With two of the top three teams in the Class 7A rankings, Region 1 is expected to figure heavily in the state playoffs. But it was a rough week for the South Georgia region.
On Wednesday, No. 1-ranked Lowndes announced that it was shutting down football practice until Oct. 26 because of COVID-19 protocol. Then on Friday, head coach Jamey DuBose, in his first season at the Valdosta school, revealed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was being hospitalized.
''My symptoms have already improved. I am confident that I will continue to improve and be released soon,'' the coach said in a statement on Facebook.
DuBose is at least the fourth South Georgia head coach, and second from four-school Region 1, to be hospitalized since the season began Sept. 2. Ashley Anders of region rival Tift County, Casey Soliday of Irwin County and Jeff Kaiser of Statesboro are the others, all released last month.
On Thursday, No. 3 Colquitt County joined Lowndes on the sidelines when it announced it would not resume play until its Oct. 30 region opener against Camden County. That marked the second time that Colquitt has halted practiced over COVID-19. The Packers already had canceled their September games against Brookwood and Marietta.
Lowndes (5-0) and Colquitt County (4-0) have had great starts to their seasons. The region’s other two schools have struggled.
Camden County has had better luck with COVID-19 but compounding injuries and fell to 4-3 Friday after a 43-7 loss to Warner Robins. Tift County is 1-3 after a 23-16 loss to No. 1 Lee County of Class 6A.
