Eagles Falter in First Round, Season Ends with 29-8 Loss to Westminster
The Vidalia Heritage Academy Eagles concluded their 8-Man football season on Friday night, falling to the Westminster Schools of Augusta Wildcats 29-8 in the opening round of the GIAA State Playoffs at home. While the season's journey ended sooner than the Eagles had hoped, the team showed heart and resolve, battling until the final whistle.
The Westminster Wildcats established control early in the defensive contest. The Wildcats capitalized on their opening possessions, putting the first points on the board with a field goal in the first quarter, taking a slim 3-0 lead. The momentum continued to swing Augusta’s way in the second continued from page
quarter, where the Wildcats punched in 2 separate passing touchdowns. After a missed point-after attempt on the first score and a successful PAT on the second, Westminster carried a 16-0 advantage into the halftime break.
Coming out of the locker room, the Eagles defense fought hard, but the Wildcats found the end zone again with a rushing touchdown late in the third quarter, extending their lead to 23-0. The Vidalia Heritage Academy offense finally broke through in the fourth quarter to put points on the board. With approximately 11 minutes remaining in the game, the Eagles’ drive culminated in a rushing touchdown by senior leader Jake Adams, bringing the score to 23-6. Proving their determination, the Eagles successfully converted the 2-point attempt when Trevor White powered his way into the end zone, tightening the gap to 238.
Unfortunately for the home crowd, the Wildcats quickly responded, adding a final rushing touchdown to their tally to lock in the 29-8 final score.
The defeat officially ends the Eagles’ playoff run and closes the book on their 2025 football season. While the outcome was not what VHA wished for, the team’s effort in securing a playoff berth and fighting until the last down is a testament to the character of the program. The Eagles finished the season with a solid 9-2 record.
