Lowndes advances to quarterfinals

Wayne Grandy

November 24, 2007 09:37 pm

— MOULTRIE — If there is a consolation in Colquitt County’s 2-8 record this season, it could be that it came against a schedule this is proving to have been more difficult than many may have believed.
Eight of the Packers 2007 opponents – nine if one counts scrimmage foe Cairo – qualified for the postseason this year and only two – Tift County and Lee County – lost in the first round. Lee County’s trip to the postseason, it should be noted, was more a matter of Region 1-AAAA having just four teams that the Trojans regular-season success.
Two more fell – by a total of six points - on Friday, but Region 1-AAAAA champion Lowndes, Cook, Thomas County Central, Bainbridge and Cairo are still alive with quarterfinal games scheduled this weekend.
LOWNDES ROLLS
The Vikings won their 11th straight game, defeating Douglass 31-12 on Friday and will be back at home this week to play host to 2006 state co-champion Roswell.
Lowndes, 11-1, intercepted six Astros passes, including three by Greg Reid and two by Kelly Dawsey and the Vikings were not forced to punt until the fourth quarter.
Roswell advanced after scoring a controversial touchdown in overtime to defeat Peachtree Ridge 23-20 in a rematch of last year’s state championship game, which ended in a 14-14 tie.
The Hornets are 10-2 and will take a six-game winning streak to the quarterfinal game, set for 8 p.m. Friday at Martin Stadium.
VALDOSTA FINISHES 9-3
The Wildcats bounced back from a 1-9 record in 2006, but never managed to take a lead in falling 21-18 to the Martin Luther King Jr. Lions on Friday in Lithonia.
The Lions are now 12-0 and the only remaining unbeaten team in Class AAAAA. They will play host to Harrison High, which eliminated Walton 37-28 on Friday, this week.
M.L. King took a 7-0 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Cordellaro Jones early in the second quarter and while the Wildcats twice had opportunities to tie the game, never could make an extra point.
In the second quarter, Michael Turner hit Marcus McNair on a screen pass that turned into a 50-yard touchdown, but Lawrence Clagett’s extra point attempt was blocked.
Jones scored again moments later on a 65-yard run and the Lions led 14-6.
Valdosta’s David Arnold answered with a 5-yard touchdown run, but Turner was sacked while trying to pass for a 2-point conversion that would have tied the game.
The Lions extended their lead on a 21-yard touchdown run by Jones with just over 10 minutes remaining, making it a two-possession lead.
Arnold scored again for the Wildcats in the fourth quarter, but the extra point attempt was wide and the 21-18 score was the final.
COFFEE RALLY FALLS SHORT
Newnan jumped out to a 21-0 second-quarter lead against visiting Coffee High on Friday, then had to hold off the Trojans for a 28-25 victory at Drake Stadium.
Newnan, now 11-1, advances to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003. The Cougars will take a 10-game winning streak into this week’s meeting North Gwinnett, which ousted Brookwood 17-3.
Because Drake Stadium does not meet Georgia High School Association minimum seating requirement, the Cougars are not likely to play host to North Gwinnett. The site of the game has not been decided.
Newnan drove 71 yards on its first second-half possession to score on a 3-yard Keandreas Wynn run to take a 28-10 lead.
Coffee scored in the third quarter and again in the fourth with 8:44 left to cut the Newnan lead to three.
But the Cougars held the Trojans on downs twice in the final six minutes to get the victory.
Coffee finishes 9-3, losing only to Lowndes, Valdosta and Newnan.
Also on Friday:
COOK BLANKS DODGE COUNTY
Cook went into the Class AA playoffs as the No. 4 team from Region 1-AA, but is headed to the quarterfinals after shutting out Dodge County 21-0 in Eastman.
The Hornets will travel to meet Greater Atlanta Christian this week. The Spartans advanced with a 26-7 victory over Calhoun.
Cook is in it first season under head coach Jim Scroggins. The Hornets opened the 2007 season by shutting out Colquitt County 14-0.
Dodge County, coached by former Packer quarterback Greg Robinson, finishes the season 9-3.
The Indians also were 9-3 in 2006 and are 32-13 over the last four seasons under Robinson.
BAINBRIDGE KNOCKS OFF FAYETTE COUNTY
The Bearcats got a 4-yard touchdown pass from Nick Williams to Ramadon Jimoh-Osi with 37 seconds remaining to complete a 28-24 come-from-behind victory over Fayette County on Friday in Fayetteville.
Bainbridge will travel to this week to meet Tucker, which eliminated Northwest Whitfield 56-10.
Trailing by 10, Bainbridge scored twice in the final 9:37 to eliminate the previously unbeaten Tigers.
Fayette County led 17-7 at the half.
THOMAS COUNTY CENTRAL SURVIVES
The Yellow Jackets led visiting Whitewater 35-14 with 7:41 left, but had to hold off the Wildcats, who scored twice in the closing minutes.
Thomas County Central, now 12-0, advances to meet Region 5-AAAA champion East Paulding, which also is 12-0 after defeating Mays 21-3 on Friday.
The site of the Thomas County Central-East Paulding game has yet to be decided.