Valdosta football program dim, with brighter future in store
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Posted 1:53PM on Wednesday, October 1, 2003
VALDOSTA - Time has run out on Valdosta High the past two weeks, but time may be just what the Wildcats need. <br>
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Instead of a return to dominance in 2003, the Wildcats have lost three of their first four and are a mediocre 6-6 since Oct. 11 of last year. <br>
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But the future is bright for Valdosta High. <br>
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Two of the three losses this season have come to state-ranked opponents. <br>
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The only exception was Wayne County, who Valdosta lost to in the opener without quarterback Cedric Hatten. The Yellow Jackets from Jesup have posted a 4-1 record, defeating their last three opponents by a combined score of 104-6. <br>
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In addition, Region 1-AAAAA isn't the strongest it has ever been, going a combined 13-11 through week four of the high school schedule. <br>
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So the Wildcats regional opposition in the second half of the season should be much better, right? <br>
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``We're working on that right now,'' said Wildcats junior slotback Jamal Scott. <br>
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Valdosta High still has some tough sledding remaining on its non-region schedule before region action begins Oct. 17. The Wildcats play Class AA power Charlton County (2-1) Friday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium with an 8 p.m. kickoff. <br>
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Another plus for the Wildcats is first-year head coach Rick Darlington, who has been known for reviving teams back to championship form. It took him three years at Apopka (Fla.) High, but he got it done. <br>
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Darlington went 6-4 in his first year there in 1999. The second year he won a district title, and in 2001, the Blue Darters were Florida's 6A state champs. Apopka went 8-2 in Darlington's final season last year. <br>
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The Wildcats practiced an extra 20 minutes Tuesday in preparation for Charlton County's high-powered passing game. Darlington was adamant about making a region title run in the second half of the season after last week's loss. <br>
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``You want the kids to stay together, and I believe they will. They're going to pull out of this and great things are going to happen. It's going to be a testimony to their sheer will and toughness,'' Darlington said.
