Editor’s Note: This post marks the first of what should be many weekly installments of the “High School Football Round-Up” Column, to be posted each Monday at southwestgeorgianetwork.com. The HSFR column will focus primarily on high school football coverage in Albany/Dougherty County, as well as other surrounding communities and counties. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
By Walter L. Johnson II
The opening week of the 2017 high school football season is in the books, as “Zero Week” produced quite a few stunning results.
But let’s start off with Lee County’s come-from-behind win over Mary Persons at the Corky Kell Classic on Thursday. The Trojans overcame numerous mistakes, especially on special teams, to beat the Bulldogs, 21-17. Lee County (1-0) plays host to idle Bainbridge in its home opener Friday.
As for the “stunning results” from the first week of the Georgia high school football season, one of those came from Thomasville. That’s where the Class AA Bulldogs crushed the defending GHSA Region 1-AAAA champion Cairo Syrupmakers 37-8 in a game that didn’t kick off until 10 p.m. late Friday due to the detection of lightning in the Thomasville area. Still, their win over Cairo could represent a giant step for a Bulldogs program that managed to win only one game just two years ago. Second-year head coach Zach Grage and his charges will try to go to 2-0 this week, with the Bulldogs traveling to archrival Thomas County Central.
Speaking of the Yellow Jackets, they traveled to Sylvester to face the Worth County Rams to open their 2017 season. TCC (1-0) spoiled Ben Simmons’s debut as the Rams (0-1) head coach in a 30-13 final score. Simmons returns home this week to face the team he coached last year in Turner County.
Another “stunning result” from the first week of action came from Pelham. That’s where the Westover Patriots knocked off the defending GHSA Region 1-A champion Pelham Hornets in a high-scoring 35-28 contest. Don’t be surprised if that season sparks a potential run at a playoff berth for the Patriots, who fell just short of advancing to postseason play at 5-5 overall, and 3-4 in GHSA Region 1-AAAA action last season.
But perhaps the most “stunning result” of came from the “Concrete Palace” just outside of Valdosta. That’s where the GHSA Region 1-AAAAAAA Lowndes Vikings, who advanced to the Class 7A quarterfinals last season, crushed the defending Class AAAAAA state champion Valdosta Wildcats 45-0. The win could spark a potential run to a state championship for the Vikings, just like Valdosta’s win over Lowndes helped the Wildcats win their first state since 1998.
Follow the Southwest Georgia Network on Twitter @swganetwork.
Visit the all-new Southwest Georgia Network YouTube Channel by clicking here.
