1978 Valdosta Wildcats football team

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The 1978 Valdosta Wildcats season was the school’s 65th campaign, the 21st in the Georgia High School Association’s (GHSA) largest classification, and the 5th under head coach Nick Hyder.

Valdosta shared the 1978 Class AAAA state championship with Griffin by virtue of their 7-7 tie in the title game. The 1978 team was the Wildcats' 17th football state champion.[1] That 1978 championship broke Valdosta’s longest drought between GHSA football state championships at the time, seven years. The 1978 championship was the first of seven that Nick Hyder's Valdosta teams would achieve. The team's 14-0-1 record represented the program's 17th undefeated season since its inception in 1913.

The AAAA Classification was introduced by the GHSA in 1978 for schools with attendance above 800 for grades 10-12. In 1978, Griffin High School was the third largest high school in the state [2] and featured three future NFL players on their roster: Willie Gault (Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Raiders), Freddie Gilbert (Denver Broncos, Phoenix Cardinals), and Jeff Jackson (Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers).[3]

The Valdosta defense was noteworthy in allowing an average of only 3.3 points per game in 1978, third best among Valdosta’s post-WWII teams. The offense was balanced with a 60:40 ratio of rushing to passing and averaged 32 points per game.

Game summaries and statistics

Preseason

Valdosta head coach Nick Hyder implemented a unique off-season program. Beginning the week after the end of the previous season, the football team would meet in the school gymnasium at 6:30 AM every school day for an hour of weight lifting and wind sprints. An important supplement was “scrimmaging” using padded dummy shields to allow contact blocking and tackling practice. Football players enrolled in final period physical education as well to facilitate another hour of practice in the afternoon. Per regulations, these drills were conducted in shorts, tee-shirts with helmets worn for the dummy drills.

Spring practice was conducted for four week in March in full pads. At the end of the 1978 spring practice, Valdosta hosted Warner Robins for a fully-officiated four-quarter scrimmage. This contest was a rematch of the 1977 state playoff semifinal game. The spring 1978 result was a 34-7 victory for Valdosta.

August 1978 featured the annual trip to the south end of Lowndes County. For two weeks, the team lived at the 4-H Camp in Lake Park, Georgia and participated in two-a-day football practices. Hyder had adopted Coach Wright Bazemore’s practice philosophy – long practices of three to four hours featuring multiple 11-on-11 scrimmages.

Regular season

Valdosta played in the Region 1-North-AAAA sub region and dominated its sub region, with its closest game being a 33-7 victory over Dougherty. Only Thomasville, undefeated in Region 1-South-AAAA, challenged the Wildcats. Thomasville was led by future All-Pro NFL player Guy McIntyre (San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles)[4]. In the regular season game Valdosta pulled ahead in the last two minutes.[5] The teams met again in the Region Championship game, in which Valdosta came from behind to win 12-7.[5]

Week 1: vs. Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: September 1, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[6]: Temperature at kickoff 81; Humidity 79%; mostly cloudy

Valdosta opened its season at home versus Thomas County Central. This matchup was only the second time that the schools had faced each other on the gridiron. Central had won the previous game, a Tuesday night region tiebreaker playoff in 1976.

Central’s opening drive featured a 21 yard pass completion that took them to the Wildcat 43 yard line, which turned out to be their deepest penetration of the night. Valdosta’s first drive started on its own 11 yard line. The Wildcats moved the ball effectively on the ground into Yellow Jacket territory, but an ineligible receiver downfield penalty stalled the drive. Valdosta’s punt pinned Central on its own 3 yard line. Following a three-and-out defensive stand the Wildcats offense started in excellent field position and were in the Red Zone when the first quarter ended with the score still at 0-0.

Valdosta quarterback John Lastinger’s quarterback sneak gave the Cats a 7-0 lead with 10:55 left in the half. Central and Valdosta swapped punts, with Valdosta gaining field position each time. Valdosta’s Troy Thomas returned a punt to set up the offense on the Central 29 yard line. On the next play Lastinger took the ball around the right end with a nice spin move downfield to escape the final defender and complete the 26 yard touchdown run. Central lost a fumble on the ensuing kick-off, again setting up the Wildcat offense in great field position. Valdosta kept the ball on the ground as Ernest King swept around the right end to make the score 20-0 and the rout was on. Valdosta’s Nate Caesar intercepted a Yellow Jacket pass on the next drive. Valdosta quarterback John Bond led the Cat offense on a drive featuring pass completions of 26 yards to Frederick Blair and 44 yards to Robert Smith, ending in a Bond bootleg run for a touchdown to end the half with a 26-0 Valdosta lead.

Valdosta blended substitutes into the game throughout the second half. The Central offense was not able to move the ball by ground or air, and the Valdosta offense tacked on two scores via a 5 yard trap play by Irvin Roe in the third quarter and a 9 yard pass from Bond to Tim Dame early in the fourth quarter resulting in a final score of Valdosta 40, Thomas County Central 0.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 1 statistics

Week 2: at Crisp County Cougars

  • Location: Cougar Stadium, Cordele, GA
  • Date: September 8, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[10]: High for the day, 87; low for the day 63; scattered clouds

Valdosta’s first sub-region North contest was on the road at Crisp County

Crisp opened the game with a penalty-extended drive that stalled at their own 43 yard line. Valdosta fumbled on their second play of the game deep in their own territory. Crisp County covered the remaining 9 yards in three running plays taking an early 7-0 lead. Valdosta took to the air on its second possession with quarterback John Lastinger hooking up with Freddie Blair for receptions of 38, 15, and 4 yards. Irvin Roe scampered the last 9 yards on a trap play up the middle on 4th down and goal to go to knot the score at 7-7. On the next series, the Valdosta defense swarmed the Cougars on 3rd and 14 forcing a desperation pass which was intercepted by middle guard James Conaway and returned 16 yards for the Wildcats’ second score of the night. The Valdosta defense held Crisp “three and out” giving the ball back to the offense in good field position in Crisp territory. On the second play of the series, Lastinger hit wide receiver John Bond on a 40 yard bomb with Bond wrestling the ball away from the defender and taking it into the end zone for a 21-7 lead. On their next possession, Valdosta continued their aerial assault, as Lastinger loaded up the shotgun and hit Blair for a 40 yard strike and Roe for a 6 yard gain, setting up an 11 yard finishing touchdown pass to flanker Robert Smith in the left corner of the end zone to take a 28-7 lead into halftime.

Valdosta’s opening drive of the second half stalled, but the Cat defense again held the Cougars three and out. Team Captain Troy Thomas returned the Crisp punt 30 yards setting up the offense on the Cougar 26 yard line. Three plays later junior running back Ernest King took the ball around the left end four yards for the final score of the night. Valdosta substituted liberally throughout the rest of the game with the final score being 35-7.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 2 statistics

Week 3: vs. Thomasville Bulldogs

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: September 15, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[13]: Temperature at kickoff 82.9; Humidity 63%; Clear

In week 3, Valdosta hosted the Thomasville Bulldogs, coached by Jim Hughes. The Thomasville team under Hughes had won state championships in 1973 and 1974. Hughes went on to notch 247 wins as a head coach, including a third state championship at Colquitt County in 1994. The game was the 68th meeting between the two teams, each being the other’s most frequently battled opponent.

