Football - 2006
Valdosta State vs. Southern Arkansas
By Rod "Kut" Freeman
Oct 7, 2006, 11:40 EST

A Sizzling Homecoming

Copeland with 230 air miles.

Bazemore-Hyder Stadium – Valdosta, GA

The Valdosta State University Blazers came out smoking as they took on the Southern Arkansas University Mulerider’s for homecoming, scoring once on defense and twice on special teams as the Blazers destroyed Southern Arkansas 41-7 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Gulf South Conference play.

The Blazers started the game in a hurry, capitalizing on a Sherard Reynolds 34-yard punt return. Blazers QB Willie Copeland hit Cedric Jones for a 14-yard scoring strike to put the Blazers out front 7-0 in the first quarter.

The Valdosta State special teams would come through again as Maurice Leggett blocked the Mulerider's kick and Shawn Harris (From Blakely,GA – Early County) scooped the ball on the Southern Arkansas four yard line before blazing into the end zone without being touched, to convert his  second touchdown on a blocked punt this season.

It was know doubt that Copeland and Jones had the chemistry going as they would hook up for the second time in the game on the Blazers first attempt of the second quarter moving the score to 21-0. After a fumble recovery by (the Early County Bobcat native) Harris gave the Blazers the ball on the 28, Copeland would get right back to work hitting Allan Tillman on a screen play for 34 yards. Copeland would take only 2 plays after the screen play to find Jones deep for a 38-yard gain and a TD, giving the talent freshman wide out his first multi-touchdown game of his career.

The Valdosta State defense would get back into the act by adding a touchdown after Mulerider QB Josh SanFlippo attempted a lateral to tight end Johnny Fields which fell incomplete leading to a score as Maurice Leggett would pick up the football and sprint 57 yards for the score 28-0.

Reynolds, who blasted the Mulerider’s for a total over 150 yards in punt returns for the second time in three weeks, finished the first half scoring with less than three minutes to go in the second quarter when he destroyed the Southern Arkansas special team for 78 yards for the touchdown, giving the Blazers a 35-0 halftime lead.

I would say something about the second half but no need.

Final Score:  Valdosta State 41 - Southern Arkansas 7

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