LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) — Two unbeaten South Georgia rivals meet in a sold-out Winnersville Classic, where a Valdosta win clinches the region championship, and a Lowndes win keeps the Vikings in control.
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Two undefeated teams. One of South Georgia's biggest rivalries. And a region championship on the line.
The stage is set for a historic Winnersville Classic between Lowndes and Valdosta at Martin Stadium.
For the first time since 2019, both teams enter the Winnersville Classic undefeated. You have to go all the way back to 1968 to find the last time both programs were still unbeaten this deep into a season.
With Valdosta winning three of the last four meetings, Lowndes is looking to defend its home turf in front of a sold-out crowd.
"Most high school kids don't get to experience this. You know, you're going to have 12, 13,000 people at a high school game that have been waiting for this game for 364 days, you know what I mean? And so, just a great opportunity. That's the message," Lowndes head coach Adam Carter said.
But this year, there's more than just bragging rights at stake. A Valdosta win would secure the region championship. If Lowndes comes out on top, the Vikings would control their own destiny, with a chance to claim the title against Colquitt County next week.
"Winning the region championship is a big thing. A championship is a championship. It's also seeding in the playoffs. It helps with the power rank, so we really want to win that region championship," Valdosta head coach Shelton Felton said.
While the atmosphere will be electric, the battle on the field could come down to Lowndes' defense against Valdosta's explosive offense. The Vikings have allowed just 42 points this season, while the Wildcats' offensive duo of Fennell and Foster has combined for 40 touchdowns.
"Try to just withstand that initial rush. If you go look at their game, man, they've gotten out on people so fast. And that, we just got to go out and play well early," Carter said.
With two of the top teams in South Georgia going head-to-head, both coaches know just how special this matchup is for their communities.
"These kids deserve to play in front of that kind of crowd. That's why you come to a Valdosta-Lowndes, to play in front of these kind of crowds. And this is what it's about. It's two teams in one city. We're divided this week, and we're going to put on a show," Felton said.
With the game already sold out, there's no doubt this place will be rocking come kickoff. The Winnersville Classic gets underway at 8 o'clock Friday night at Martin Stadium.
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