MOULTRIE — With post player Taquella Coates on the bench in foul trouble for much of the game and starting guard Laquita Smith out indefinitely with a knee injury, the Colquitt County girls could not keep up with Worth County on Saturday in Sylvester, dropping a non-Region 1-AAAAA game to the Lady Rams 69-54.

The Lady Packers had defeated Worth at home on Nov. 28, but played that game with their starting lineup intact for much of the game.

But Coates, who scored baskets on the Lady Packers first two possessions, got into foul trouble early and was not able to match the 11 points she scored in the first meeting between the two teams.

And when Smith injured her knee early in the second quarter, the Lady Packers limped though the rest of the game.

The loss drops the Lady Packers to 3-1. Worth is now 4-1, with its loss coming by a 52-49 score to Colquitt County.

“We didn’t really play bad,” Colquitt County girls coach Joe Parke said. “Worth hit a lot of shots. They just made more than we did.

Worth jumped out to a 19-6 first quarter lead and led 31-17 at the half. Colquitt hit just 8 of its 35 points in the first half, Parker said.

“It’s hard to win like that,” he said.

Colquitt made a third-quarter run, outscoring the Lady Rams 16-12. But Worth won the fourth quarter 26-21.

“I feel good about 21 in the fourth quarter,” said Parker, who added that his team got tired down the stretch.

Nicolle Thomas led Colqutt County with 20 points and Nikki Hudson chipped in 13.

But Coates was held to four and Smith had just two before being helped to the bench.

Shay Lovett had six, Ashley Patillo had four, Tiffany Troupe had three and Carly Moore had two.

“Losing Laquita really hurt us,” Parker said of Smith, who had 10 points in the first meeting with Worth County. “We took a lot of shots, a lot of good shots. But they just wouldn’t go in.”

Tia Lewis led Worth County with 23 points.

Troupe had a strong night on the boards with 10 rebounds against the tall Worth front court. Hudson added eight rebounds.

The Lady Packers will travel to Bainbridge on Tuesday for the final game before taking part in the Great Southern Shootout in Macon on Dec. 21-23.

The result of the Colquitt County-Worth County boys game was not available at press time.