Michael Sutton (No. 5) gallops into the end zone for the first Packer touchdown of the 2013 season — the result of an interception just 35 seconds into the game Saturday at the Corky Kell Classic in the Georgia Dome. For the full story of Colquitt County’s 21-6 victory over Grayson High, see Sports, Page 1B.

Colquitt County got the Georgia Dome and Corky Kell Classic monkeys off its back on Saturday, defeating Grayson 21-6 in its season-opener.

The Packers used a strong defensive effort to get their first victory at the Georgia Dome since 1996. That was also the last time they won a game in the Classic.

The victory also helped ease a loss to Grayson in the 2011 state semifinals.

Colquitt had just enough offense to win and played the hard-nosed defense coach Rush Propst said would be needed to get the victory.

Colquitt led 14-0 at the half and went up 21-0 on a 2-yard touchdown run by Sihiem King with 6:15 left in the third quarter, forcing the Rams to throw the ball to catch up.

That is not the way Grayson like to play.

“We knew if we could get them in the spread we would have an advantage,” said Packers coach Rush Propst.

The Packers gave up 238 yards, but three sacks of Rams quarterback Hunter Schuessler kept Grayson from making a game of it.

Colquitt also got a pair of interceptions from cornerback Michael Sutton. Two other interceptions — another by Sutton and one by Quan Patillo — were called back by penalties.

King carried 23 times for 117 yards and a score and quarterback Daniel Mobley completed 14-of-26 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown.

Mobley was intercepted twice, once in the end zone in the third quarter when the Packers threatened to blow the game open.

Colquitt County’s defense wasted little time making its mark when Sutton picked off a Hunter Schuessler pass on the third play of the game and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown. After a Luis Martinez conversion, the Packers led 7-0 just 35 seconds into the game.

“I thought that was the biggest play of the game,” Propst said. “That set the momentum and the tone for the defense.”

The Packers’ only drive of the first half, which went 80 yards in nine first-quarter play, led to the half’s only other touchdown, which came on a 6-yard pass from Mobley to Kiel Pollard.

The Packers defense was solid in the first half, giving up just 87 yards and sacking Schuessler twice.

Grayson’s only scoring opportunity in the first half came when they drove to a third-and-7 at the Packers 19.

But a wide-open Aares McCall dropped a Schuessler pass and Grayson sent Danny Conlin out to attempt a 36-yard field goal with 2:29 left in the first quarter.

But Conlin’s kick was way short and the rejuvenated Packers took over at their own 20.

Sihiem King started the scoring drive with a 16-yard run for the Packers first first down of the game.

Two plays later, Mobley hit Todd Boyd for 10 yards and another first down.

After an incompletion, Mobley hit Pollard, the big sophomore receiver, for gains of 14 and 13 yards.

Two plays later, Mobley hit Marquan Greene for 9 yards to the Grayson 13 and a personal foul on the Rams gave the Packers a first down at the 6.

Mobley then threaded a slant to Pollard for the first offensive touchdown of the season.

But Mobley also was sacked three times in the first half for losses totaling 36 yards.

And the Packers were unable to cash in their second takeaway of the first half, when they recovered a Grayson fumble of an O’Shay Williams punt in the second quarter.

Colquitt had another scoring opportunity later in the second half on a pass from Mobley to tight end Austin Hunnicutt that took the ball deep into Grayson territory.

But a personal foul on the play moved the ball back to the Grayson 38 and four plays later the Packers were forced to punt.

King’s touchdown in the third quarter came after Sutton’s second interception gave the Packers the ball on the Grayson 39 with 8:02 left in the third quarter.

It took the Packers only seven plays to go up by three touchdowns.

Grayson got its only touchdown when it drove 83 yards on eight plays following the King score.

A.J. Stinson scored on a 7-yard run for the Rams, but the extra point failed.

“I was proud of the way we played,” Propst said. “We have some deficiencies. We know that. We are just going to have to win unconventionally.”

The Packers will have a short week to get ready for Friday’s game at Hoover (Ala.) High, which Propst led to five state championship before coming to Moultrie in 2008.