MOULTRIE —
The Colquitt County football team’s focus this fall will be start and finish the season at The Georgia Dome.
But there will be plenty outstanding teams for the Packers to try to defeat and for the fans to see between opener against North Gwinnett in the Corky Kell Classic and the start of the playoffs.
In addition to playing North Gwinnett at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, in the Kell Classic in the Georgia Dome, the Packers will play at Thomas County Central on Aug. 31; Lovejoy at Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium on Sept. 7; and Carver of Columbus on Sept. 14, also at the stadium, in non-Region 1-AAAAA games.
The region schedule will begin after the Packers take Sept. 21 off.
The final six games include Lowndes at home on Sept. 28; at Tift County on Oct. 5; at Brunswick on Oct. 19 after being off Oct. 12; at Valdosta on Oct. 26; Coffee at home on Nov. 2; and Camden County at home on Nov. 9.
The game with Thomas County Central will be on a one-year contract as Propst has scheduled a home-and-home series with Hoover (Ala.) in 2013 and 2014.
Propst coached Hoover to five state championships between 2000 and 2005.
While clearly wanting to keep the focus on the 2012 season, Propst did say that, “There will be a lot of interest in that game, and not just in Moultrie and Hoover. A lot of people want to see it.”
The games are likely to be televised.
The rematch with North Gwinnett also will be televised as part of the Corky Kell Classic.
“It will be a huge game for our program,” Propst said. “It’ll be at 2:30 p.m. on a Saturday before college football starts.
“Everybody in the state is going to watch it.”
Colquitt met then-undefeated North Gwinnett in the second round of the playoffs last fall and won 17-7 en route to the semifinals.
The Packers then will go to Thomas County Central, where they lost 35-29 in overtime in 2010.
Colquitt County pounded the Yellow Jackers 44-14 last fall. Central went on to finish 7-5.
The Packers then will play host to Lovejoy’s Wildcats, who will visit Moultrie each of the next two years.
Lovejoy went 10-0 in Region 4-AAAA last season and advanced to the state championship game, where it lost to Tucker 22-7.
The Wildcats, coached since 2001 by Al Hughes, will move up to Region 2-6A next fall.
Carver High of Columbus will visit the Sept. 14 and also has signed a contract to play in Moultrie two years in a row.
The Tigers have been one of the state’s top Class AA schools in recent years, posting a combined 72-10 record since 2006 under coach Dell McGee, the former Kendrick High and Auburn back.
Carver won the state championship in 2007, going 15-0.
The Tigers will play in Region 2-AAA this fall.
“They’ll be a team full of talent,” Propst said.
And although the Packers will play just five home games this fall, they will play their preseason scrimmage at the stadium, hosting Norcross High.
The Blue Devils went 8-3 last year and 9-3 in 2010 in the state’s highest classification.
Former Colquitt County all-state quarterback Reggie Stancil is the wide receivers coach for the Blue Devils.
“They’ll have a lot of folks back,” Propst said.
Propst likes the non-region part of the schedule.
“We better be ready,” he said. “It’ll help us get ready for the region.
“We’ll have played some talented teams.”
After the off-week — “which we’ll need,” Propst said — the Packers will play Lowndes at home for the second-straight year.
Colquitt ended 12 years of frustration last fall by defeating the Vikings 34-7 at the stadium.
“I like opening region play with Lowndes,” Propst said.
Colquitt then will travel to meet Tift County, which will be playing for its new coach, John Reid.
After another off-week, the Packers will travel to meet one of two new members of Region 1, Brunswick.
Colquitt will then go to Valdosta, before finishing up the regular season at home against Coffee and new coach Robby Pruitt and, in what will be a much-anticipated rematch, Camden County.
The Packers stunned Camden in the state quarterfinals last, winning 32-31 on a fourth-down touchdown pass and a 2-point conversion pass with 33.8 seconds remaining.
Like Brunswick, Camden County is joining Region 1 in the state’s largest classification this year.
“It’s a good schedule,” Propst said. “We’d liked to have had more home games, but we just couldn’t work it out this year.”
He also likes having two open dates during the season.
Propst said the date for the start of spring practice has been changed.
This year’s spring drills will begin on Thursday, April 26.
