Wayne Grandy
MOULTRIE - The largest cheer from home side stands at Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium on Friday was not for any of the Colquitt County High’s five touchdowns in their 35-10 victory over Houston County.
It came when public address announcer Jerry Croft gave the final score from McConnell-Talbert Stadium in Warner Robins where Warner Robins rallied from a 20-0 deficit to deal Northside its first loss of the season, 21-20.
Knowledgable Colquitt County fans knew that the Northside loss gives the Packers a chance to win the Region 1-AAAAA championship next Friday when they meet Northside in Warner Robins.
With Lowndes’ 63-7 victory over Coffee on Friday, Colquitt County, Northside and Lowndes all stand at 5-1 in the region.
A Colquitt County victory over the Eagles and a Lowndes loss to Warner Robins at Martin Stadium next Friday would give the Packers the region title.
The Packers could beat the Eagles and still not win the title if Lowndes defeats Warner Robins. In that scenario, Lowndes and Colquitt County would finish at 6-1, but the Vikings would claim the first-round berth to the playoffs with the head-to-head 31-6 victory over the Packers last month.
A loss to the Northside would drop the Packers to No. 3 in the final standings.
The Northside loss to Warner Robins, which Colquitt County shut out 17-0 last Friday night, did not surprise Colquitt County coach Rush Propst.
“Not in this region,” he said. “It just shows why it’s one of the best in the nation.
“We’ve just got to go up there and be ready to play and be ready to withstand the first eight, nine, 10 minutes of the game.
“They will come out ready.”
The Packers had finally put Houston County away, and won an eighth game for the first time since 2001, by the time the Warner Robins-Northside score was announced.
But it took a strong second half effort after a sluggish first two quarters before the Packers could finally deal the Bears their sixth straight defeat.
Colquitt scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and two more in the fourth to break open a game it led just 7-3 at the half.
The Packers were bedeviled by three dropped passes and 60 yards in penalties in the first two quarters. Their only first-half score came in the second quarter on a 78-yard drive that took seven plays.
Quin Roberson took a direct snap in the jumbo formation and rolled in from four yards out with 7:53 left in the half. Rich Tyndall’s conversion made it 7-0.
Roberson had an apparent 66-yard touchdown run earlier in the drive nullified by one of the seven first-half penalties.
Houston County had two drives in the first half, including one that went 15 plays but ended when the Bears failed on a fourth-and 4 at the Colquitt 28.
The Bears were unable to do anything with a Bradley Newkirk interception of a Tyler Brown pass in the first quarter, but late in the half, drove from their own 5 to the Packers 21 and Hunter Heck capped it off with a 38-yard field goal with no time showing on the clock.
Colquitt wasted little time taking control in the third quarter, scoring on its first two possessions.
The Packers took the second-half kickoff and drove 72 yards on nine plays, scoring on a 2-yard run by Roberson to make it 14-3 after Tyndall’s extra point.
Colquitt took over on the Houston County 23 on its next possession following an 8-yard punt by Michael Scullion.
On the first play, Brown connected with Octavius Little to the Bears 6 and two plays later Matthew Sailor got his first varsity touchdown on a 6-yard run.
Tyndall converted and Colqutt led 21-3 with 7:21 left in the third quarter.
When Houston County came up a yard short on a fourth-down pass on the fourth play of the fourth quarter, Colquitt drove 68 yards on seven plays, with Hakeem Peterson bulling in from a yard out for the score.
Tyndall converted and Colquitt had raised its lead to 28-3 with 8:46 left.
The Packers had a short field again on their next possession and needed only two plays to go 39 yards.
Brown hit Sailor for 22 yards to the Houston County 19 and Tre Cooper scored from there with 6:50 left.
Tyler Dismuke added the extra point and Colquitt led 35-3.
Houston County scored its only touchdown on a 9-yard run by Ron Brown with 2:32 left.
The Bears, coached by former Packer Greg Robinson, fall to 3-6 overall and 0-6 in the region with a final game at home against Valdosta a week from tonight.
Houston did show some offensive spark at times, rushing for 200 yards and passing for 124 more.
Brown was sharp for the Packers, completing 14-of-20 passes for 200 yards and the one interception. He had four passes dropped and also was sacked three times.
Roberson caught four passes for 89 yards and his 41-yard pass-and-catch from Brown set up Peterson’s touchdown run.
D’Amonte Ridley led the Packers with 91 yards on nine carries. The Packers rushed for 159 yards.