Valdosta dominated the first quarter of the game, with the Thomasville offense held to “three-and-out” on all three of their possessions. Valdosta started its opening drive of the game on the Thomasville 47 and moved the ball down the field into the red zone. The Thomasville defense stiffened and held the Cats one yard short of a first down on a 4th and 5 run from the 12 yard line. Valdosta’s next drive started with even more favorable field position at the Thomasville 37. Mixing up passing and running, Valdosta again entered the red zone, this time completing the drive as Irvin Roe ripped up the middle for a 13 yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead.

The second quarter featured Thomasville’s best efforts of the night, including a quick-strike 80 yard drive punctuated by two long runs of 22 and 48 yards. During that quarter, the Bulldog defense held the Wildcats to one first down as the first half ended with the score knotted 7-7.

In the second half, the Valdosta defense held Thomasville to a net zero yards rushing. The Valdosta offense came away empty-handed on two drives into Thomasville territory as the Bulldog defense stopped one drive on a fourth down incomplete pass and ended another by forcing a 37 yard missed field goal. Late in the fourth quarter Valdosta mounted its final drive as a short Thomasville punt set them up at the Bulldog 43 yard line. Quarterback John Lastinger led the Cats down the field with a 20-yard keeper, a 27 yard pass to Robert Smith, and a 3 yard touchdown plunge for the winning score with 1:41 showing on the clock. The Valdosta defense tacked on a late safety on a sack by James Harris and James Conaway, ending the scoring with a 16-7 Valdosta victory.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 3 statistics

Week 4: vs. Albany Indians

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: September 22, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[16]: Temperature at kickoff 81.0; Humidity 74%; Clear

The fourth game of the season for Valdosta was against the winless Albany Indians. The Wildcats scored touchdowns on each of its first four possessions.

The game opened with the Valdosta defense stopping Albany three-and-out and then delivering an 18 yard punt return by Troy Thomas to set up the offense on the Indian 36 yard line. A 30 yard pass from John Lastinger to Robert Smith followed by a quarterback sweep by Lastinger gave Valdosta a 7-0 lead with 9:23 remaining in the 1st quarter. On the next Wildcat possession, Valdosta demonstrated its ground game with a nine play 78 yard drive featuring an Irving Roe 22 yard sprint and an 11 yard TD sweep by Lastinger. On defense, James Conaway recovered an errant Albany pitch deep in Indian territory to set up the third touchdown of the quarter on Ernest King’s 5 yard jaunt around the right end.

The onslaught continued in the second quarter as the defense again stuffed the Albany attack and set the Cat offense up in good field position at midfield. This time the Cats struck quickly as Lastinger hit wide receiver and backup quarterback John Bond for a 23 yard reception and then scrambled on the next play to cover the remaining 28 yards as Valdosta took a 28-0 lead with 10:46 remaining in the second quarter.

Valdosta took the second half kickoff and engineered a 13 play 71 yard drive for a touchdown, with all yardage picked up on the ground finishing with Lastinger’s quarterback sneak to make the score 35-0. Lastinger led the Valdosta offense for one more drive, scoring his fifth touchdown of the night early in the 4th quarter on a 3 yard run to put the Cats up 42-0

The Valdosta defense harassed the Albany quarterback all night, with multiple sacks driving a net rushing total for the Indians of only 5 yard. Albany did have some success moving the ball through the air against the Valdosta reserves including a streak of six completions that moved the ball to the Wildcat 8 yard line before turning the ball over on downs.

John Bond took over the quarterbacking duties in the fourth quarter as the Wildcat offense continued to move the ball effectively. On the Cats' last drive of the evening Bond swept around the end for a 22 yard run and then hit wide receiver Tim Dame for a 37 yard touchdown pass to end the scoring at 49-0.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 4 statistics

Week 5: vs. Colquitt County Packers

  • Location: Mack Tharpe Field, Moultrie, GA
  • Date: September 29, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[19]: High for the day 84; low for the day 62

Valdosta High School faced off against the newly consolidated Colquitt County High School in the fifth game of the season. Valdosta and Moultrie High School began their gridiron competition in 1913. Beginning in the fall of 1978, Moultrie High School was consolidated with the other two high schools in Colquitt County, Class B non-football playing Norman Park and Doerun High Schools, to form the new Colquitt County High School. The consolidation coincided with the construction of a new high school building designed for the larger enrollment. The new Colquitt County High School’s athletic teams carried on the school colors and nickname of the former Moultrie High School. The new Packer head coach in 1978 was Bob Griffith who succeeded long-time head football coach for Moultrie High School, Bud Willis.

Colquitt got their deepest penetration of the game on their first series following a long return of the opening kickoff. However the Wildcats held the Packers to three yards and took over on downs at their own 29 yard line. Valdosta moved the ball to mid-field on its first series, but the Packers stopped the drive by intercepting a long pass by Valdosta quarterback John Lastinger to take over at their own 9 yard line. Valdosta again bottled up the Packer wishbone offense forcing a punt that started the Wildcat offense on its own 49 yard line. Valdosta moved the ball quickly downfield on led by the running of Irvin Roe with jaunts of 12, 15, and the touchdown-scoring 13 yards to give Valdosta a 7-0 lead with 2:50 left in the first quarter. The ensuing Packer drive went in reverse, leading to a three-and-out and another short punt setting the Valdosta offense up in excellent field position at the Packer 36. Two Lastinger runs of 12 and 24 yards made the score 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started with another defensive three-and-out for Valdosta and a mid-field starting position for the Cat offense. This series Valdosta mixed in passing with its running attack as Lastinger hit tight end Willie Hankins for 8 yards and Roe for 25. Ernest King rambled the last 9 yards to make the score 20-0. Following another three-and-out series by Colquitt, defensive back Troy Thomas took the Packer punt 17 yards to set up another short field for the Valdosta offense. A 16 yard run by Irvin Roe and a 23 yard touchdown pass from Lastinger to wide receiver Robert Smith ran the score to 27-0. On the next series, Colquitt County picked up its only first down for the half on a 33 yard pass completion on third down. That drive stalled, but a long punt forced Valdosta to start its next series at its own 20 yard line. The Wildcats responded with a ten play 80 yard drive featuring pass completions from Lastinger to John Bond (20 yards) and Frederick Blair (22 yards), and runs by King of 16,4 and 5 yards. Lastinger added a couple of scrambles for positive yardage including a 6 yard touchdown run and a 2 point PAT sprint from his position as holder for the extra point kick. The half ended with Valdosta up 35-0.