Local Sports
Packers add Lovejoy, Carver-Columbus to football schedule
- Local Sports
-
-
Packers finish tied for fourth in state golf tournament
When Colquitt County won the Blue Devil Invitational at Spring Hill Country Club in Tifton on April 8, the Packers did so with a round of 294, their best score of the season.
-
Tournaments open
Levi Stanfill helped lead Liberty Tax into the Farm League baseball tournament that opened on Monday at the Magnolia Sports Complex. Tournament play in both the Farm League and Midget League will continue tonight with the championship games set for 6 p.m. Thursday. In Monday’s Midget League games, Davis Insurance defeated Mobley Plant 9-3; Quality Employment downed Hutchinson Traylor 13-5 and Southwest Georgia Insurance eliminated Ameris 20-4. In Farm League games on Monday, Farm Bureau defeated Lazarus, 17-6; Ameris won over Southwest Georgia Bank 13-2; Liberty Tax defeated Rocky’s 8-2; and Davis Insurance won over Paradise Pool and Patio 17-2. Stanfill is shown slamming a double in a recent Liberty Tax victory over Lazarus.
-
Lady Packers third at state golf tournament at Sunset
Colquitt County coach Matt Key said he thinks his Lady Packers might have place little too much pressure on themselves at Monday’s Class AAAAAA golf tournament at Sunset Country Club.
-
Packers head to Tifton to chase state golf championship
When the Colquitt County High golf team tees off in Monday’s state tournament, the Packers will be playing a course that it sometimes plays better than its own.
-
Davis Insurance, Hutson Motors win boys baseball championships
Davis Insurance edged Liberty Tax 13-12 on Thursday at the Magnolia Sports Complex and claimed the Farm League baseball championship.
Hutson Motors won the Tiny Mites championship after defeating Holman Supply 15-0 to finish its season undefeated.
-
Harrell Auto Electric wins Mite girls championship
Harrell Auto Electric defeated M&M Diesel 13-4 on Thursday and, combined with Little Debbie’s 13-10 over Kirk Clinic, clinched the Mite girls championship.
-
Colquitt girls seek state golf title on home course
The Colquitt County girls golf team will certainly have an advantage in Monday’s Class AAAAAA tournament at Sunset Country Club with three fine players competing on familiar territory.
-
As expected, defense shines in Packers scrimmage
To no one’s surprise, the talented Colquitt County defense had its way much of the time in Saturday morning’s spring scrimmage at Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium.
-
Colquitt County producing top offensive linemen
Since Rush Propst rode into town in 2008 and installed his gun-slinging, rapid-fire offense, Colquitt County has produced record-setting teams and players.
-
TOURNAMENT RUNNERS-UP
The Colquitt County Legends 9U travel baseball team placed second at the Berrien County 10U Invitational Tournament held last Saturday. All the teams in the tournament were 10U teams except the Legends, who were the only 9U team. Shown are, front, from left, Chasyn Miley, Hayden Moore, Abraham Daniels, Jace Autrey, Henry Underwood, Hayes Lightsey and Landon Griffin; middle, Cole Whatley, Nathan Harden, Davis Dalton, Cannon Whatley, Drew Johnson and Mason White; back, coaches Andy Whitaker, Chris Miley, Ricky Griffin, Keith Whatley and Clay Underwood.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
Packers finish tied for fourth in state golf tournament
Looking for Love? Take the Prague Metro
Crews Race to Find Survivors of Okla. Twister
First Person: Baby Falcons on a New York Bridge
Oklahoma: Images of Devastation, Reunion
Reunited Dad, Son: 'We Just Praise God'
Slow Pokes: Acupuncture Helps Sick Turtles
Moore, Okla. City of Reunions, Tears After Storm
Former IRS Chief: Can't Say How List Happened
Gov. Fallin: Okla. Facing Horrific Disaster
Tim Cook Defends Apple's Tax Accounting
AP Photograher: 'It Was a Miracle' They Got Out
Raw: Crews Search for Survivors of Okla. Tornado
Raw: Tearful Reunion After Okla. Tornado
OKC Hospital Describes Treating Tornado Wounded
Obama Pledges Urgent Aid for Tornado Victims
Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma
