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The ADVANCE, November 3,2021 /Page 3B
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continued from page 1B It would be difficult to
mold. He was all over « # ■ ■ m m ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ w
the field, making plays VHS Trounces Raiders, Honors John Koon
more.
The ’42 and ’46
teams were great because
of Trippi himself. A ver
satile and accomplished
offensive player as a run
ner and passer from the
tailback, and later, left
halfback positions, Trippi
earned even higher marks
as a safetyman. He could
defend the pass as well
as anybody in the game
and could stop the run at
the line of scrimmage or
wreak havoc on sweeps
and short passes.
Neither side of the
ball rendered a praisewor
thy performance in the
only loss in 1942, 27-13,
to Auburn in Columbus.
Georgia defeated UCLA
9-0 in the Rose Bowl. In
1946, Trippi’s senior year,
as football returned to
normal, following World
War II, Georgia was un
defeated and beat North
Carolina in the Sugar
Bowl, 20-10.
Likely there has nev
er been a more dominant
player on defense than
Trippi. If you are think
ing Jake Scott and Bill
Stanfill; maybe Scott Wo-
erner and Terry Hoage,
and lately, Jordan Davis,
then you would be right
to raise a hand with dis
claimer, “Not so fast.”
That would certainly
bring pause to the discus
sion.
The 1968 defense
with Stanfill and Scott
was near unbeatable.
Stanfill was an anchor in
the line of scrimmage, but
he had enough speed and
quickness to chase down
backs when they ran
wide.
Woerner was from
the Trippi and Jake Scott
imagine any player with
greater instincts than
Trippi, Scott, Woerner
and Hoage, who blocked
a field goal against Notre
Dame in the National
Championship game—a
signal that more big play
greatness would come
about.
The ’80 defense was
the epitome of the old
saw, “all for one and one
for all.” It found a way to
win games. There seemed
to be a new hero every
Saturday. That team was
also replete with unsung
heroes.
Before we anoint the
current defense, which
is a “BIG TEAM, little
me,” defense as Georgia’s
greatest, let’s say that if
this team gets into the
playoffs and competes
for the National Champi
onship, that it could cer
tainly lay claim to being
the best defense in UGA
history.
I don’t think there
is any question but that
Jordan Davis is the most
dominating defensive
lineman ever to play be
tween the hedges. That
is saying a lot since Bill
Stanfill won the Outland
trophy and was a selfless
player who provided crit
ical leadership, but Jor
dan is a young man who
could chase down rabbits
and massage their stom
achs to see if they were fat
enough for supper before
taking them home for
that purpose.
Selflessness, team
first attitude, size and
speed, big play capability,
resiliency, depth—this
defense has abundant
lagniappe: “a little some
thing extra.”
By John IV. Conner
Vidalia High School’s
young football team took
care of business early on Fri
day night against a winless
Bacon County team.
The Indians jumped to
a 36-0 halftime lead, allow
ing plenty of time for the
school to honor one of the
best play-by-play men at
halftime. John Koon, who
has left Indian fans with
plenty of on-air memories
through the years, was call
ing his last football game at
Buck Cravey Field.
It was also a night to
honor senior QB Bryce Da
vis, who set the school’s sin
gle season passing record
during the game.
After senior kicker Tate
McDaniel recovered his
own onside kick to give the
Vidalia offense great start
ing field position on the Red
Raider side of midfield, Da
vis took it to the visitors
from Alma.
On the first play of the
game, Davis kept left and
zig-zagged all the way across
the field before being
pushed out of bounds on
the home side of the field
inside the 20. Three plays
later, leading his team in
hurry-up mode, he kept
again and found an opening
off tackle over the left side
for a touchdown.
The score stayed at 6-0,
though, when the Indian’s
try for 2 points came up
short. Only 52 seconds had
rnn off the first quarter
clock.
Davis added another
touchdown later in the first
quarter, this time from 11
yards out with 3:51 left on
the clock. Tate McDaniel
kicked a conventional extra
point for a 13-0 lead.
Davis was also involved
in Vidalia’s next three touch
downs, but these came by
air.
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912.403.3238
Photo by John W. Conner
Jacaree Washington snags a Bryce Davis pass out of the air near the Bacon County
goal line in Friday's victory over Bacon County.The Indians will travel to Swainsboro this
Friday to end their regular season this Friday.
First, he found a wide open
Kaleb Bennett near the side
line, where Bennett trotted
the rest of the 16 yards into
the endzone. Davis ran the
2-point conversion in to
give the Indians a three TD
lead with 7:31 left in the
first half.
The second TD pass
was a short one, as Davis
found sure-handed Jacaree
Washington on a 1-yard
hitch route just over the goal
line. Kaleb Bennett ran in
the 2-point conversion to
make it 29-0 with 3:32 left
in the half.
Vidalia wasn’t done
though. On their last pos
session of the first half Davis
faded back and hit speedy
Jordan Powell right down
the seam. Powell outran the
pursuit for the rest of the 65
yards for the touchdown
with just 5 seconds left on
the clock.
McDaniel came in and
kicked the PAT to give Vida-
lia a 36-0 halftime lead.
With a running clock in
the second half, the Indians
did take their foot off the
acelerator and substituted
freely.
The Indians almost got
on board when freshman
Joshtin Troup, another
speedster, took the second
half kickoff and split and
outran the pursuit to the
end zone. A penalty flag for
blocking in the back nulli
fied the TD.
The Indians still drove
toward the goal line though,
and Troupe got his first var
Photo by John W. Conner
Freshman Joshtin Troup cuts toward the end zone on a
sweep and heads toward the camera to score his first
varsity touchdown at Vidalia,
sity touchdown on a 4-yard
sweep play. Troupe’s touch
down and McDaniel’s PAT
gave the Indians their final
points of the night.
Bacon County got a late
31-yard field goal from
Adam Meza to avoid the
shutout, leaving the final
score at 43-3.
Davis had a fantastic
night on what could be his
final game on his homefield.
He completed 8-of-9 passes
for 181 yards and 3 TD’s.
Davis also had 78 yards
rushing on only 6 carries.
The Indians will close
their regular season at
Swainsboro and will be on
the road for the first game of
the state playoffs, probably
against Putnam County of
Eatonton. The War Eagles
are 9-0 and will be the num
ber 1 seed out of Region
4-AA.
There are some rules
for entry to the Swainsboro
stadium.
Swainsboro has imple
mented some protocols for
the game Friday night in
cluding a clear or mesh bag
policy for all of their football
and basketball events. All
spectators will have to abide
by the clear or mesh bag
policy.
Also, please be advised
that upon entering the sta
dium all spectators will be
checked using metal-detect
ing wands.
Vidalia fans will park on
the visitor's side and utilize
the gate at the far end of the
stadium.
All tickets are $8.00 and
must be purchased through
GoFan at gofan.com/app/
events/399085?schoolID=
GA6655.
!S E
Floor Seating I $25-$30
Balcony Seating I $35
VIDALIA, GEORGIA
Tickets on sale on online at
thepaltheatre.com and at the box office.
912-535-0290