Valdosta blended in substitutes throughout the second half. Colquitt County reached the Valdosta 30 yard line on one series but was that drive ended on a sack and consecutive incompleted passes. Valdosta’s back-up quarterback John Bond hit wide receiver Tim Dame with a 53 yard touchdown strike in the third quarter and engineered a 63 yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter ending with a 7 yard jaunt by fullback William Gaskins to end the scoring at 49-0. This margin of victory remains the largest in the series versus Moultrie/Colquitt County High school as of 2016.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 5 statistics

Week 6: vs. Tift County

  • Location: Devil's Den, Tifton, GA
  • Date: October 6, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[22]: High for the day 83; low for the day 57

The sixth game of the season featured a battle of unbeaten teams. Valdosta was the #1 ranked team in the state while Tift County, fresh off a 14-7 victory over Thomasville, was ranked #3.

The first quarter began with the Valdosta defense stopping Tift three-and-out setting up the Wildcat offense in good field position at their own 39-yard line. Valdosta moved down the field featuring pass completions by quarterback John Lastinger to receivers Robert Smith and Frederick Blair for gains of 12, 12, and 27 yards. Ernest King rambled the final 6 yards to put Valdosta up 7-0. On the next series, the Valdosta defense backed the Tift offense up with a third down sack by Kenny Evans to force a punt from their own 5-yard line. The Valdosta offense again took advantage of the ensuing good field position to drive 42 yards in seven plays, including a clutch 12-yard pass from Lastinger to Smith on 4th down to take a 14-0 lead.

The second quarter was a defensive struggle with both offenses missing field goal attempts. The score at halftime remained Valdosta 14 Tift County 0.

Tift County’s halftime adjustments were effective as they took their opening possession of the second half and engineered a 72 yard 4 play drive ending in a 39-yard breakaway run for a score to tighten the game to 14-7. Later in the 3rd quarter Valdosta again took to the air with Lastinger hitting wide receiver John Bond for a 47-yard strike to return the game to a two-touchdown Wildcat lead. Tift was able to move the ball into Valdosta territory on its next possession, but the drive stalled at the Wildcat 42-yard line as the 3rd quarter ended.

Valdosta then engineered a 13-play drive that consumed over 7 minutes of the 4th quarter and ended with a punt pinning the Blue Devils at their own 10 yard line. Tift attempted an end-around play which was disrupted by Evans to force a fumble in the end-zone which Evans recovered for a Valdosta defensive touchdown. Valdosta quarterback John Bond ended the scoring for the evening with a 27-yard jaunt that made the final score 35-7.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 6 statistics

Week 7: vs. Lowndes Vikings

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: October 13, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[25]: 8PM EDT Temperature 75.0 Humidity 89% Overcast

The seventh game of the season pitted Valdosta against cross-county rival Lowndes. The Valdosta-Lowndes football series began in 1968, after the Lowndes County school system consolidated into one high school.[26] The Lowndes Head Coach Joe Wilson had been the Valdosta High School Offensive Coordinator under coaches Wright Bazemore and Nick Hyder. Wilson moved to Lowndes for the 1976 campaign, delivering the school’s first winning season. In 1977, Lowndes achieved their first victory over Valdosta.

One hour before kickoff time of the 1978 game, an underground power failure caused the lights to go out on the home side of the field[27]It was determined that the outage could not be repaired, but that the game would go on.

Lowndes kicked off to Valdosta and stopped the Wildcats on their first possession. The ensuing punt was returned to the Wildcat 34-yard line. On the second play of the drive, Valdosta’s Carroll Johnson recovered a Lowndes fumble at the 29-yard line, ending the Vikings’ deepest penetration of the evening. Later in the first quarter Valdosta advanced deep into Lowndes territory, but the drive was stopped by a Viking interception at the 3-yard line. On the next play, the Lowndes quarterback was sacked in the end zone by a swarm of Valdosta defenders. The first quarter ended with Valdosta up 2-0.

Valdosta extended its lead in the second quarter, keeping the ball on the ground for drives of 59 and 76 yards. Running back Ernest King ended both of those drives with short plunges for touchdowns to put Valdosta up 16-0 at halftime. Both teams began adapting to the dimly lit field by limiting their pass plays exclusively to the North side of the field where lighting was still functional[28]. The third quarter was scoreless. Valdosta added to its lead in the fourth quarter behind a 46-yard drive capped by a third King TD run that made the final score 22-0. The Wildcat defense delivered six quarterback sacks in the game and held the Vikings’ offense to 49 total yards including -23 net rushing yards.

Top Valdosta Performers

  • Passing: John Lastinger- (6/13) for 61 yards
  • Receiving: Irvin Roe - 3 receptions, 44 yards
  • Rushing: Ernest King - 16 rushes, 74 yards, 3 TD
  • Tackles: James Harris - 6 Total Tackles

Game 7 statistics[27]

Week 8: vs. Monroe Golden Tornadoes

  • Location: Hugh G. Mills Memorial Stadium, Albany, GA
  • Date: October 20, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[29]Temperature 66.0 Humidity 37% Clear

The eighth game of the Valdosta season took them to Albany to play a resurgent Monroe Tornado team. Monroe was coming off consecutive victories against crosstown rival Westover and Crisp County.

The first quarter was a defensive battle. Monroe started the opening series of the game on its own 17 yard line. They moved the ball on the ground out to their own 40 yard line, picking up a first down before being forced to punt. Valdosta’s first series ended on a Monroe interception of quarterback John Lastinger’s long pass at the Monroe 22 yard line. An exchange of three and out series and punts set the Monroe offense up in good field position at its own 42 yard line. Monroe combined two pass completions with short runs to penetrate to the Valdosta 41 yard line before being driven backward and forced to punt. It was the only time in the game that Monroe was able to reach the Valdosta side of the field. As the first quarter ended Valdosta was embarking on a 13 play 75 yard drive to take the lead 7-0 at the 8:16 mark in the second quarter. This drive was accomplished on the ground with running back Irvin Roe picking up 54 yards on 8 carries.

Monroe picked up a single first down on its first drive of the second quarter. The Monroe defense loaded the box to shut down the Valdosta running attack on the next series three and out. Valdosta’s defense returned the favor with a three and out series with the ensuing punt setting up the Valdosta offense at its own 25 yard line. Looking at an 8 man Monroe defensive front, Valdosta spread the field. Pass interference was called on Monroe on the first play of the series moving the ball out to the 40 yard line. The Wildcats spread the field again with three wide receivers to the left. Lastinger threw a lateral pass to Irvin Roe lined up in the wide left slot. Roe waited patiently behind the two wide receivers’ blocking and heaved a long 50 yard bomb to wide receiver Frederick Blair. On the next play Lastinger found wide receiver John Bond in the end zone on a 10 yard strike to put Valdosta up 14-0 at halftime.

