50 Years Of Championship Memories

Toombs County High School (formerly Lyons High School) recently marked a historic milestone, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its 1975 Class B State Football Championship Team. This year of reflection is especially poignant as it coincides with the 60th Anniversary of Booster Stadium (The Pit) and follows the Bulldogs’ recent win of their secondever GHSA State Championship.

The 1975 team was honored with a pregame recognition at The Pit and a dinner the following evening. Former Coach Jacky Jones, his daughters Jo and Jill, and several players and cheerleaders shared inspiring memories and stories from the championship season.

The Road to the Title

The 1975 campaign, which ultimately culminated in the State Championship over Duluth, started with two tough defeats. The Bulldogs lost their opener to rival Vidalia 6-0 in a sloppy game featuring 12 total turnovers. After bouncing back against Claxton (3513), they dropped their third game to Jeff Davis, 128, despite a quick 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tim Vaughn to Eugene “Cornbread” Corbett on the opening play. Finding their stride, the team soon “jelled,” launching a significant winning streak. Lyons rolled over opponents including Reidsville (22-12), Montgomery County (38-0), Metter (386), and Emanuel County Institute (38-0). A critical 14-7 victory over Glennville kept their momentum high before they faced Class B power Savannah Country Day. Lyons forced five turnovers to secure a crucial 1916 win that ultimately determined the Region Championship.

The Bulldogs went on to crush Treutlen 51-6 to officially secure the Region Title, and then defeated Vienna 21-18 for the Area Title, powered by three touchdowns from Corbett. This set up the South Georgia Championship game—a rematch with Lincoln County, who had eliminated the Bulldogs the year before. This time, Lyons decisively beat the Red Devils 26-6 to earn their spot in the State Championship.

The State Championship Game The Class B State Championship was hosted at Booster Stadium on Saturday, December 13, 1975, against the Duluth Bulldogs, featuring future Heisman Trophy winner and NFL first overall pick George Rogers. In front of nearly 5,000 people, the Bulldogs struck first early in the second quarter.

On a play still talked about today as one of the best ever seen, Eugene “Cornbread” Corbett broke 10 tackles on a spectacular 47-yard run, setting up his own 13-yard touchdown run moments later, giving Lyons a 7-0 lead.

Lyons trailed 12-7 entering the final quarter but rallied fiercely. A 78-yard screen pass to Corbett, in which he broke several more tackles, highlighted their comeback effort. Lyons fought back to secure the 20-12 victory and the State Championship trophy.

Coach Jacky Jones summarized the team’s heart, stating, “We didn’t get off to a very good start that season, but I knew we had a good team… We had a great group of boys that worked really hard. They all had great character, and even when we were down to Duluth, I just knew they had it in them to come back and win that game.”