The Valdosta State Blazers dominate the Albany State Golden Rams, 42-10, in the season opener at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.  

The game was not even Close. The Blazers had a clear advantage in nearly every statistical category and took control of the game early. 

 Senior Quarterback Sammy Edwards delivered a dazzling performance, completing 18 out of 25 passes for 306 yards and five touchdowns. The Blazer’s offense tallied 42 points on 11 drives, while the Rams tallied just 10 points on 10 drives. The Blazers’ defense stifled the Golden Rams’ offensive.  

VSU Head Coach Tremaine Jackson heaped praise on his senior quarterback as he spoke to the media about how he (Sammy Edwards) and the team have leaped last year’s meeting with Albany state. 

“He is comfortable, and he knows where he wants to go with the football,” said Jackson.  

Another crucial part of the Blazers’ win was the play of wide receiver graduate student, Rodney Bullard and the newest Blazer graduate student, Graeson Malashevich. Bullard had four catches for 100 yards and two touchdown receptions. Meanwhile, Malashevich had six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. 

The scoring began early in the first quarter when Edwards found Bullard wide open after a double move for a 41-yard touchdown on the Blazer’s opening drive of the game, giving them a 7-0 lead. Five minutes later, Edwards found Malashevich across the middle of the field for the touchdown, making it 14-0. 

 After Albany State punted the ball for the 3rd straight possession, the Blazers marched down the field with efficiency as Edwards, on the fifth play of the drive, found Bullard again in the middle of the field to take a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Albany State would respond with a field goal to go into halftime.  

The game’s turning point came in the third quarter when Golden Rams freshman Monete Gooden muffed a punt that the Blazers recovered at the Rams’ 23-yard line. The Blazers would take advantage of the short field as Edwards would find junior wide receiver Harrison Hamsley for a three-yard touchdown, going up 28-3.   

The lone bright spot for the Albany state came on an 18-yard touchdown run by freshman Tiant Wyche to make the score 28-10 before Sammy Edwards rushed for his 5th total touchdown of the game, extending the lead to 35-10 before backup quarterback Seth Smith threw a touchdown to Sheard Wills to reach the final score of 42-10. 

The Blazers will start the season at 1-0 as they look forward to hitting the road to Newberry College Wolves in Newberry, South Carolina. As for the Golden Rams, they will fall to 0-1 and will return home to take on the Shaw University Bears in their home opener. 

Written by Christopher Mercer, Sports editor. Photo by Ibec Francis, Photo editor.