Valdosta offense continued its aerial assault in the second half and the Valdosta defense held Monroe without a first down until the last series of the game . Lastinger led Valdosta’s opening drive of the second half with a 32 yard pass to Blair and finished the drive on the next play with a 47 yard strike to Roe to put Valdosta up 20-0 (the PAT was missed). Monroe’s first possession of the second half started at its own 20 yard line. A holding penalty backed Monroe up to the 10 yard line. An errant pitch on 3rd down led to a wild scramble for the ball that ended with Wildcat defensive end James Harris recovering in the end zone for a touchdown that put Valdosta up 27-0. The Monroe defense continued to play with determination, stopping the next two Valdosta drives deep in Monroe territory at the 4 and 16 yard lines respectively. Valdosta’s first drive of the 4th quarter was highlighted by a 23 yard pass from quarterback John Bond to Roe and was capped by a 1 yard plunge by fullback William Gaskins for a touchdown that put Valdosta up 34-0 with 8:37 left in the game. The Valdosta reserves made a drive near game-end with Bond and running back Carl Wilcox hooking up for a 22 yard pass completion to take the ball to the two yard line where Bond’s quarterback sneak finished the scoring for the night with a final score of 41-0.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 8 statistics

Week 9: vs. Bainbridge Bearcats

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: October 27, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EDT
  • Game Weather[32]Temperature 70.0 Humidity 97% Overcast

The ninth game of the season paired the 8-0 Valdosta squad and the 4-4 Bainbridge Bearcats. In the first quarter, both teams defenses started strong, but Valdosta’s offense won the battle of field position. Running back Ernest King put the Wildcats on top 7-0 with a 6-yard run. In the second quarter, Bainbridge turned the ball over deep in its own territory when the quarterback arm was struck while passing, sending the ball into the arms of defensive end James Harris at the Bearcat 7-yard line. King scored to send the game to 14-0. Later in the second quarter, fullback William Gaskins broke loose on a 41 yard run into the red zone and ended the drive with a 3-yard touchdown plunge to end the half at 21-0.

Bainbridge mounted its best drive in the 3rd quarter, reaching the Valdosta 21-yard line before defensive back Nate Caesar’s interception stymied their effort. Valdosta quarterback John Lastinger engineered a drive culminating in his 9-yard sprint around the end to make the score 28-0 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Valdosta’s reserve unit continued the assault with fullback Bobby Johnson pounding in a 2-yard run with 7:44 left in the game. King capped the scoring with a 16-yard sprint to make the final score 42-0.

Valdosta racked up 381 yards of offense and 23 first downs to dominate the contest. Were it not for throwing three interceptions, the margin of victory could have be greater.

Top Valdosta Peformers

Game 9 statistics

Week 10: vs. Dougherty Trojans

  • Location: Hugh Mills Stadium, Albany, GA
  • Date: Saturday November 4, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Game Weather[35]:8PM EST Temperature 57.9; Humidity 47%; Clear

In the tenth week, Valdosta faced Dougherty in a game that would determine the first place team in the North 1-AAAA subregion[36]. Valdosta and Dougherty entered the game with subregion records of 4-0 and 3-1 respectively.

Valdosta kicked off to Dougherty who then went three-and-out, with defensive end Kenny Evans ending the Trojan series with a vicious tackle for a loss. Troy Thomas’s 33 yard punt return set up the Wildcats on the Trojan 25-yard line, but the Dougherty stopped Valdosta to take over on downs at its own 30-yard line. A Trojan pass completion moved the ball out to their own 43-line, but a Thomas interception of a deep pass returned the ball to the Wildcats at their own 15-yard line. Valdosta put together a long drive mixing up running and passing to take a 7-0 lead on Ernest King’s 8 yard run in the second quarter. Dougherty’s next short drive ended with a punt that left Valdosta at its own 20-yard line. A Wildcat fumble set Dougherty up at Valdosta’s 23-yard line. A 4th down scramble by the Trojan quarterback gave the Trojans first and goal at the Wildcat 10-yard line. A Dougherty fumble through the end-zone led to the drive being stymied. Valdosta took over the ball and drove the length of the field led by a 40-yard completion from quarterback John Lastinger to running back Irvin Roe and an 8-yard touchdown run by King with 2:48 left in the half. On Dougherty’s next possession three incomplete passes and a punt gave Valdosta one more possession in the first half. Dougherty’s sack of Lastinger appeared to stop the Wildcat drive, but a 50-yard pass from Lastinger to Roe extended the Valdosta lead to 20-0 as the first half ended.

In the 3rd quarter neither offense could advance the ball through two possessions each. Dougherty’s third possession of the half started from its own 20-yard line. Thomas intercepted a Trojan pass and returned the ball to the Dougherty 4-yard line. King scored on the next play to put Valdosta up 26-0, as the two-point PAT attempt failed. Valdosta closed out their scoring with a 31-yard pass from Lastinger to Roe to go up 33-0 as the Wildcats turned the game over to their reserve offenses and defenses. Dougherty avoided the shutout with an 11-yard pass completion with 8 seconds left in the game. Dougherty running back and future NFL player Lionel James(San Diego Chargers) was held to 22 yards rushing on 10 carries.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 10 statistics

Playoffs

Region 1-AAAA, comprising twelve teams, sub-divided for the 1978 season. A four-team Region playoff was held to determine which team would advance to the state playoff. Valdosta successfully defeated Lowndes and Thomasville in these region playoffs to become the Region 1 representative.

The playoff brackets were favorable in 1978 – all of the games were played at Valdosta’s Cleveland Field per the customary rotation of home game/away each year by the GHSA. In 1977, all of Valdosta’s playoff games had been away games. In the first round, Valdosta defeated Westside of Augusta by a 52-0 margin. However, in the first quarter of that game Valdosta’s first string quarterback John Lastinger sustained a season-ending shoulder injury.

In the second round of the playoffs, Valdosta again faced a team led by a future NFL player, Benedictine’s Andrew Provence (Atlanta Falcons)[38]. Valdosta prevailed 23-0.

The state championship game versus Griffin was a defensive battle with both teams being limited to only 6 first downs in the game. Valdosta suffered five turnovers while Griffin had two. Valdosta scored on its opening possession; Griffin tied the game with a fourth quarter score. This game marked the second time that Valdosta had been crowned co-champions (1969 title shared with Athens High School). Griffin earned its second state title (previously won in 1942).

The Associated Press Board of sportswriters and sportscasters across the state had Valdosta High School ranked number one in each poll released in 1978. In the final AP poll Valdosta was ranked number one by a 5-3 margin[39]. The Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Constitution rankings in 1978 were determined by the Sports Department's editorial staff. Their year-end ranking showed Valdosta and Griffin tied for number one.[40]

Week 11: vs. Lowndes Vikings

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: November 10, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Game Weather[41]: Temperature at kickoff 57.9; Humidity 93%; Clear

The twelve-team Region 1 AAAA had two subregions. Undefeated Valdosta was the number one seed in the North Subregion and hosted the number two seed in the South Subregion, Lowndes, in the region semifinal playoff. Lowndes ended the season with a 7-3 record, having lost during the regular season to the other three region playoff teams, Valdosta, Thomasville and Tift County.

The first playoff game was a turnover-ridden affair, with the Wildcats losing four fumbles and two interceptions and the Vikings suffering four interceptions. Statistically Valdosta dominated the contest racking up 273 yards in total offense and seventeen first downs while holding Lowndes to 63 yards and seven first downs.

