Lowndes wins epic Georgia high school football rivalry, hands Valdosta first loss

Georgia’s most storied high school football rivalry never disappoints, and that held true on Friday.

In the 65th edition of the Winnersville Classic, Lowndes edged out Valdosta 32-31, handing the Wildcats their first loss of the season on Oct. 30.

This was the first time since 2019 that both teams entered the matchup undefeated.

Valdosta, the nation’s winningest program, had a chance to kick the game-winning field goal, but fumbled with less than a minute left in regulation.

FINAL: @LHSvikingsFB 32, @24VHSFootball 31

Wildcats were in field goal range and then this happened 😳https://t.co/ROtBeJ8xASpic.twitter.com/Zlixdl1sEE

— Andy Villamarzo (@Andy_Villamarzo) October 31, 2026

Lowndes started and finished the game the same way – with a rushing touchdown from Texas A&M quarterback commit Jayce Johnson.

With two minutes left to go, Johnson scored on 4th-and-goal to give the Vikings the one-point edge that ultimately sealed the deal. Johnson also opened the game with a rushing touchdown to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

After trailing 17-14 at halftime, the Wildcats opened up the half with a touchdown to take a 21-17 lead. Valdosta then traded scores with Lowndes until Johnson secured the go-ahead touchdown.

After losing last year’s meeting, Lowndes came out the winner in this one, advancing to a perfect 9-0 on the season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lowndes wins epic Georgia high school football rivalry, hands Valdosta first loss