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Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

Demons’ playoff hopes dashed

WARNER ROBINS — Valdosta ended two seasons with one win. Its own continues.

The Wildcats earned the fourth and final playoff berth from GHSA Region 1-AAAAA and extended the year for lame-duck head coach Rick Tomberlin by hammering Houston County 45-6 on Saturday at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.

In the process, Valdosta eliminated Warner Robins from playoff consideration. After losing to Lowndes County on Friday, the Demons needed Houston County to pull an upset. But the Bears were no match for Valdosta, which finished the standings tied with Warner Robins, but advanced on the strength of its head-to-head win.

“I’m proud of our players and our coaches,” Tomberlin said. “We had seven wins, and we almost had two more. Now everyone is zero and zero again.”

Valdosta (7-3, 4-3) will play at undbeaten Newnan in the first round Friday. Tomberlin has been told his contract at Valdosta will not be renewed at the end of the season.

In just his second start, senior quarterback Chad Prain rushed for two touchdowns and threw for a third as the Wildcats jumped to a 32-0 lead in the first half. Converted from spots as a running back and a receiver, Prain led all rushers with 79 yards on 14 carries. He also completed eight of 12 pass attempts for 135 yards.

“He’s a winner,” Tomberlin said of Prain. “He’s a fighter.”

Receiver Dontarious Sappe caught six balls for 70 yards. Tight end Jay Rome had two catches for 55 yards.

Valdosta had 386 yards of total offense compared to just 163 for the Bears (3-7, 0-7). Valdosta defenders sacked Houston quarterback Taylor Ring five times for 26 yards in losses.

Most of Houston’s offensive production came in the second half after Valdosta’s starting defense left the game. Travis Hutner ran 23 yards for the lone Houston score in the game’s closing minutes.

The Bears had just one first down in the first half. Senior fullback Robert Williams broke a long run with 15 seconds remaining in the first half.

Houston endured its third consecutive year without a win in what Tomberlin called the “best region in the state and maybe the country.” The Bears last region win came in Nov. of 2006 against Valdosta. Based on projected enrollment for the 2010-11 school year, Houston figures to drop a classification when the next realignment assignments are handed out by the GHSA.