VALDOSTA — The Georgia High School Association state football playoffs get started tonight and the Georgia Independent Athletic Association brackets pare down four teams to two in its semifinal round.

Though the four high school football teams in the county are at two different levels of playoffs, the goal is the same, and so is the method: Win or go home.

Only Lowndes gets the comfort of its own field tonight. The Vikings meet North Paulding at Martin Stadium. Valdosta will play at Walton, Valwood at Tiftarea Academy and Georgia Christian at Westminster of Augusta.

LOWNDES-NORTH PAULDING

Tonight’s matchup at the Concrete Palace will be the first ever between the squads, not surprising considering the Wolfpack are one of Georgia’s youngest teams.

North Paulding only began football in 2008, joining the state’s top classification in 2014. In this short time, the Wolfpack have been solid with 11 state appearances over a 13-year span, but have been past the second round once, in 2013. Last season, they were a second round school, at 9-3.

The record dipped to 6-4 in 2024. Three losses were in region to knock them to the No. 3 seed

North Paulding leans towards rushing to gets its yardage. James Skelly is a 1,000-yard rusher, picking up an average seven yards per carry. He has 19 touchdowns. Khalil Harrell has 460 yards and five touchdowns. On average, the ‘Pack gain 6.8 yards per carry, according to MaxPreps.

Quarterback Tyler Niehr is an infrequent runner, but as effective as the others when he does. Niehr, a junior, has 1,500 passing yards, but more interceptions than touchdowns to show for it. Dube Enongene is the team’s main receiver, at 665 yards and five touchdowns.

Lowndes’ defense presents a stiff test for North Paulding. The Vikings are among the best in Georgia, allowing only 12.7 points per game. Only two opponents have crossed the 20-point barrier, one being Colquitt County in the Vikes’ only loss this year.

All the Viking defense is doing is averaging six tackles for losses per game as well as two turnovers — they have forced 13 interceptions and 11 fumbles. They have an amazing four blocked field goals this year.

Montel Hundley has been particularly adept and dropping the opposition behind the line. He has 12 TFLs, six sacks, three fumbles forced and 15 hurries. All lead Lowndes, except tackles for losses, which he shares with Landen Wright.

Marvis Parrish, the Vikings’ do-everything man, was named Co-Region Player of the Year earlier this week.

Despite their dominance, Lowndes has not been ranked a single week. A deep playoff run could propel them into the final rankings.

Tonight’s winner jumps straight into the fire next week, facing either Buford (9-1) or East Coweta (4-6). Buford currently has a nine-game winning streak.

VALDOSTA-WALTON

Though Walton is a much older program than North Paulding, they have only seen the Wildcats once, a quarterfinals game in 2004 (VHS won, 17-14). That game was at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.

The No. 2 team in Region 5, the Raiders went 7-3 in the regular season. They were ranked for the first three weeks, but a two-game losing streak knocked them out of the top 10 and they did not return. Walton lost once in region, to champion North Cobb.

Walton has a balanced offense. Their leading receiver, Christian Ward has 717 yards (nine touchdowns), and the leading rusher, Lucas Farrington, has 713 (16 touchdowns).

Kaeden Gilstrap, Raiders’ QB, doesn’t mind taking off. He’s run 92 times for 459 yards, with one 100-yard game. Through the air, he has 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Walton reached the Class 7A finals in 2024, but this is Gilstrap’s first year starting under center for the team. Ward transferred in from Carrollton, where he had a touchdown in the game against last Valdosta last year.

Valdosta went from No. 1 seed to No. 3 in the regular season finale against Lowndes. The Wildcats did get 202 passing yards from Todd Robinson, the most for the Co-Region Player of the Year since the region opener against Camden County. Robinson also led the team with 65 rushing yards, a good sign as he heals up from an ankle injury.

Prince Jean was the top receiver against the Vikings, something he was often a year ago. Eli Lewis and Eldemetrius Hunter have given the Wildcats more depth at that position.

The victor in tonight’s contest will have it even tougher next week. They are bracketed to face either Dacula or Carrollton, the No. 1 team in Class 6A. Dacula, coached by former Colquitt Packer Reggie Stancil, is 4-6. Carrollton, with Ju Ju Lewis quarterbacking, is 10-0 and outscoring opponents by an average of 33 points per game.

VALWOOD-TIFTAREA

Tonight’s meeting between the two schools is the 41st in 40 years. Despite the schools being barely 40 miles apart, a handful of these games have been deep in the playoffs.

Twice they’ve played one another in the semifinals and twice in the finals. They’ve split both series. Valwood won in 1986’s semifinals, then blasted Baker Academy in the championship. In 1987, the Panthers won the semi, then lost to Baker.

No matter Friday’s outcome, there is one guarantee: Neither will face Baker Academy, which closed in 1988.

Valwood got 142 passing yards and two touchdowns from Asher Wells last Friday against Frederica Academy, a 35-14 victory that saw the Valiants push ahead early.

Both Wells and Braylon Neal continued their fine play, with Neal rushing for 92. Hudson Paylo and Gavin Chambers each had four tackles for losses.

They are even more familiar with the Panthers than the 41 meetings indicates. Valwood was at Chula just two weeks ago for one of the many classics in the series. Tiftarea won late, 28-21, clinching the District 3-3A title.

Tiftarea (10-1) pulled away in the fourth quarter to make its fifth final four in seven years. J.R. Walker had another big night running, getting 220 yards and three touchdowns. The win, their first over John Milledge in the state playoffs, keeps the Trojans from the championship game for the first time since 2017.

The Panthers’ single loss this season is to Westfield, and by a mere seven points. Despite the overall record of excellence, they were 1-9 two years ago and 3-8-1 in 2023.

Deerfield-Windsor (8-3) goes to Westfield (9-2) for the other GIAA 3A semifinal. It, too, is a rematch. The Knights handed Westfield its first of two losses this season, 33-29 in Albany in August.

GEORGIA CHRISTIAN-WESTMINSTER

Two weeks, two Westminsters for the Generals, who dispatched Westminster Christian of Watkinsville, 44-8. This time, however, they play a Westminster who is No. 1 in the state.

Defending eight-man state champions, the Wildcats are 7-0 to Georgia Christian’s 10-1. Westminster’s average score has been 57-11. No team has come within 21 points of the Augustans, that being Westminster Christian, who was also the only team to hold them under 51 points.

The Wildcats have been able to keep up the energy, even though their midseason schedule was a bit shaky. Hurricane Helene’s damage meant they had only one game from Sept. 20-Oct. 25.

Georgia Christian switched to eight-man in 2024, but it’s been a natural fit for the Generals. They won their first nine of the season, six by shutout. Sherwood Christian stopped the win streak in the season finale, but GCS bounced right back to open state.

Westminster is by by quarterback Levi Murphey, who has 1,400 passing yards in seven games (20 touchdowns) and is additionally their leading rusher at 343 yards with 10 more scores.

Briceten Gaines and Benji Galindo have been major reasons for Georgia Christian’s success this season.

Tonight’s winner will play Sherwood Christian (9-0) or Harvester Christian (9-1) in the state championship game.