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FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
RTCA Season Over
VHA vs. Horizon Christian
7:30 p.m. Friday in Cumming
GAPPS State A State Championship
November 24,2021
®1|E Aiuiante
Section B
Indians Are State Runners-Up
The Vidalia High School Competi
tion Cheerleaders took 2nd place in
the GHSA State Championships held
Friday at the Macon Coliseum. The
Indians, who captured the Region 2AA
Championship last weekend, were
looking to add to their three previous
State Championships but finished a
half-point behind Bleckley County and
just ahead of Region 2AA foe Bacon
County
“I couldn’t be prouder of our team,”
said Vidalia Head Coach Ann Michele
Toole. “In this sport you have 2min
30sec to maximize your opportunities
to fully execute, and they did an amaz
ing job in their final performance of
the season. It was a tight run in the top
three of 2A, with a mere .5-point sepa
ration and a three-way tie determined
by officials.” Toole added.
The Veteran Vidalia squad will
have to look to their younger team
members if they are to repeat or im
prove on this year’s accomplishments,
as 10 members of the team are Seniors.
“We are truly going to miss our seniors
who have done an amazing job living
out Vidalia’s tradition of excellence,”
said Toole.
Toombs County High School was
also part of the State Competition and
took 11th place.
Photo by Carroll Williams
(L to R, Front): Abby Barr, Cadence Lanier, Anna Beth Martin, Rebekkah Bell, Reagan Burton, Braylie Davis, Heidi Barfield; (Middle):
Rebecca Evans, Celeste Hodges, Hailey Metts, Jayla Phillips, Breanna Barfield, Brynna Wheeler, Emma Neesmith; (Back): Coach Julie
Spivey, Zoey Alvarez, Jadhari Jones, Danni Thompson, Hayden Williamson, Megan Morris, Rocki Johnson, Coach Ann Michele Toole
Heritage Advances To State Championship
By Mike Branch
Sports Editor
sports 7 advance@gmail. com
The Eagles football team of Vidalia
Heritage Academy are moving on to the
GAPPS State A Championship after de
feating King's Way Christian last Friday
at home in the Final 4 of the State Play
offs. The Eagles had no problems in the
game as they built up a big first half lead
and cruised to a win.
The Eagles had the ball to start the
game and started at their own 39-yard
line. Quarterback Josiah Smith kept the
ball on the first play out to midfield.
After a penalty on a long run by Ethan
Sikes, Smith broke around the right side
down to the 9-yard line. That set up a
touchdown by the Eagles with 10 min
utes to go on a run by James Hutcheson.
Ledger Curl went in for the two-point
conversion to make it an 8-0 lead.
The Crusaders of King's Way moved
the ball down the field and went in for a
touchdown on a pass play with 6:44 left
in the first quarter. Heritage kept them
out on the two-point try to hold an 8-6
lead.
VHA began their next drive at their
35-yard line, and on the first play Sikes
took it 65 yards for the touchdown. Jo
siah Smith then hit John Smith on a pass
for the two-point conversion for a 16-6
lead.
John Smith came up with an inter
ception for Heritage with 4:30 left in
the first quarter to get the ball back for
the Eagles. Hutcheson ran for 30 yards
to the 30 of King's Way, and then
Hutcheson and Josiah combined to
move the ball down to the 1-yard line.
Curl went in for the touchdown, and
Sikes added the two-point try to give
Heritage a 24-6 lead with 2:34 left in the
first quarter.
Heritage recovered a fumble at the
Eagle 44-yard line with Mason Beacham
jumping on the ball after a bad snap for
the Crusaders. Heritage moved the ball
well and Josiah found Sikes for a 25-
yard pass play to the Crusader's 12-yard
line. On the next play Josiah went in for
the touchdown with 6:51 left in the first
half. Sikes went in for the two-point try
to make it 32-6.
The VHA defense again held and
forced a punt. Heritage took over at
their 3 5-yard line. Runs by Sikes and
Hutcheson moved the ball out near
midfield, and then Josiah hit John Smith
all the way down to the 32-yard line.
Two plays later with 1:40 left in the half
Josiah hit Hutcheson over the middle
for a touchdown pass. That made the
score 40-6 with VHA well out in front.
The Eagles tacked on two more
touchdowns in the second half of the
game while the defense kept the Cru
saders off the board. That gave VHA a
56-6 win to move them into the State
Championship.
For the title game, the Eagles will be
on the road to take on Horizon Chris
tian Academy in Cumming this Friday
at 7:30 p.m. The Eagles come into the
game with a record of 9-1, while the
Warriors of Horizon have a 10-1 re
cord.
•mm
Photo by Mike Branch
Ethan Sikes takes off for a big gain for the Eagles as they pull away from King's Way in
the first half of the Final 4,
Photo by Mike Branch
James Hutcheson pulls in a Josiah Smith pass for a long touchdown for Heritage Acad
emy in the Final 4 of the GAPPS State Playoffs.