Valdosta opened the game with a ground attack that moved the ball from its own 31 yard line to the Lowndes 41, where the Viking defense stiffened. Valdosta’s Rodney Gordon executed a perfect coffin-corner punt to pin Lowndes back on their own 1-yard line. Lowndes was held to three-and-out and the ensuing punt left Valdosta with excellent field position at the Lowndes 42-yard line. The Wildcats marched down the field on the ground but fumbled at the 10-yard line, turning the ball back to the Vikings. Lowndes moved the ball out to its own 30-yard line before its drive stalled and they were forced to punt. Valdosta’s Troy Thomas fielded the booming 41-yard punt and returned it up the left side for a 34 yard return, which was extended by a personal foul by the Vikings to set up the Cats at the Viking 22 yard-line. The Viking defense, aided by an illegal procedure penalty on the Cats, held and Valdosta turned the ball over on downs as the scoreless first quarter ended.

On Lowndes’ first offensive play of the second quarter, Valdosta linebacker John Branan intercepted to set the Wildcat offense up at the Viking 31-yard line. Valdosta moved the ball on the ground with Irvin Roe picking up 14 yards to move the ball to the Lowndes 6-yard line to give the Cats their third visit to the Viking red zone. Ernest King plunged into the end zone from two yards out to give Valdosta a 7-0 lead. On the ensuing Lowndes possession, the Vikings fumbled on first down to set Valdosta up at the 16-yard line. Again the Lowndes defense held and Valdosta’s 32-yard field goal attempt was no good. The Lowndes offense, operating out of the shotgun, spread the field and heaved a long pass for a 46-yard gain to the Valdosta 34-yard line. Wildcat defensive end James Harris delivered the first of his five quarterback sacks of the evening to halt the drive. The Valdosta offense then turned the ball over by fumbling on its next offensive play to set up Lowndes deep in Valdosta territory. However, Lowndes was unable to move the ball and a 4th down pass off a fake field goal attempt was broken up in the end zone. The Lowndes and Valdosta defenses alternated interceptions and then Valdosta began the longest drive of the night. Starting its two-minute offense at its own 37 yard line, Valdosta quarterback John Lastinger connected with completions of 14, 23 and 12 yards to enter the Lowndes red zone once again. This time Valdosta running back Irvin Roe ripped a 15-yard trap play up the middle to put the Cats up 14-0 and the first half drew to a close.

The second half proceeded in similar fashion. The Valdosta defense harassed the Lowndes shotgun offense, holding them to three consecutive three-and-out possessions. The Valdosta offense continued be frustrated in the red zone, fumbling at the Viking three yard line before finally punching in a touchdown on the ground to end the third quarter with a 21-0 Valdosta lead. In the fourth quarter the Wildcat offense was again thwarted in the red zone, this time by an interception. Valdosta turned the ball over on a fumble late in the game on its own 32-yard line. Aided by a late hit penalty, Lowndes spoiled the Valdosta shutout, punching in a touchdown with 31 seconds left in the game.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 11 statistics

Week 12: vs. Thomasville Bulldogs

  • Location: Veteran's Memorial Stadium, Thomasville, GA
  • Date: November 17, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Game Weather[43]: High for the day, 70; low for the day 47

Week 12 was the 1-AAAA Region Championship game. In the previous week’s semifinal game, Thomasville avenged a regular season loss with a 28-16 victory over Tift County. The Valdosta-Thomasville game was held in Thomasville based on a coin flip held the previous Saturday morning in Quitman[44].

Thomasville received the opening kickoff and was stopped three and out. A short punt gave Valdosta good field position for the opening drive at its own 43-yard line. Valdosta embarked on a 9 play touchdown drive in which quarterback John Lastinger connected to Ernest King and Irvin Roe out of the backfield for 9 yard strikes. Lastinger also connected twice to wide receiver Frederick Blair for an 11 yard first down strike and the final 17 yard touchdown pass to give Valdosta the lead with 6:18 remaining in the first quarter. The PAT was wide left. Thomasville stayed on the ground on its second possession, racking up its first first down before punting the ball. Valdosta was on the march again down to the Thomasville 23 yard line featuring an 18 yard ramble by King and a Lastinger-to-Blair connection of 11 yard.

Thomasville stopped the drive by intercepting a Lastinger strike on the first play of the second quarter. The two defenses exchanged three-and-out stops before Thomasville launched its first scoring threat of the game. Starting at its own 41-yard line, Thomasville blasted a 27-yard run through a large hole in the left side of the line, and proceeded to march the ball into the Wildcat red zone. However, a fumble recovered by defensive end Kenny Evans stopped the drive. The Valdosta offense answered with its own ten play 47 yard drive highlighted by a 19 yard Lastinger run to move the sticks on a third down try. However, the Bulldog defense stopped Lastinger one yard short on a fourth down try to take over on downs at its own 23-yard line. Following a Thomasville three-and-out, Valdosta turned the ball back to Thomasville when they fumbled on the Valdosta 41 yard line with less than a minute to play. Thomasville heaved a long touchdown pass to take the lead at halftime 7-6.

In the third quarter, Thomasville picked up where they left off by mounting their longest drive of the night. After returning the kick-off to their own 28-yard line they moved the ball into the Valdosta red-zone behind an option-running attack and a successful 22-yard screen pass play. The Valdosta defense stiffened at its own 17-yard line where the Thomasville 4th down pass attempt fell incomplete. The Valdosta offense stayed on the ground to move the ball out to mid-field before punting. On the Bulldog’s ensuing drive the Valdosta defense recovered a fumble on the Thomasville 23-yard line. Four plays later Valdosta’s Irvin Roe rushed 6 yards to give Valdosta a 12-7 lead as the faked-kick two-point PAT attempt failed.

Valdosta opened the 4th quarter with time-consuming drive featuring nine running plays and a clutch 3rd down pass completion from Lastinger to Blair. The drive ended in a fumble at the Thomasville 3-yard line. Thomasville moved the to midfield but could not convert on 4th and 2 at the Valdosta 47 yard line, turning the ball over on downs. Valdosta again chewed up the clock with another nine play drive ending at the Bulldog 13-yard line when Lastinger’s 4th and 15 bootleg came up 5 yards short. Thomasville’s last drive of the night moved the ball out to mid-field before a Rodney Gordon interception sealed the Valdosta victory.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 12 statistics

Week 13: vs. Westside Patriots

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: November 24, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Game Weather[47]: 8PM EST Temperature 66.0 Humidity 81% Clear

The quarterfinals of the 1978 state playoff paired two unbeaten teams, Valdosta and Westside of Augusta. While Valdosta achieved a convincing first round victory, their starting quarterback John Lastinger, sustained a season-ending injury early in the first quarter.

