Five seniors who helped lead the Colquitt County football team to an 11-3 record and a berth in the state semifinals celebrated after Saturday night’s football banquet. They are, front, Stacey Blackwell, and, back, from left, Oscar Luna, Sharmaine Washington, Quan Nelson and Rodney Troupe.

They saved the best for last.

The last segment of the annual football banquet held Saturday night at Colquitt County High was a tribute to the team’s seniors.

And what at class it was.

Those seniors were members of three Packers teams that won 31 games, went 10-3 in the the playoffs and went 8-2 in road playoff games.

The record is certainly among the most impressive in a three-year period in Packer history.

And last year’s team was among the program’s best, posting an 11-3 record and reaching the state semifinals for the third straight year.

The annual banquet feaured, as usual, a number of individual awards.

They included:

The Rocky Jones Strong Man Awards went to All-State senior center Bryce Giddens for the third year in a row. The award was presented by Joy Jones Croy.

Giddens also won the Ray Goff Top Gun Award.

And the Arkansas State signee was one of three players honored with the Colquitt County Board of Education Academic Award presented by school board member Roy Reeves.

Also earning the Academic Awards were Ridge Underwood and Gradyn Grobe.

Grobe also received the Dale Williams Community Service Award.

Durwood Dominy presented record-setting place-kicker Oscar Luna with the Ralph Taylor Special Teams Award.

The Friedlander Family Boar Hog Award went to senior linebacker and Valdosta State signee Sharmaine Washington. David Durham made the presentation.

The Charles Taylor Pippin Unsung Hero Awards were presented to Shane Nowland and Quan Nelson. The award was presented by Charlie Hillebrand.

Dale Williams presented the Virgil Seay Special Teams Awards to Vann Pitts and Anthony Brumbley.

The Virgil “Bud” Willis Character Awards, presented by Bob Montgomery, went to Fred Phillips, Tavares Ward and Stacey “Bowtie” Blackwell.

Pat McCrary presented the William “Knuck” McCrary Fighting Spirit Award, which is named for his father, the former Moultrie Packers coach.

Senior running back Tre Cooper was the recipient.

The George A. Horkan Sportsmanship Awards went to Matt Sailor and Rodney Troupe. Patrick Mobley made the presentations.

The Jimmy Jeter “Mr. Dependable” Awards went to Wayne Jackson and Alex Murphy.

Linda Walton presented the Lavasky King Packer Pride Award to The Citadel-bound Dondray Copeland.

Ms. Walton is Lavasky King’s mother.

King was the leading rusher on the Packers 1994 state championship team. He was killed in a car wreck just weeks after the season.

The Bobby Cobb True Grit Awards went to junior defensive lineman Travis Register and senior tackle Preston Mobley.

Cobb also presented the Packer Touchdown Club Scholarship Awards to Oscar Luna and Anthony Brumbley, both of whom are headed to Valdosta State.

The Most Valuable Player Awards went to Preston Mobley, offensive line; Travis Register, defensive line; E’Darius Davis, defensive backs; John Gray, linebackers; Willie Woodyard, running backs; and Ty Flournoy-Smith, receivers.

Packers assistant coach Earl Jefferson presented awards to the team’s 19 top scholars, each of whom had a great point average of 89.5 or better.

The players are Dondray Copeland, Bryce Giddens, Gradyn Grobe, Preston Mobley, Alex Murphy Vann Pitts, Sean Richardson, Ridge Underwood, Will Bannister, Jeffrey Davis, Dillon Frazier, Britt Jones, Jamal Phillips, Cole Segraves, Austin Hunnicutt, Daniel Mobley, Gabe Mobley, Adam Webb and Alex Ibarra.

Bannister had the highest average, a 102.29.

The offensive scout team awards went to Tim Sanders, Brandon Cope, Qwen Grier, Andy Bush and Quan Henry.

The defensive scout team awards were presented to Adam Webb, Di Slaughter, Michael Sutton, Quan Patillo, Tomarcio Reese and Tony Simpson.

The six permanent captains of Ridge Underwood, Preston Mobley, Bryce Giddens, Wayne Jackson, Brett Smith and Ty Smith also were honored by Propst.

Receiving plaques for being named All-State were Sharmaine Washington, Bryce Giddens, Ty Smith and Oscar Luna.

Names All-Region were Octavius Jackson, Bryce Giddens, Cole Segraves, Bobby Hill, Oscar Luna, Brett Smith, John Gray, Wayne Jackson, Stacey Blackwell, Travis Register, Sharmaine Washington, Anthony Brumbley and Jamiyus Pittman.

Ty Smith was named the Region 1-AAAAA Offensive Player of the Year.