VALDOSTA – The Lowndes Vikings football team secured a decisive 50-13 victory over Camden County on Friday night, October 9, 2026, in their Region 1-7A opener. Despite heavy rain making passing difficult, senior running back Mason Woods delivered a standout performance, rushing for 248 yards and four touchdowns on just 20 attempts.
The Vikings' ground game was the backbone of their offense, amassing 477 rushing yards out of 514 total offensive yards, with only two pass attempts throughout the game. Waylon Weidinger also contributed significantly, rushing for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, while Trey Robertson added 51 rushing yards on five attempts. The team demonstrated its offensive line's strength, converting both fourth-down attempts and achieving 21 first downs.
Lowndes faced early adversity, falling behind 7-0 late in the first quarter after fumbling a punt. Camden County capitalized on the favorable field position when Malachi Poole ran for a 52-yard touchdown. Woods quickly responded for the Vikings, breaking a significant run to tie the game in the second quarter. Lowndes then built a 15-7 lead, but Poole once again found the end zone with a long run, narrowing the Vikings' lead to 15-13.
As the rain intensified, the Vikings pushed to score before halftime. Weidinger, who also plays as a right-handed pitcher on the Lowndes baseball team, executed an unexpected 35-yard touchdown pass to Kaevone Thomas, giving Lowndes a 22-13 lead with 31.8 seconds remaining in the half. This play marked a turning point, as Lowndes then controlled the remainder of the game, scoring 28 straight points in the second half.
Head Coach Adam Carter acknowledged the challenging weather conditions for both teams. “You deal with the elements you deal with everything,” Carter stated, recognizing that adversity is an inherent part of the game. Despite Camden County's two long runs in the first half, Carter expressed confidence in his defense's overall performance, noting they “went and fixed that” in the second half. The Lowndes defense successfully prevented Camden County from scoring again after halftime, focusing on stopping the run given the Wildcats' limited ability to pass in the rain.
Carter emphasized the importance of discipline to his team, instructing them to be aware of their job on every play. He also credited the offensive line for the night's rushing success, stating, "All those rush yards are great for them, but that game was won by our offensive line."
With this regional win secured, the Vikings will now enter a bye week. Their upcoming schedule includes two road games out of their last three to conclude the regular season: an away game at Richmond Hill on October 23, hosting rival Valdosta for the Winnersville Classic on October 30, and finishing on the road at Colquitt County on November 6.
