MOULTRIE — Beyond the mistakes that helped lead to what proved to be an insurmountable deficit, there was a glimmer of something optimistic in Colquitt County’s 47-35 loss to Lee County last Friday in The Hawg Pen.
What could have turned into a colossal blowout did not.
After the Trojans returned an interception for a touchdown and a 34-14 lead early in the third quarter, another score quickly followed and the Packers trailed 41-14. At that point, there might have been some in Mack Tharpe Stadium’s west stands fearing the dreaded running clock.
But while Trojans quarterback Weston Bryan continued to work the Colquitt defense over, the offense put its first-half nightmare behind it and went back to work.
There was no mercy rule.
While Lee County kept its outstanding coterie of offensive playmakers on the field, the Packers scored 21 of the game’s final 27 points.
The Trojans, long-suffering at the hands of the Packers, finally got a win in the series and earned it.
But the Packers cut the Lee lead to 13 points heading into the final 12 minutes and when Ousmane Kromah had finished doing his celebratory two-step on Tom White Field in the waning seconds, there were some things the evolving Packers could build on.
As one decidedly partisan observer noted, except for the three ungainly turnovers “We absolutely shredded them.”
It might not have seemed so to those exiting the stadium after a second straight loss, but the Packers ran up 420 yards of offense on the Class 5A’s undefeated No. 3-ranked team.
More than 400 yards and not a Neko Fann, Ny Carr, Landen Thomas, Zay Williams, Turk Daniels or Charlie Pace anywhere to be found.
Day’Shawn Brown ran for 146 yards. Jae Lamar, 126. Two 100-yard rushers in one game. That ought to raise the eyebrows of some Region 1-6A defensive coordinators.
Each had a run of 60 or more yards. Malik Walker took a pass from freshman Cohen Lawson and galloped 58 yards with it.
“I thought we made some strides from the North Gwinnett game,” coach Sean Calhoun said.
The Packers managed just 234 yards and were held out of the end zone for the first time in almost seven years by the Bulldogs.
But against Lee, Colquitt scored two touchdowns in the first 17 minutes and offensively continued to carry the fight to the obviously jacked Trojans.
Calhoun was pleased with the work of the offensive line in springing Brown and Lamar. He also said long runs are often attributable to the runners themselves making defenders on the third level miss.
“It was great to see what our run game did,” Calhoun said. “But we have got to cut out the mistakes. Nothing else needs to be said about that. It’s frustrating.”
A 2-2 start was always a possibility after losing 17 starters, including several who are among the best-skilled Packers ever, and having to face the likes of North Gwinnett and Lee County.
Now, with his team ripening, Calhoun and his staff will set about getting the players ready for the championship race.
Rickards High of Tallahassee, 3-1 and winners of three closely contested games, will be Colquitt’s fifth-straight home opponent on Friday and its last before the region games commence.
The Raiders, coached by Rickards alum Quintin Lewis, defeated Godby 22-21 to open the season and then knocked off Eastside O Gainesville, Fla., 30-23. After falling 35-7 to Mosley High of Lynn Haven, the Raiders defeated Chiles 14-7 last Friday while the Packers were grappling with Lee.
“They have been finding ways to win the close games,” Calhoun said of Rickards.
The Raiders will spread the field and try to throw the football. Defensively, they have a four-star defensive lineman committed to the University of Florida and will try to blitz the Packers rookie quarterback.
Rickards was 3-7 last season and 4-7 in 2022.
“We have got to get ready for the stretch run,” Calhoun said.
“What I want to see is four good quarters heading into region play. We need to play a good full football game.”
It will be Homecoming Week with its attendant distractions, but “We really need to focus on this game,” Calhoun said.
Four of the Region 1-6A teams have already completed the non-region portions of their schedules and Camden County, Lowndes and Valdosta are 5-0. Tift County is 2-3.
Richmond Hill, 4-0, also will play its final non-region game at home on Friday when it entertains Buchholz High of Gainesville, Fla.