The Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame proudly recognizes the 1971 Valdosta Wildcats, inducted into the Class of 2025.
The 1971 Valdosta Wildcats were one of the most dominant teams to ever play in Georgia. They remain the only team in state history to defeat every opponent by 21 or more points. The team's 629 total points were the most ever scored in a single season at the time, a record that stood until 1994.
The team was led by a pair of Hall of Famers:
Stan Rome, part of the Inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 2022, finished his high school career with 4,477 receiving yards, a state record that broke the previous mark by 1,380 yards. Rome's record stood for 50 years.
Stan Bounds, a member of the Class of 2025, delivered one of the greatest quarterback seasons ever recorded. His 31 touchdown passes were a state record at the time, making him the first player in Georgia history to throw for more than 30 touchdowns in a season. The record stood for 20 years until it was broken in 1991.
The 1971 Wildcats went 13-0, winning the Class 3A state championship in legendary head coach Wright Bazemore's final season at the helm. The championship marked the program’s 15th title, and the Wildcats went on to achieve their third national championship in program history.
At Valdosta City Schools, our football legacy is woven into who we are. Teams like the historic 1971 Wildcats laid the foundation for the program we proudly carry forward today. As we continue our march on the Road to 1000 Wins—a milestone that would make Valdosta the first high school program in the nation to ever reach it—we honor the past by playing for the future.
And tonight, as we take the field for Game 1 of the State Playoffs, we do so inspired by the greatness that came before us and driven to continue this remarkable Wildcat legacy.
Go Cats!
