Turner went in under center on the opening drive of the second half. Immediately, the offense began to march down the field. Turner found Brian Mathis for 16 yards and Tuzer Chism for 15. He took off running for nine yards and a first down. The running lanes opened up, too, and five straight running plays moved the ball to the Cougar 3.

On first-and-goal from the 3, James went left to the outside, and saw a linebacker blocking his path. So he cut back inside, lowered his shoulders, and plowed into the end zone for the touchdown. A two-point conversion pass failed, but Valdosta lead 12-0.

Chattahoochee got on the board with a field goal on the third play of the fourth quarter. The Cougars drove from their own 29 to the Valdosta 17, before the Wildcats’ defense stalled the drive. Jordan Utley kicked a 34-yard field goal, cutting Valdosta’s lead to 12-3.

Then the Wildcats took over again, and put together another long clock-eating drive. Turner’s passing continued to be pinpoint — he went 5-of-5 on the drive for 58 yards, with completions to five different receivers, and his 12-yard dash moved the ball into the Cougar red zone.

Valdosta chose to go for it on fourth-and-16 from the 20. Turner threw the ball for Chism in the back of the end zone, and Chism jumped up and caught it between two defenders for the touchdown. Brad Barr’s extra point gave Valdosta a 19-3 lead with 4:13 to play. That touchdown all but wrapped up the victory.

Chattahoochee went to the air, and drove 80 yards for a late score. Cougars quarterback Andrew Matthieson was 5-of-6 passing on the drive for 83 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to Brendan Cross with 2:18 left.

Chattahoochee needed the two-point conversion to cut Valdosta’s lead to eight and have a chance to tie it. But on the two-point play, Derrick Sharper sacked Matthieson, and the score remained 19-9.

James Boyd then recovered the onside kick, and Valdosta ran out the clock for the victory.

James led Valdosta with 71 yards on 17 carries, with a touchdown. Johnson carried six times for 59 yards and threw a touchdown pass, all in the first half.

For Chattahoochee (1-1), Matthieson went 8-for-10 for 111 yards and a touchdown.

Valdosta (1-1) will host state runner-up Brookwood next week.