VALDOSTA, Ga. — After losing the Winnersville Classic last year, Valdosta got their revenge this year, defeating the previously undefeated Lowndes Vikings. The win secures a region championship for Valdosta and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT (11:00 p.m.):
With both sides packing the sold out stadium, both teams came out fired up for this rivalry matchup.
Lowndes marched down the field on the very first possession of the game, converting a long 4th down and capping it off with a QB keeper by Jayce Johnson to open up the scoring.
Valdosta answered with a deep touchdown from Tyreke Wade to Jamarian Mingo to make it 7-7 ending the 1st.
In the 2nd quarter, it was a defensive battle with the Wildcats eventually breaking through on a catch-and-run from running back Deron Foster taking the lead 13-6 going into half.
The 2nd half opened with a Lowndes QB sneak from Jayce Johnson for his 2nd rushing touchdown of the night, giving the Vikings the lead 14-13
But it didn’t take long for the Wildcats to answer back with a touchdown catch-and-run from Marquis Fennell to take back the lead 20-14.
A crucial 4th down stop in the red zone for the Wildcats gave freshman kicker Alans Garcia a chance to seal the game and give the Wildcats the win.
"It's awesome. It's one of the best I've been through in a while. A top-5 win of my career, and it couldn't have come at a better night," Wildcats Head Coach Shelton Felton said.
Earlier (6:00 p.m.):
It’s finally here — the 2025 Winnersville Classic. Undefeated Lowndes. One-loss Valdosta. A region championship and bragging rights all on the line tonight inside Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
Separated by just a few miles, Valdosta and Lowndes know each other well. And this year, the stakes couldn’t be higher. For Valdosta head coach Shelton Felton, the week has been nonstop energy from the community.
“Well this is this awesome, you know, the game means a lot for people. And not being from Valdosta, they’ll let you know what it means to them. And you see all week long that people that played in the 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s come out just to tell us we need to win. We need to win. So we understand the pressure. We also love the support and enthusiasm from the fans," Felton said.
Across town, Lowndes head coach Adam Carter says the Vikings have been ready for this one all year long after winning last year's matchup.
"It’s a big deal, man. There’s no hiding that. I think everybody knows. It’s circled on the calendar year-round. It’s just a special thing. You know, I told them this morning that we get the opportunity to be a part of this," Carter said.
And beyond the rivalry, this one could decide who’s crowned region champion. The Wildcats need a win and a little help, while the Vikings control their own destiny.
“Got an opportunity to win the region, and they want to win the region. We all want the number one seed so it makes the game that much special and more intense. And so we’re looking forward to it. It's a great opportunity,” Felton said.
“A region championship to Lowndes is my goal. I mean every year that’s the goal here at Lowndes is to win championships. And so we put ourselves in a position to have a shot, it’ll be huge for our community to win one, and our program, and just to be able to win region one in in South Georgia says a lot. We’re looking forward to it,” Carter said.