Westside took a short opening kickoff back to their own 43-yard line and drove to the Valdosta 43 yard-line before being forced to punt. Valdosta started its first drive at its own 20 yard line. On the second play from scrimmage, Lastinger took off around the left end for a 28 yard gain. Valdosta kept the ball on the ground with Lastinger, Irvin Roe and William Gaskins ripping off gains. Lastinger’s keeper took the ball to the Patriots 5-yard line where he sustained his shoulder injury. Roe slashed through the line to put the Wildcats ahead 7-0 with 3:43 left in the first quarter. On Westside’s next drive they were stopped 3-and-out. Valdosta team captain Troy Thomas fielded the Westside punt, made two Patriots miss him, then followed a wall of Wildcat blockers down the home field sideline 72 yards to put Valdosta ahead 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Westside’s offense began to move early in the second quarter, with an 11 yard pass play moving the ball to the Wildcat 40 yard, which was to be their deepest penetration of the game, before punting. The Valdosta offense, starting at its own 20 yard line, employed some trickery as Roe took a pitchout and threw a 48 yard pass to wide receiver Frederick Blair. The Patriot defense stiffened and was aided by penalties that moved to ball back to the Wildcat 46-yard line. Quarterback John Bond then threw a lateral pass to Roe, who was lined up on the flanker position. Roe, protected by two wide-outs, waited for a streaking Frederick Blair to break free and heaved a long bomb to the Westside 7-yard line. Three plays later Bond took the ball around the left end to make the score 21-0 with 6:15 left in the first half. Following a quick interception of the Patriots by Thomas, Bond engineered a quick-strike drive featuring a 13-yard completion to Willie Hankins, a 19-yard completion to Blair, and a weaving against-the-grain cut back 26-yard sprint to the end zone to put Valdosta up 28-0. On the next Westside series, defensive captain Lynn Roberts blocked the Patriots’ punt to set up the Valdosta offense on the Westside 18-yard line. Three plays later, fullback William Gaskins blasted into the end zone to put the Wildcats up 35-0 at intermission.

In the second half, Valdosta interspersed reserve players, but continued to dominate. On their first possession of the second half, Westside went for the first down on 4th and 3 from the Valdosta 49 yard line and came up one yard short. Bond then engineered a 6 play, 47 yard drive with Bond, Roe and Ernest King gashing the Patriot defense with long runs. Quarterback Mike Ruff tossed a touchdown pass to Eugene Patterson to put the Wildcats up 49-0. David Reaves’ 35-yard field goal ended the scoring at 52-0.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 13 statistics

Week 14: vs. Benedictine Cadets

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: December 1, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Game Weather[49]: 9PM EST Temperature 55.0 Humidity 96% Clear

The fourteenth week of the season featured the state semifinal matchup between Valdosta and Benedictine, a rematch of the 1977 quarterfinal game. Valdosta and Benedictine have two of the oldest football programs in the state, originating in 1913 and 1908 respectively[50]. The first game between the two schools was in 1916 (a 25-0 victory by Benedictine)[51].

In 1978, Benedictine ran the triple option wishbone. Valdosta’s defensive coordinator Jack Rudolph devised multiple defensive fronts to slow down the attack. However, Benedictine’s six fumbles resulted in three turnovers, and led to Valdosta’s eighth shutout of the season.

Valdosta kicked off to Benedictine. In the Cadet opening drive they got one first down before a big third down sack by defensive end James Harris forced a punt. Troy Thomas returned the punt 22 yards to set up the Wildcats at the Cadet 38-yard line. The running of quarterback John Bond and Irvin Roe took the ball into the red zone. A Bond pass to wide receiver Frederick Blair took brought Valdosta to the 3-yard line where Bond’s sneak made the score 7-0. Benedictine’s ensuing drive was their best of the night. Short dive plays interspersed with an 18-yard triple option pitch and a 14-yard draw play took the ball down to the Valdosta 23-yard line. On the next play a bonecrushing tackle by defensive end Kenny Evans forced a fumble to stop the drive. Bond then led the Cats on a four play 69-yard drive featuring two short quarterback keepers, a 13-yard pass to Blair and a 48-yard weaving touchdown jaunt to put Valdosta up 14-0 as the first quarter ended.

Benedictine started the second quarter with another long drive on the ground, stopped by a lost fumble on the Valdosta 32 yard line. Both defenses held their opponents in check, but a long Wildcat punt pinned the Cadets at their own 3-yard line. On third down a swarm of Valdosta defenders smothered the Cadet running back in the end zone for a safety with less than a minute left in the half.

The second half started with Benedictine and Valdosta going three-and-out. Benedictine mounted a drive on their second possession that ended with a fumble at the Wildcat 41-yard line. Valdosta running back Ernest King then broke free with a 54-yard off run to the Cadet 5-yard line. Two plays later Bond’s sneak put the Cats up 23-0 with 2:52 left in the 3rd quarter. In the 4th quarter Benedictine had four three-and-out possessions while Valdosta had time-consuming scoreless drives.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 14 statistics

Week 15: vs. Griffins Bears

  • Location: Cleveland Field, Valdosta, GA
  • Date: December 9, 1978
  • Game Time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Game Weather[54]: 8PM EST Temperature 44.1 Humidity 85% Overcast

Week fifteen featured the undefeated Valdosta Wildcats hosting the 12-2 Griffin Bears. In Griffin’s first year under head coach Lloyd Bohannon, the Bears avenged an early-season loss to Newnan in the Region 6 playoff and then defeated Douglass and Lakeside (Atlanta). In the Lakeside semifinal game, Griffin came back from a 14-3 deficit, scoring the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter on a drive extended by a successful pass off a fake field goal[55]

Valdosta kicked off to Griffin who set up shop on its own 20-yard line. Bohannon gambled early, eschewing a punt from 4th and inches at his own 30-yard line and opting for a quarterback sneak which proved successful. However, on the next play from scrimmage Griffin fumbled and Carroll Johnson recovered to start Valdosta’s first possession at the Griffin 39-yard line. Valdosta’s first play was a 14-yard halfback pass from Irvin Roe to wide receiver Frederick Blair. A clipping penalty on running back Ernest King’s run moved the ball back to the Griffin 32-yard line. Consecutive pass completions from quarterback John Bond moved the ball to the Griffin 10-yard line. An incomplete Bond pass, a 7-yard power run by King and a 2-yard run by Roe set up a 4th and inches try which Bond converted with a quarterback sneak to put Valdosta up 7-0 at the 6:21 mark in the first quarter. Griffin returned the ensuing kick-off to its own 41-yard line. Two pass completions and an 11-yard draw play to extend the drive on 3rd down brought the Bears to the Wildcat 32-yard line. However, Valdosta middle guard Clifford Johnson punched out the ball on the next play and Troy Thomas recovered the fumble to stop the Griffin drive. Two plays later, Valdosta turned the ball back over to Griffin on the Wildcat 45-yard line. The Valdosta defense forced a Griffin punt three-and-out which trickled into the end zone for a touchback. On Valdosta’s second offensive play of the series another Wildcat fumble gave Griffin the ball on the Wildcat 21-yard line as the first quarter came to an end.

On 3rd and 3 from the 14-yard line, the first play of the second quarter, Valdosta safety Carl Roe came up with a huge stop for no gain to force a 4th down decision. The Bears 30-yard field goal attempt was no good and the Wildcats took over at their own 20-yard line. Valdosta picked up a first down and then Bond heaved a long pass on the money to a streaking Blair, but the ball dropped through his hands and Valdosta was forced to punt. Valdosta then stopped Griffin three-and-out and Griffin’s shanked punt gave Valdosta good field position at the Griffin 41-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage another Bond-to-Blair connection failed and Griffin intercepted the bobbled pass. Valdosta stopped Griffin three-and-out and took over after the punt at its own 29. Another Bond interception turned the ball back to Griffin who again went three-and-out. On the ensuing Griffin punt, Wildcat receiver Irvin Roe, faked right and then blazed up the left side of the field for an untouched 64-yard return that was negated by a clipping penalty. Griffin stopped Valdosta three and out to end the first half.

