By MICHAEL MURRAY

VALDOSTA – The Southland Academy Raiders earned their eighth win of the 2017 season on Oct 6 in Valdosta against Region 3-IAAA foes, the Valwood Valiants. The Raiders won the match 16-6.

With the victory, Southland improves to 8-1 overall, 2-1 in the region.

The game was relatively quiet until late in the first quarter when, with less than a minute left on the clock, the Valiants flubbed a snap on a punt attempt. The ball sailed over the kicker’s head into the end zone, where the Raiders jumped on it for a safety.

With less than a minute left in the second frame, the Raiders struck again when Luke Law blocked a punt attempt and ran it back 10 yards for a touchdown. Southland’s Zane Hines then kicked the first of two successful PAT’s to put the visitors up 9-0 heading into halftime.

The Valiants added a touchdown of their own before the Raiders put the final points on the board with 6:40 left in the game. Southland capped off a three-play, 80-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown rush by Clay Owens.

Owens set the bar high for the Raiders, covering 90 yards on the ground on 15 carries in the tilt, followed by Parker Weldon, who rushed for 68 on three totes.

In total, the Raiders only amassed 163 yards while their hosts racked up 270 all-purpose yards, 107 of which came through the air.

The Raiders are scheduled to return to Harvey Simpson Stadium in Americus on Oct. 13 to wrap up their regular season against region opponents, the Brookwood Warriors.