A collision of two of the highest profile teams in the state is set for Friday night when Valdosta travels to Carrollton to face the undefeated Trojans as the two programs are set for a collision course in the second round of the GHSA Class 5A Playoffs.
Valdosta and Carrollton have combined for 32 state championships since 1940 as they both have their sights set on adding another to the trophy case this season.
The game will be broadcast live on the Peachtree Sports Network starting at 8 p.m., and digitally on Atlanta News First, ZEAM and the National Federation High School Network.
Valdosta, Team No. 3 out of a brutal Region 1-5A, is coming off of a 35-27 victory in the first round of the playoffs in Raider Valley against Walton. The top team out of Region 2-5A, the Carrollton Trojans, defeated Dacula in the first round, holding the Falcons to just seven points as they advanced to the second round for the 10th consecutive season with a 49-7 victory last week.
Valdosta and Carrollton are meeting in the second round of the playoffs for the second-consecutive year, with the Trojans walking away with a 45-28 victory and a berth in the quarterfinals.
Friday’s meeting between the two programs being the third time they have met in the postseason in the last five seasons. The Wildcats and the Trojans have previously met in 2020 and 2023 with Carrollton taking the victory in both playoff games, with a possible third on the way this week.
“Last year’s touchdowns don’t win this year’s games,” said Carrollton head coach Joey King. “Our focus is on Valdosta, we have to run the football extremely well and tackle on defense, they got guys that are one missed tackle away from a touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, they are really good up front and they have some big interior defensive lineman. We have to be able to handle the pressure and make big plays when the opportunity presents itself.”
Many eyes will be on the quarterbacks in Friday’s win-or-go-home game. Valdosta quarterback is 4-star Georgia-commit ATH Todd Robinson who has led the Wildcats offense. His tall-task this week will be to match Carrollton’s high-powered offensive attack, led by 5-star quarterback Julian Lewis, who has led the Trojans to the highest-scoring offense in Class 6A.
Robinson has been committed to the University of Georgia since June and has continued to give opposing defenses headaches throughout his senior season. The man can flat-out play all over the field. He’s been recruited to play as a safety in college. Though he is currently playing out of position at quarterback, Robinson has come into his own using a lethal combination of arm talent and elusiveness with his legs to create fits for opponents.
In his second season as the starting quarterback, Robinson has thrown for over 2,100 yards, 21 touchdowns, averaging a little over 12 yards a completion while adding almost 500 yards on the ground with 11 rushing touchdowns on the season.
He does a little bit of everything for the Wildcats.
“When he’s healthy we are unbeatable. Unbeatable,” said Valdosta head coach Shelton Felton. “He’s so explosive and has come into his own as a passer, and we all know what he can do with his legs.”
On the opposing sideline, Carrollton’s Lewis has been a topic of conversation recently due to the quarterback announcing his decommitment from the University of Southern California on Sunday. However the attention Lewis has received from the recruiting sites around the country hasn’t distracted him from helping Carrollton achieve their goals of becoming state champions for the first time since 1998.
The senior quarterback has continued to record video game-like numbers, throwing for close to 2,900 yards, 40 touchdowns, averaging close to 260 yards per game while having an astonishing completion percentage of 78%, only missing 57 passes on the season. Lewis has added two touchdowns with his legs, keeping the defense guessing with his mobility and creating a huge challenge for whoever lines up against the Carrollton offense.
“He is as good as advertised,” said Felton. “He sees the field very well, he has command of the offense. “We just have to keep him in front of us and eliminate the explosive plays. It’s going to be tough but we have to play to the best of our ability and contain the explosive plays.”
While Valdosta and Felton could have their hands full with a dangerous Carrollton team, that doesn’t mean the Wildcats don’t have any fire power of their own behind Robinson.
A sophomore running back tandem consisting of Marquis Fennell and Deron Foster have become reliable options in the Wildcats backfield. The two have combined for over 1,300 yards on the season and 15 touchdowns and have accounted for a majority of the carries. Fennell leads the team in all-purpose yards with over 1,330 yards on the season.
On the outside, upperclassmen lead the way for in the receiving corps with senior Eli Lewis and junior Prince Jean have caught over 90 passes for over 1,300 yards combined on the season and have also totaled 15 total touchdowns. While Lewis and Jean have been explosive options on the outside for Robinson, Fennell has also been very productive in the pass game, accounting for more than 400 receiving yards and is second on the team in receptions, accounting for 45 catches on the season. Junior wide receiver Eldemtrius Hunter has also accounted for over 300 yards and three touchdowns through the air this season.
The Wildcats have multiple guys on the defensive side of the ball that can shake up a game and will look to put a large amount of pressure on the Carrollton offense.
The Valdosta defense is led by mostly upperclassmen that have played in various big atmosphere games like the one this Friday.
Junior cornerback Jalon Copeland leads a talented secondary that will look to take away throwing lanes from Lewis and the Trojans. He is tied for a team-leading two interceptions on the season while accounting for 21 total tackles on the season. Copeland along with junior defensive backs Seth Brown Jr. and Tres Ellison each have accounted for two interceptions on the season and will look to make things difficult for the Trojans.
Kobi Brown, a 3-star edge rusher committed to the UConn Huskies, leads the team with nine sacks on the season, getting to opposing backfields with ease. The senior is second on the team with 20 tackles for loss, only behind senior nose guard Marcus Williams who leads the team with 93 tackles and 29 tackles for loss.
The Carrollton offense features a plethora of playmakers surrounding its stud quarterback. Running back Kimauri Farmer has 13 touchdowns on 148 attempts, totaling over 900 yards on the ground as well as over 300 yards through the air with four receiving touchdowns. The junior running back has received offers from major college football programs such as Indiana and Kansas State with more in his future.
The junior receiving duo of Peyton Zachary and Ryan Mosley both sit at No. 1 and No. 2 in receiving on the team with Zachary leading the team with 650 yards, and Mosley in a close second with 640 yards. Out of Lewis’ 40 passing touchdowns, Zachary and Mosley have combined to catch 18 of them, accounting for nearly half of the receiving touchdowns for the Trojans. The Trojans have an impressive five players with over 300 receiving yards along with Zachary and Mosley including Farmer, AJ McNeil and Kiyun Cofer.
Junior offensive lineman Zykie Helton leads a talented Carrollton offensive line that has helped block for an offense that has totaled over 4,500 yards of total offense.
Like its offense, the Carrollton defense has multiple guys that can change the game for the Trojans. Senior safety, Texas-commit Zelus Hicks has been outstanding leading the backend of the Carrollton defense. Hicks is currently second on the team in tackles with 46 total also accounting for two forced fumbles and an interception. Hicks alongside junior cornerback Dorian Barney, who recently decommitted from Alabama, and senior corner Shamar Arnoux, create numerous problems for any team that wants to throw on the Trojans. The secondary for the Trojans has been phenomenal, only allowing 11 passing touchdowns in 11 games.
Junior linebacker CJ Gamble leads a talented linebacking corps along with edge rusher Zion Cooley and linebacker CJ Kelley. Gamble has totaled 39 total tackles, fourth-highest on the team, commanding the middle of the Trojans defense.
Up front, Jabari Elder, Jacob Ricks and Christian Kelley help plug up run lanes on the defensive line and are a big part as to why the Trojans have only allowed a little over five yards per play.
In total, the Trojans defense has allowed only 22 touchdowns on the season, but will have their hands full with Robinson and the Wildcats Friday.
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