Fort Valley State University represented middle Georgia well in Atlanta on Saturday

Atlanta, Ga.- The Fort Valley State University

Wildcats played and won in Atlanta over the weekend and I was proud to be

covering the game when they did. I was on hand, to not only write this column

for the Houston Home Journal -two local players, Jaylen Lowder and Jhi’Marre

Brown of Veterans and Perry High School, are on the Wildcats roster- but I was

also covering the game for an Atlanta-based newspaper. Two birds with one stone.

After spending Friday night in Warner Robins

watching the Northside Eagles put on a defensive clinic (and Cory Munson’s

kicking clinic. See his story in this section) against Valdosta High School I

was looking forward to seeing players on the collegiate level bring the same

energy to what was a big SIAC conference matchup between the Wildcats and the

Clark Atlanta University Panthers. There are a number of players on the Fort

Valley roster with local ties to middle Georgia and Houston County and it is

always my pleasure to keep up with their progressions on the next level. Noty

one of those players disappointed as the Wildcats won 41-27. Lowder, only a

freshman, carried himself with the same professional mannerisms he displayed

playing for the Warhawks and coach David Bruce last year. On a number of

occasions he was sent in to block on run plays -he is a tight end after all-

and on others he was part of the special teams unit. I was proud to be

associated with Houston County whenever Lowder touched the field. It felt like

he was in Atlanta representing the entire county.

No disrespect to the Mercer University Bears (who

won 21-14 at the Citadel this weekend) but the Wildcats, the reigning SIAC

Champions by the way, may be the best college football team in middle Georgia

and should be a massive vehicle for community pride. Despite their current 2-3

record, the Wildcats under head coach Kevin Porter are scheduling Division I

and Division II non-conference games [The Wildcats opened the season at The University

of West Georgia and a few weeks ago played Southern in Baton Rouge] that most

schools would look to avoid. Win or lose the Wildcats football program is

representing the city of Fort Valley and middle Georgia in a big way. Fort

Valley State University, not Peach County High School, not Houston County High

School, Not Northside High School, not Mercer University, to name a few local

football programs, won the only championship in the middle Georgia last year.

The secret is out, there were hundreds of Wildcats clad fans in Atlanta on

Saturday. Those alumni, fans and Fort Valley residents weren’t over 100 miles

from home for the food. They were there to see the football team.

At CAU Panthers Stadium on Saturday the Wildcats defense and in

particular senior running back Chauncey Jackson (Lovejoy, Ga.) and junior

receiver Lorenzo Smothers, represented the valley well. There is a very good

product down at Fort Valley State and their next game at home on Saturday,

October 14 against Lane College should be a sellout. It would be a shame if it

were not. The Wildcats, their coaches and their staff represented the city and

region well this past weekend, it’s only fare if the city returns the favor.

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