Griffin kicked off to Valdosta to start the second half. Both defenses dominated the third quarter with the Valdosta being held to three-and-out possessions three times and Griffin being held to three-and-out possessions twice. However Griffin’s two punts of 48 and 49 yards with no return slowly flipped the field setting them up on their third possession of the quarter at their own 46 yard-line. Griffin moved the ball on the ground to the Valdosta 30 yard line and then connected on a 21 yard 3rd down pass as the third quarter ended.

The second play of the 4th quarter was a 7-yard Griffin rush to tie the game at 7-7. In the 4th quarter Griffin was held to zero first downs and Valdosta picked up only one. Late in the game Valdosta’s punt from its own 27-yard line was shanked as the Valdosta punter slipped during the kick setting up Griffin for a last second field goal try from the Valdosta 33-yard line. The 49-yard effort was no good. There was no provision for any form of tie-breaker; Valdosta and Griffin were co-champions.

Top Valdosta Performers

Game 15 statistics

Personnel

Coaching staff

  • Nick Hyder was the head coach. He played football at Elizabethton High School and Carson-Newman College in Tennessee. He became head coach of Valdosta High School in 1974, after serving as athletic director and head football coach for West Rome High School.
  • Jack Rudolph was the defensive coordinator. He played football for Grady High School and Georgia Tech in Atlanta. He played professional football for the Boston Patriots 1960-1966 and the Miami Dolphins in 1967. He came to Valdosta in 1968.
  • Butch Brooks was the offensive coordinator. He played football for Monroe Area Comprehensive High School where he was selected All-State for football in 1962, '63, and '64. He went on to become head coach at Washington-Wilkes high school.
  • Charles Tarpley was the defensive ends/linebackers coach. He played football for Richmond Academy in Augusta. He was on Nick Hyder's staff at West Rome and joined Hyder in the move to Valdosta in 1974.
  • Bob Bolton was the running backs/quarterback coach. He played football on the 1965 and 1966 Valdosta High School state championship teams.
  • Freddie Waters was the defensive line coach. He played football for Dasher High School and Florida A&M University.
  • Jerry Don Baker was the offensive line coach. He played football on the 1968 and 1969 Valdosta High School state championship teams.
  • Jim Burroughs was the faculty trainer. He was a licensed EMT and graduated from Navy's Medical Laboratory Technical School in San Diego.

Roster

1978 Valdosta Wildcats roster[57][58]


Season statistics

Team Leaders

Category Player Value
Passing Yards John Lastinger 1228
Passing Touchdowns John Lastinger 9
Rushing Yards Irvin Roe 775
Rushing Touchdowns Ernest King 15
Receptions Frederick Blair 35
Receiving Yards Frederick Blair 637
Receiving Touchdowns John Bond/Irvin Roe/Tim Dame 3
Points Ernest King 90
Kickoff Return Yds Irvin Roe 93
Punt Return Yds Troy Thomas 488
Tackles Troy Thomas 75
Sacks James Harris 8.5
Forced Fumbles Kenny Evans 3
Interceptions Rodney Gordon 5

Team Comparisons

Valdosta Opponent
Points Scored 477 49
Total First Downs 261 111
First Downs (% Rushing-Passing-By-Penalty) 63%-32%-5% 59%-32%-9%
Third Down Conversion 36.5% 8.2%
Fourth Down Conversion 42.3% 18.2%
Total Offensive Yards 4825 1924
Offense (Plays - Average Yards) 857 - 5.6 703 - 2.7
Total Rushing Yards 2904 1099
Rushing (Plays - Average Yards) 596 - 4.9 491 - 2.2
Total Passing Yards 1921 825
Passing (Comp - Att - INT - Avg) 114 - 261 - 20 - 7.4 75 - 212 - 15 - 3.9
Sacks 25 8
Field Goals (Made - Attempts) 1-3 0-2
Touchdowns 68 6
Touchdowns (Rushing - Passing - Returns - Defensive) 51 - 13 - 1 - 3 6 - 0 - 0 - 0
1-Point PAT (Made-Attempts) 51 - 58 6 - 6
2-Point PAT (Made-Attempts) 1 - 3 0 - 0
Punts (Number - average yards) 47 - 34.6 106 - 34.7
Penalties (Number and Yards) 78 - 745 60 - 532
Fumbles-Number and Lost 22 - 13 48-26
Red Zone Efficiency 81% 100%
Safeties 2 0


Individual statistics[7][27][33][36]

Awards and honors

  • Team Captain and cornerback Troy Thomas was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's All-State first team and was a member of the GACA All-Star Game's South team. He went on to play for the University of South Carolina.
  • Offensive Team Captain and quarterback John Lastinger was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's All-State first team and was a member of the GACA All-Star Game's South team. He was also named to the 60th Annual All-Southern high school football honor squad in 1978.[59]He went on to play for the University of Georgia.

