No. 17 Valdosta State built an early lead and weathered a second-half surge from No. 16 North Greenville to secure a 49-33 victory at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium on Saturday, WCTV reported.
Despite being outgained 556-419 and losing the time of possession battle by holding the ball for a shorter duration, the Blazers never let the Trailblazers closer than nine points in the second half.
Valdosta State got on the scoreboard first after stopping a 13-play North Greenville possession at the Blazers’ 32, where William Tate brought down Kam Montgomery for a loss on third down to force a punt. Starting at their own 5, the Blazers went 95 yards in nine plays, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run from Chance Black with 1:41 left in the first quarter.
Montgomery connected with Mikhai Isaac on a 75-yard touchdown pass to put North Greenville on the board, though the extra point was missed. Valdosta State extended its lead to 14-6 when Champ Harris hit Rowan Darnell for a 4-yard touchdown.
After Montgomery’s 21-yard touchdown run cut the deficit to 14-13, Harris connected with Zandae Butler for a 54-yard scoring strike to make it 28-13 at halftime, a sequence aided by Rickey Ransom blocking a 38-yard field goal attempt as time expired and Devin Ross returning it 66 yards.
North Greenville opened the second half with a surprise onside kick, but Valdosta State quickly capitalized on the ensuing possession when Matt Wilson scored on a 4-yard run following a 39-yard reception by Leon Washington Jr. North Greenville cut the score to 35-20, but the Blazers answered with defensive stops, including halting Montgomery for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-and-4 at the Valdosta State 39. Jaheim Arnold later found the end zone to make it 42-20.
The Trailblazers mounted a late rally, pulling within 42-33 with 4:40 remaining after a 12-play, 77-yard drive that featured successful fourth-down conversions. However, after recovering North Greenville’s second onside kick at the opponent’s 49-yard line, Valdosta State handed the ball to Wilson on seven straight plays, culminating in an 18-yard touchdown run with 2:08 left. Curtis Janvier sealed the win by intercepting Brendan Mansinne at the 7-yard line with 28 seconds remaining.
- Matt Wilson: 101 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.
- Champ Harris: 194 passing yards and two scores.
- Team Efficiency: Valdosta State averaged 7.4 yards per play, went 5 for 5 in the red zone with all touchdowns, scored offensive touchdowns on six of nine possessions, and punted only once.
- Defensive Leaders: Curtis Janvier, Rickey Ransom, and Julius Pascal each recorded seven tackles, while William Tate finished with two sacks.
- Turnovers and Special Teams: The Blazers forced two interceptions, forced two turnovers on downs, and recovered two onside kicks, turning both recoveries into touchdowns.
Before the game, the Blazers honored 11 seniors playing their final regular-season contest.
