Kicking game key in Packers’ win

Published 11:19 pm Saturday, September 30, 2006

MOULTRIE — It was a perfect night for Colquitt County head football coach Tim Cokely.

With his parents and brother visiting from California and his team resplendent in new jerseys, Cokely’s Packers defeated Valdosta 17-15 on Friday to keep their record perfect at 5-0.

It ended a string of six straight years without a victory over the Wildcats and it allowed Colquitt County to get off to a 1-0 start in the Region 1-AAAAA part of its schedule.

And while the victory was big for the team and its fans, Cokely downplayed his role.

In fact, he said, “I didn’t coach a very good game.”

Still, the Packers are off to a 5-0 start for the first time since the 1996 team coached by Jim Hughes won its first seven games en route to an 11-2 mark.

The Wildcats rolled up nearly 300 yards of offense, but Cokely didn’t act surprised.

“We knew they were good coming in,” Cokely said.

What the fans now know is the Packers special teams are pretty good, too.

In fact, Cokely said the difference in the game was the Packers ability to make plays in the kicking game, an area Valdosta struggled with.

The Wildcats fumbled their first punt return and after Eric Key recovered it, the Packers were in the end zone for their first score three plays later.

Although the Wildcats did get a successful field goal try from Brad Barr from 23 yards out in the second quarter, their next attempt at a kick went horribly awry.

Facing a fourth down at their own 32, the Wildcats set up to punt.

But the snap sailed far over the punter’s head and Dontrell Johnson flagged it down just outside the end zone.

Quarterback Channing Hudson put it in the end zone on the next play and the Packers were soon up 14-2.

When Matt DeMott connected on his fifth field goal of the season in the third quarter the Packers were up 17-3.

Valdosta scored twice in the final 3:54, but missed the extra point kick on the first, forcing the Wildcats to go for two with 42 seconds left to tie the game and hope for overtime.

Packers defensive back Orion Ponder broke up a 2-point conversion pass to preserve the Packers 17-15 victory.

“People talk about our passing game,” Cokely said. “And we do a good job. We play real well in our kicking game, even covering punts and kickoffs.”

DeMott punted five times for a 38.8-yard average. None was returned.

The Packers seemed to have the game well in hand when Valdosta quarterback Michael Turner connected with Alfrie Johnson for a 90-yard touchdown pass with 3:57 left to cut the Packer lead to 17-9.

Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Cokely abandoned conservative play and had quarterback Channing Hudson roll out, looking to pass.

Hudson tried to get the ball to Carter Jones, but the Wildcats Patrick Moore intercepted.

Valdosta marched down to score when Demetrius James fumbled into the end zone, but teammate Brian Mathis recovered for the touchdown.

Ponder’s defensive play moments later saved the victory.

Cokely said the touchdown pass changed the momentum of the game and allowed the Wildcats to flip the field possession advantage to their favor.

The Valdosta defense bottled up the Packers all night. Ponder, the team’s leading rusher, had just 12 yards on eight carries. Hudson completed 7-of-19 for 71 yards.

And while the Wildcats rolled up 297 yards of offense, the Packers came up with a pair of interceptions by Vance Cuff and recovered the fumbled punt.

The Packers also held three times on fourth down, forcing the Wildcats to turn the ball over.

Valdosta, now 1-4 for the first time since 1974, will try to break its three-game losing streak at Brodie Field in Tifton next Friday. The 4-0 Blue Devils were off Friday.

The Packers will be back at Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium for a fourth straight week and will play host to Coffee for its annual Homecoming game.

The Trojans suffered their first loss of the season, falling to Lowndes 7-0 on Friday.

The Vikings, now 4-1, got a second-quarter touchdown run from Greg Reid and made it stand up against the Trojans, who had scored 147 points in first four games.

Coffee still has allowed just 14 points this season.

At McConnell-Talbert Stadium in Warner Robins on Friday, Warner Robins edged Houston County 10-9.

The Bears scored on 27-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Thompson to Ben Collins as time expired in the game to pull to within one.

But Taylor Jones, who earlier in the quarter had hit a 46-yard field goal, missed the extra point that would have sent the game into overtime.

Warner Robins scored on a 9-yard interception return by Ivory Pettis and got a 41-yard field goal by David Clark.

Houston falls to 3-2. Warner Robins raises its record to 3-2.

Also on Friday, Houston County will go to Lowndes. Warner Robins will be off.