don’t waste second chances.’”

The players heard Henderson loud and clear.

The Valiants’ defense forced a four and out on the Raiders’ (3-5, 0-3 District 3-AAA) overtime possession. Then, the Valiants’ offense (6-2, 2-1 District 3-AAA) scored the game-winning touchdown, with junior quarterback Brooks Best scoring from one yard out, to escape Harvey Simpson Stadium with a 29-23 win.

The game unfolded much like last week’s game for the Valiants, with both teams going scoreless in the first quarter.

In the early moments of the second quarter, though the Valiants rolled the dice on fourth down and scored a touchdown. Best connected with senior wide receiver and free safety Eli Pay in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown as the Valiants went up 7-0.

That would only be the beginning of high-risk play calls by both teams.

The Raiders answered the Valiants’ touchdown with one of their own as quarterback Chase Ledger found wide receiver Henry Johnson behind the defense for a 51-yard touchdown pass. The Raiders then ran a fake PAT to go up 8-7.

The play was just one of many instances where Valwood’s defense broke down on second down.

“I don’t know what they did on first down, it wasn’t much,” Henderson said. “I felt like we were giving up just chunks of yardage on second down. [Whether it was] giving up a TD or a big play or just enough to get them into third and manageable, third and reasonable. I mean, as big as they were, on third and three, we were in trouble. That’s two-down territory for them.”

Midway through the third quarter, Valwood retook the lead off a 68-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Triston White. The Valiants were successful on the two-point try as they went ahead 15-8.

Still, the Raiders would not be denied. Ledger kept it himself for a short touchdown run as Southland tied the game at 15 apiece with just over nine minutes left in regulation.

Valwood responded with another touchdown to jump back in front. White broke loose for a 41-yard touchdown run. Best then pulled it on an option to convert the two-point conversion as the Valiants went up 23-15.

It was a stark difference from Valwood’s win last week in which the running game struggled. Henderson lauded White, seeing him as the difference for Valwood’s rushing attack in the second half.

“As long as [White] is healthy, we got a chance to get a good running game going,” Henderson said. “He’s that much of a difference maker. I’m gonna look forward to watching him run the ball for years to come. All it takes is a crease for him.”

Both teams then traded punts, setting up the Raiders with a do or die situation with under four minutes to play. Ledger led the Raiders down the field and threw the game-tying touchdown pass with 40 seconds remaining to seemingly send the game to overtime.

However, the Raiders had one more trick up their sleeves. The Raiders caught the Valiants off guard on the ensuing kickoff, recovering the onside kick to set up a potential game-winning score.

Henderson thought the game would be ended on that drive, especially upon realizing what play the Raiders had dialed up.

“They tried a little tight end dump pass at the end, and I just knew it was tight end quads,” Henderson said. “I knew we were gonna bust the coverage, but when I saw all of our kids running with all their kids, I was like, ‘Oh my god. It must be meant to be because we finally covered everybody up in the passing game.’”

Additionally, it was particularly worrisome for Henderson because Pay and senior free safety and wide receiver Hayes Perry left the game with injuries, dealing a massive blow to Valwood’s secondary.

Still, Henderson was pleased with the players who replaced them.

“To have two of your senior leaders go down and have two freshmen out there at corner and safety just playing their butts off,” Henderson said. “They gave up some plays, big plays in the secondary. But I just never, it was almost like, I mean I was on them because it was almost like they just knew they weren’t gonna lose that game.”

As the game went into overtime, the Valiants came up with the biggest stop of the day, getting back-to-back sacks to end Southland’s overtime possession.

Valwood then punched it in for the game-winning touchdown in just four plays, much to the excitement of Henderson.

“That was the fastest four downs and out I’ve ever seen out of our defense in about five years and the quickest 25-yard touchdown drive I’ve seen in a minute, too,” Henderson said. “They took my words to heart.”

UP NEXT

Valwood travels to Albany to face the Deerfield-Windsor Knights (6-2, 2-1 District 3-AAA) on Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Southland travels to Chula to face the Tiftarea Academy Panthers (1-7, 1-2 District 3-AAA) on Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m.