MOULTRIE — Colquitt County coach Rush Propst has asked his team “to make one more play than your opponent,” and the Packers have taken the challenge to heart the last two weeks.

The interceptions by Bull Barge and Tim Sanders to clinch the victories over McEachern and Newnan respectively are cases in point.

As was John Boatwright’s 19-yard touchdown run with 1:38 to erase the Cougars lead and give the Packers what proved to be the winning points last Friday.

Bobby Hill delivered the big block to spring Boatwright down the sideline.

Although Packers missed two extra points and one field goal attempt, Will Bannister came through twice against Newnan, on the last play of the first half and the first play of the fourth quarter.

Cole Segraves and Todd Boyd delivered another big play, hooking up on a 34-yard completion on a fourth-and-10 with 2:21 left to put the Packers in position to win on Boatwright’s run.

“I was proud of our team for winning the game,” Propst said. “Very proud about that.”

Propst also praise the performance of running back Sihiem King, who got his first touchdown of his career, and receiver Kishaun Taylor, who had just nine catches coming into the game, but pulled down four against the Cougars.

He was less pleased with the 13 penalties for 135 yards, the inability to put the Cougars away in the first half and what considered a “lack of pop” by the offensive line.

Propst also was impressed with Newnan’s sophomore quarterback Bailey Bryant, who suffered an injury to his passing shoulder the week before facing the Packers.

Bryant entered the game to start the third quarter and completed 17-of-30 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns despite taking a terrible pounding by the Packers defense.

“He showed a lot of character, poise and intestinal fortitude,” Propst said of Bryant.

Propst said he is now encouraging his 9-3 Packers “to finish the task at hand.”

Of this and that:

• With the victory over Newnan, the Packers are 9-3 guaranteed reaching the quarterfinals for the fourth straight season.

Colquitt County played 13 or more games six straight years from 1994-1999, posting records of 15-0, 9-4, 11-2, 8-6, 10-4 and 11-2.

The Packers are within one victory of reaching the semifinals for the fourth straight season.

• Three of Colquitt County’s four non-region opponents remain alive in the playoffs.

Lovejoy raised its record to 11-1 when it eliminated Marietta and North Gwinnett went to 11-1 when it upset defending state champion Grayson 28-10. The two will meet in one of the four quarterfinal games on Friday at Lovejoy.

Lovejoy’s only loss came by a 14-7 score against the Packers.

Carver, also 11-1 with its lone loss coming against Colquitt County, advanced in the Class AAA playoffs with a 45-16 win over Rockmart. The Tigers will play Buford on Friday.

Thomas County Central, the Packers other non-region opponent, was eliminated by Northside-Warner Robins 45-17.  The Yellow Jackets finish 9-3.

Norcross, which defeated the Packers in the scrimmage game last August, is the lone undefeated Class AAAAAA team after its 27-7 win over South Gwinnett.

The Blue Devils lost a coin flip on Saturday and will have to travel to Kingsland on Friday to meet Camden County.

The coin flip was needed since both teams were No. 1 seeds.

• Valdosta State won its playoff opener, defeating West Alabama 49-21 at home on Saturday.

The Blazers allowed just 187 yards of total offense in the victory.

Valdosta State will advance to a quarterfinal game at home next Saturday against Carson-Newman.

Quin Roberson had three pass receptions and returned four punts for 71 yards – including one for 60 yards – in the win over West Alabama.

Amel Magwood had a 15-yard kickoff return and had a solo and an assisted tackle in the game.

Davis Durham also had a solo tackle.

• All three former Packers – Xzavier Ward, Ty Flournoy-Smith and Preston Mobley – played in Georgia’s 42-14 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday in Athens.

The Bulldogs will meet Alabama in the SEC Championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday. The game will be televised on CBS.

• Henderson State lost to Missouri Western 45-21 last Saturday in a second-round Division II playoff game. The Reddies finish the season with a 10-1 record. Former Packer R.J. Taylor is an all-conference offensive tackle for Henderson State.

• North Florida Christian’s season ended with a 44-31 playoff loss to University Christian last Friday. The Eagles, coached by Robert Craft, finish 7-4.

• Moultrie’s Andrew Eunice finished tied for ninth in his age group in the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour’s Rock Creek Classic played Nov. 17-18 at the Rock Creek Golf Club in Fairhope, Ala.

Eunice turned in rounds of 80 and 79 for a 159.