Lowndes tops Valdosta in state classic

Lowndes County High School football players defeated No. 4 Valdosta County 32-21 on Friday night, claiming the Winnersville Classic trophy in a rare meeting between two top-five teams in Class 7A. The victory marked the first time in 30 years that both crosstown rivals held top-five rankings in the state's highest classification during their matchup.

The game took place at Lowndes' Martin Stadium. Lowndes entered the contest with an 8-0 record, while Valdosta was also undefeated at 8-0. The win extends Lowndes' overall record to 9-0 and improves their region mark to 4-0. Valdosta's record stands at 8-1.

Prior to this season, the two schools had not met in a high-stakes rivalry game with such high rankings. The matchup drew attention because of the historical significance of the Winnersville Classic, a rivalry that dates back decades. Both teams have deep histories in Georgia high school football, with Lowndes last winning a region title in 2021.

Following the win, Lowndes leads Region 1. The team can secure its first region championship since 2021 with a victory over No. 9 Colquitt County next week. Colquitt County is currently 6-3 overall and 3-1 in region play.

Other major upsets occurred across the state on Friday night. Appling County defeated No. 1 Toombs County 35-8. This was the first time Appling has beaten a top-ranked team since 1997. Jefferson County ended North Oconee's 33-game region winning streak with a 35-7 victory. North Oconee is now 8-1 overall and 3-3 in region play.

Twenty teams clinched region titles on Friday. Five of those teams earned their first region title in ten or more years. These included Central Colquitt, which beat No. 4 Wheeler County 41-20, and East Douglas, which defeated No. 3 Grant County 51-17. Other first-time winners in a decade included North Oconee, which lost but had previously held a long streak, and several other teams across different classes.

The games were played across Georgia, with results finalized by the end of the week. Lowndes remains the focus of the state's highest class due to its ranking and the historical nature of its win. The next scheduled game for Lowndes is against Colquitt County, where a victory would finalize their region title.