Valdosta receivers sting Hornets in scrimmage

Published 4:00 pm Saturday, August 2, 2025

ADEL — Friday night lights returned for the Valdosta Wildcats on the road Aug. 1. The ‘Cats are now looking the regular season squarely in the eye after scrimmaging the Cook Hornets at Cook Memorial Stadium.

Becky Taylor/Valdosta Daily Times
Marquis Fennell keeps his feet inbounds as he shakes off two Cook defenders during a 30-yard touchdown reception.

The Wildcats were top at the end of the three varsity quarters, 34-13. Valdosta had the lone touchdown of the 12-minute junior varsity portion, which saw them fend off a Cook goal line stand as time expired.

It took a few drives for the varsity offense begin clicking but they rolled after that. Momentum came through the air.

The teams exchanged punts to begin the evening. After getting the ball back, the Wildcats began a 76-yard march to paydirt, capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Tripp Perry to Eldemetris Hunter.

Hunter had the only score of the first quarter. The second frame saw Valdosta explode for four more.

Deron Foster doubled the lead to 14-0 on a three-yard run at 10:50 in the second.

Cook went three-and-out, but a long punt seemingly had the visitors pinned at their on 11, a placement that went to the 6 after a penalty.

VHS got out of that with a short pass, then one much longer.

Jamarian Mingo slipped past the Hornet secondary and was wide open near midfield. He caught the pass there and ran untouched for an 86-yard touchdown.

Valdosta went to a hurry-up offense after forcing another three-and-out and starting at their own 13.

Foster picked up a first down at the Cook 44. Perry threw deep twice and while the Hornets knocked away both, the second resulted in pass interference.

Cook batted away a would-be touchdown pass to Prince Jean. Valdosta scored on the next play, but with a slightly different strategy.

Perry threw a short sideline pass to Marquis Fennell and he exploded from there. Fennell shook off two Hornet defenders inside the 5 and tumbled into the end zone at 2:51 to increase the lead to 27-0.

Nineteen seconds later, the Hornets were on the scoreboard, but in a very unusual way.

Cook picked up some yards on the kickoff return, but the returner was stripped of the football at about the 30. The ball bounded into the arms of Markeise Miller and he darted down the sideline for a score.

Though they got the ball back at 2:32, VHS squeezed in another touchdown before intermission.

In two plays, the ‘Cats were at the 47. A Jean reception meant the ball was at the 34 with 1:30 to go.

Foster ran to the 15 and later to the 1 before going in from there with 27 seconds left. The half ended with Valdosta ahead 34-7.

Valdosta made wholesale changes to its lineup in the third period. The best drive in these minutes reached the 4, where Cook blocked a field goal try.

The Wildcats blocked a kick, too. After M.J. Tippins was on the receiving end of a 50-yard Cook TD, Valdosta batted down the point-after attempt.

Valdosta’s JV squad ran for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

From here, the Wildcats have two weeks to prepare for an invasion of Tucker. The DeKalb County Tigers went 7-4 in 2024, but fell 65-19 to VHS in the opener.