References

  1. ↑ The 2016 Valdosta High Football Media Guide.
  2. ↑ Georgia High School Association Constitution and By-Laws Region and State Meets 1978-1979 pg. 120. Retrieved on 7 July 2017.[1]
  3. ↑ Georgia High School Football Historians, Griffin Bears Retrieved on 7 July 2017.[2]
  4. ↑ Georgia High School Football Historians, Thomasville Bulldogs Retrieved on July 8, 2017[3]
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chason, M. (1979). A Championship Season - The 1978-79 Campaign in Review. 1979 Valdosta Wildcats Football Program.
  6. ↑ Weather Underground[4]Weather History for KVLD - September, 1978; Retrieved July 29, 2017
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 7.18 7.19 7.20 7.21 7.22 7.23 7.24 Game Film, Valdosta Touchdown Club
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Chason, Mike. "Rout! Wildcats Grind Out 40-0 Win " The Valdosta Daily Times, September 2, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 09 02 P6.pdf
  9. ↑ Miller, Julian. "Valdosta Buries Jackets, 40-0: Lastinger Outshines Belue" The Thomasville Times-Enterprise, September 2, 1978, p. 11File:TTE 1978 09 02 P11.pdf
  10. ↑ Weather Underground[5] Crisp Cnty-Cordele AP, Cordel, GA; Friday, September 8, 1978; Retrieved July 29, 2017
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Chason, Mike. "Wildcat Aerial Game Wipes Out Crisp, 35-7 " The Valdosta Daily Times, September 9, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 09 09 P6.pdf
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Simpson, Harvey. "Wildcats Strafe Cougars With Aerial Bombs" Cordele Dispatch, September 11, 1978, p. 8File:CD_1978_09_11.pdf
  13. ↑ Weather Underground[6]Valdosta Regional, GA Retrieved August 15, 2017
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Chason, Mike. "Valdosta Knocks Off T'ville in a Thriller" The Valdosta Daily Times, September 16, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 09 16 P6.pdf
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Miller, Julian. "'Dosta Rally Nips Dogs: 16-7 Slugfest" The Thomasville Times-Enterprise, September 2, 1978, p. 11File:TTE_1978_09_16_P6.pdf
  16. ↑ Weather Underground[7]Weather History for KVLD - September, 1978 Retrieved August 25, 2017
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Chason, Mike. "Valdosta Bombards Albany High, 49-0 " The Valdosta Daily Times, September 23, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 09 23 P6.pdf
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "'Cats Bury Tribe, 49-0" Albany Herald, September 23, 1978File:AH_1978_09_23.pdf
  19. ↑ Weather Underground[8] Weather Almanac for KMGR - September, 1978; Retrieved September 3, 2017
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Chason, Mike. "Valdosta Blasts Colquitt: In 49-0 Rout" The Valdosta Daily Times, September 30, 1978, p. 6File:VDT_1978_09_30_P6.pdf
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Johnson, Gary. "Valdosta Whips Packers: Wildcats Triumph, 49-0" The Moultrie Observer, September 30, 1978, pp 1,13File:MO_1978_09_30.pdf
  22. ↑ Weather Underground[9] Henry Tift Myers AP, Tifton, GA; Retrieved September 3, 2017
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Chason, Mike. "No Looking Ahead, 'Cats Rip Tift, 35-7" The Valdosta Daily Times, October 7, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 10 07 P6.pdf
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Rathgeber, Jim. "'The Long Bomb Broke Our Backs': Brodie Laments After Loss to Valdosta" The Tifton Gazette, October 7, 1978, p. 1BFile:TG_1978_10_07 P1B.pdf
  25. ↑ Weather Underground[10]History for KVLD - October, 1978; Retrieved September 7, 2017
  26. ↑ “The History of the Winnersville Classic”, October 19, 2007, The Valdosta Daily Times[11] Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Chason, Mike. "'The Big Payback': 'Cats Coast Past Vikes, King Scores 3 TDs" The Valdosta Daily Times, October 14, 1978, p. 9File:VDT 1978 10 14 P9.pdf
  28. ↑ Roberts, Steve. “Hyder and Staff Left With Smiles: Still Unbeaten” The Valdosta Daily Times, October 14, 1978. P. 9File:VDT 1978 10 14 P9.pdf
  29. ↑ Weather Underground[12]Weather History for KABY - October, 1978 Retrieved September 14, 1978
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Hagood, Mike. "'Cats' Playoff Spot Assured" The Valdosta Daily Times, October 21, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 10 21 P6.pdf
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Kanengiser, Andy. "'Wildcat Passing Airs Out Monroe" The Albany Herald, October 21, 1978, p. 7AFile:AH_1978_10_21_P7A.pdf
  32. ↑ Weather Underground[13]Weather History for KVLD - October, 1978 Retrieved September 7, 2017
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Chason, Mike. "Bainbridge Becomes 9th Victim For VHS" The Valdosta Daily Times, October 28, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 10 28 P8.pdf
  34. ↑ Crine, Joe. "Valdosta humbles Bearcats, 42-0" The Bainbridge Post-Searchlight, November 1, 1978, p. 4BFile:BPS 1978 11 01 P4B.pdf
  35. ↑ Weather History for KABY - November, 1978 Retrieved September 14, 1978 [14]
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 Chason, Mike. "’Cats Write Last Chapter to 10-0 Season " The Valdosta Daily Times, November 5, 1978, p. 9AFile:VDT 1978 11 05 P9A.pdf
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 Robinson. Gary. "'Wildcats Erase Trojan Hopes" The Albany Herald, November 5, 1978File:AH 1978 11 05 .pdf
  38. ↑ Georgia High School Football Historians, Benedictine Cadets Retrieved on July 8, 2017[15]
  39. ↑ "Valdosta Ends Up Number One", Associated Press, Valdosta Daily Times, December 13, 1978File:VDT 12 13 78 P21.pdf
  40. ↑ Figueroa, Steve "Strong Foes Up Ratings", Atlanta Constitution, December 12, 1978File:19781212_AC_p006-D.pdf
  41. ↑ Weather Underground[16]Weather History for KVLD - November, 1978 Retrieved September 7 2017
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Chason, Mike. "'Cats Climb Into Region Title Game: 'Dosta Defense Does Job Again" The Valdosta Daily Times, November 11, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 11 11 P6.pdf
  43. ↑ Weather Underground[17]Weather History for KTVI - November, 1978 Retrieved November 15 2017
  44. ↑ "Hyder Points to Second TD: As Key Factor in Game" The Valdosta Daily Times, November 11, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 11 11 P6.pdf
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 Chason, Mike. "Region Champs: It's VHS Vs. Westside in State Playoffs" The Valdosta Daily Times, November 18, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 11 18 P6.pdf
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 Miller, Julian. "'Patience Pays: 'Cats Nip 'Dogs, 12-7" The Thomasville Times-Enterprise, November 18, 1978, p. 11File:TTE 1978 11 18 P10.pdf
  47. ↑ Weather Underground[18]Weather History for KVLD - November, 1978, Retrieved September 7, 2017
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 Chason, Mike. "Cats Clobber No-Luck Pats, 52-0 " The Valdosta Daily Times, November 25, 1978, p. 6File:VDT 1978 11 25 P6.pdf
  49. ↑ Weather Underground[19]Weather History for KVLD - December, 1978; Retrieved July 29, 2017
  50. ↑ ‘’Georgia High School Football Historians, School index’’.[20]
  51. ↑ ‘’Georgia High School Football Historians, 1916 Valdosta Wildcats results’’[21]
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 Chason, Mike. "Valdosta Catapults Into StateTitle Game With 23-0 Clone Conquest of Benedictine " The Valdosta Daily Times, December 2, 1978, p. 8File:VDT_1978_12_02_P8.pdf
  53. ↑ Rauers, Billy. "Top-Ranked Valdosta Shuts Out BC, 23-0" The Savannah Morning News, December 2, 1978, p.2BFile:SMN_1978_02_12.pdf
  54. ↑ Weather Underground[22]Weather History for KVLD - December, 1978; Retrieved July 29, 2017
  55. ↑ ’’Griffin Comeback Dumps Lakeside: Prep Playoffs’’, Associated Press, The Valdosta Daily Times, December 2, 1978 p. 8[:File:VDT_1978_12_02_P8.pdf]
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 56.2 Chason, Mike. "It's a Tie: Valdosta, Griffin Left in 7-7 Deadlock; Nobody Expected the Final Result" The Valdosta Daily Times, December 10, 1978, p. 18AFile:VDT_1978_12_10_P18A.pdf
  57. ↑ 1978 Valdosta High School Football Program
  58. ↑ Sandspur 1979, Valdosta High School Yearbook Volume 38
  59. ↑ "Lastinger Named to Georgia 11: All-Southern" The Valdosta Daily Times, December 24, 1978, p. 9AFile:VDT_1978_12_24_P9A.pdf
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