Valdosta wins 23-21 battle with Jordan

By Christian Malone

September 02, 2007 02:48 am

— VALDOSTA — Historically, the Valdosta Wildcats have excelled under the Friday night lights. They also played pretty well under the Saturday sun.
Valdosta High opened its 2007 season with a 23-21 victory over Utah power Jordan Saturday morning at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. The Wildcats overcame some big mistakes and a potent Beetdiggers offense to earn the victory.
“First of all, I’m proud of my players,” Valdosta head coach Rick Tomberlin said. “I think this team is special. This is a real good win for the Valdosta Wildcats, and for these players. It’s good to get a win, and to get one over a real good football team.”
The Wildcats and the Beetdiggers were supposed to play Friday night, but lightning and rain caused the game to be postponed until Saturday morning.
Saturday’s game came down to the final two minutes. With Valdosta clinging to a 23-21 lead, Jordan took over at midfield following a punt. Quarterback Chaun Cook’s first two passes fell incomplete.
Then on third down, Cook tried to find a receiver along the left side of the field. But Valdosta linebacker Curtis Weatherspoon read the play, and picked off the pass. The Wildcats kneeled down three times, and walked off the field victorious.
“It’s exciting to win this game,” Valdosta running back David Arnold said. “I believe this win sets the tone for the whole season. It’s gotten everybody up about the win, and it helps our confidence.”
Arnold was the offensive star for Valdosta, rushing for 105 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. He also caught three passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.
“It wasn’t just me,” Arnold said. “I had help from God, my coaches and especially my offensive line. They made it happen for me. I’m tired, but it was worth it.”
“David had a great game,” Tomberlin said. “He’s a good player.”
On its second possession, Jordan marched 70 yards for the first score. The Beetdiggers, who flew in from Sandy, Utah to face the Wildcats, moved the ball from their own 30 to the Valdosta 24. On third-and-10 from the 24, receiver Bridger Battaglia slipped behind the secondary and Cook found him wide open in the end zone for the touchdown. Garrett Blaisdell’s extra point gave Jordan a 7-0 lead.
On back-to-back possessions, Valdosta drove deep into Beetdiggers territory, but turned the ball over both times. First, Turner threw an off-balance pass that Jordan’s Darren Carter picked off at the 1. Then, after Valdosta’s defense held, the ’Cats marched back inside the 10. But on first-and-goal from the 4, Marcus McNair coughed up the ball, and it was recovered by Jordan at the 2.
But that field position helped Valdosta get on the scoreboard. On first down, the Valdosta defense took down Jordan’s Hayden Moss in the end zone. Officials conferred, then called it a safety.
Valdosta then marched in for its first touchdown. A seven-yard run by Arnold and three straight runs by fullback Damian White moved the ball to the Jordan 14. On third-and-3, Arnold took the handoff, took a step left, then cut back to his right. He found an opening, and raced 14 yards untouched for the score. Then quarterback Michael Turner found Perry King for a two-point conversion, giving Valdosta a 10-7 lead.
The Wildcats began their next possession at the Jordan 33. On the first play, Turner threw a lateral to receiver Tavoris Belcher, who is also a back-up quarterback. Belcher then threw the ball deep, and Arnold hauled in the pass for the touchdown, giving Valdosta a 16-7 lead.
Jordan came right back, driving 52 yards for a score. On first-and-goal from the 7, Cook saw his receivers covered, so he took off running. At the 2, the ball was knocked free and rolled into the end zone, where guard Tyler Larsen fell on it for the touchdown. That cut Valdosta’s lead to 16-14 at the half.
Late in the third quarter, a low snap on a punt helped Valdosta take over at the Jordan 27. A holding penalty drove the Wildcats back to the 36, but a 14-yard pass by Turner to Arnold and an offsides penalty on fourth down enabled the Wildcats to move the chains. On the next play, Vashun Johnson took the handoff, went left, found an opening, and dashed 17 yards for the touchdown. Lawrence Clagett’s extra point gave the Wildcats a 23-14 lead.
But after Valdosta turned the ball over on downs on its next possession, Jordan responded with a long drive, going 73 yards in nine plays. Cook completed passes of 10 yards to Cody Raymond, 30 yards to Carter and 15 to Raymond. Then, facing third-and-10 from the Wildcat 21, Cook threw for Raymond, who was cutting across the field. The All-State receiver hauled in the pass for the touchdown, making it 23-21.
“Jordan’s a real talented team. They can throw and catch about as well as anybody I’ve seen recently,” Tomberlin said. “That No. 31 (Raymond) is a great football player.”
Valdosta’s drive stalled, then a shanked punt gave the Beetdiggers the ball at the VHS 40. They drove to the 17. But Blaisdell’s 34-yard field goal attempt hooked wide left, and the Wildcats maintained the lead. Jordan forced another three-and-out, setting up its final possession. But Weatherspoon stepped up for the Wildcats, and his interception sealed the victory.
“We won ugly, we made a lot of mistakes. But at times, I thought we were dominant,” Tomberlin said. “We had three scoring opportunities we blew. But we won. How many teams didn’t win this week? We’ve got to feel good about that.”
For Valdosta, Turner was 4-for-10 for 45 yards, while White gained 31 yards on four carries.
Cook put the ball in the air a lot, completing 18-of-38 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns. Raymond caught eight passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.

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