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Playoff Win
Wheeler County ended a 26-year playoff drought by throttling Manchester 55-20 in the first round. Alvin Ricks and Justin Culver combined for five touchdowns in the historic win.
The following week, Wheeler defeated Warren County 28-20 to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time. Ricks rushed for 179 yards and 3 scores. The magical run ended in the Elite 8 with a heartbreaking 27-22 loss to Clinch County, concluding a record-shattering 12-1 season.
November 26 Crusaders Get Revenge On Spartans: Win GIAA State Championship RTCA flipped the script on Edmund Burke Academy, winning the GIAA Class A State Championship 23-12. Quarterback Drew Edwards scored two rushing touchdowns and threw a TD to Blake Durden. The defense was stifling, with Brittan Tabor and Edwards both grabbing interceptions to seal the victory. It was sweet redemption for the Crusaders, who had lost to EBA earlier in the season.
December 17 Vidalia’s Godbee Named GHSA State Coach of the Year Vidalia Girls Track Coach Mandy Godbee was named the GHSA State Girls’ Track Coach of the Year. Under her leadership, the program won two state titles. Godbee credited her staff and athletes: “This is truly a Coaching Staff of the Year award. It took the whole staff years to accomplish a state championship.”
December 24 Heartbreak at the Benz: Bulldogs Fall Just Short of Historic Repeat In a heavyweight clash at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Toombs County Bulldogs fell 17-13 to Worth County in the State Championship, just missing a repeat title.
Toombs led 13-10 at halftime thanks to a Nick Carroll touchdown and Alex Otero field goals. However, a scoreless second half and a late Worth County touchdown ended the run. Justin Powell rushed for 150 yards in the loss. It was a tough end to a magnificent 13-2 season for the Bulldogs.
Conclusion As the books close on 2025, we reflect on a year defined by championship resilience and historic breakthroughs. From the wrestling mats in Macon to the gridiron at the Benz, our local athletes have set a new standard of excellence, bringing home hardware and pride to our local communities. While the heartbreak of close finishes will surely fuel the fire for the offseason, the future looks brighter than ever. With the highly anticipated opening of Warmouth Sands next spring and a roster of returning talent across all schools hungry for redemption, 2026 promises to be another banner year for our community. We look forward to being there to tell those stories.
VHS’ Coach Mandy Godbee has led the VHS track teams to 3 State Championships, 2 of those with the girls team, to go along with a total of 15 Region Championships.
