Wrapping up Vista Murrieta's De'vion Sneed are Deandre Grant, Brian Merritt and JJ Peterson from the Colquitt County High defense Friday on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium.

By MATTHEW BROWN

matthew.brown@gaflnews.com

MOULTRIE – Daijun Edwards rushed for two touchdowns, and the Colquitt County defense now has a stingy reputation that will stretch from coast to coast.

The Vista Murrieta High Broncos, the first-ever California school to go up against the Packers on the gridiron, scored only from a turnover in the fourth quarter Friday on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium. Edwards had 120 yards on 11 carries, and Cam Singletary caught five passes – one for a touchdown – for 89 yards in Colquitt’s 26-7 win.

Though it may be an overall younger team, the 2017 Packers of coach Rush Propst are enjoying much better fortunes than last season by starting 2-0. It’s a string they will look to continue next Friday at home against the team that went into the weekend No. 1 in Georgia’s Class 6A, Tucker.

One week after Norcross High only had 122 total yards in falling to the Packers in Atlanta, the defense led by coordinator Mo Dixon unofficially allowed just 125 yards to Vista Murrieta. Dixon’s guys didn’t get the six quarterback sacks as in the Corky Kell Classic but did get to sophomore Robert Coleman – making his first varsity start – two times. Jay Ward intercepted a pass in the second half, and JJ Peterson looked like he was over his injury issues with some hurries and a few hard hits as Coleman got the football away.

The Broncos only tallied 85 yards passing and 40 on the ground. They did not get a first down until late in the first half and ended up with three to go with a 16-0 deficit on the scoreboard.

Ty Leggett of Colquitt rushed for 75 yards on 14 carries.

Including the scrimmage game prior to the regular season, the Colquitt offense is 3-for-3 in scoring on the first series of the game. The Pack marched 80 yards in 10 plays to lead 7-0 with 8:34 remaining in the opening period.

Quarterback Steven Krajewski connected on passes to Singletary and Edwards for 16 yards to get his team to midfield, then the fancy footwork of Leggett – with his patented cut inside to go sideline to sideline – went 31 yards to the Bronco 15-yard-line. It was 3rd-and-12 when tight end Josh Hadley caught a pass on the 10 and Vista Murrieta gave the hosts half the distance on a penalty.

On second down from the 1, Edwards ran the ‘Wild Hawg’ to score his first touchdown. Ryan Fitzgerald kicked the PAT.

Three-and-out. Three-and-out. Three-and-out. That about describes the offense for Vista Murrieta for most of the first half. Defensive back Camari Louis made the main stops on the first two drives. He was on Khalil Shakir after a tunnel screen catch to take away two yards. When the first quarter – and the third Bronco drive – ended, Dante Moore and Brian Merritt stuffed the run of De’Vion Sneed for lost yards.

To start the second quarter, Shakir took a direct snap but had nowhere to do on third down, thanks in part to Louis’ finishing tackle.

Colquitt’s second drive of the game had three first downs, two of them converted on play-fake runs by Krajewski for 13 yards. Fitzgerald tried what would have been a school-record 52-yard field goal but was wide left.

The Packer offense did not get a first down on the next two touches, but they could confidently rely on the defense to get the ball back. This three-and-out had the Broncos at 2nd-and-1 only to see lost yards thanks to Kaleb Dawson and Marcus Anderson.

In the first half, Colquitt converted third down five times, three of those coming on the series that upped the lead to 14-0. Krajewski found Singletary for 11 yards on 3rd-and-7 at the Pack 34 while Leggett handled the manageable 3rd-and-1 rushing to the 46.

On 3rd-and-3 at the Bronco 47, Singletary went over the middle and hauled in Krajewski’s throw on the 35. With room to operate, he outran everyone to the end zone at 4:24 until halftime. Fitzgerald nailed the PAT. Krajewski, for the game, was 9-for-19 passing for 118 yards.

Merritt, following his 2.5 sack game vs. Norcross, made it 3.5 on the first play of the ensuing series. In punt formation, Vista Murrieta gave up two points on a snap out of the end zone at 3:02 (16-0).

Vista Murrieta’s longest first-half drive took the game into halftime, eight plays that would move the football over the 50. Coleman had six completions in a row, but on the final play Peterson introduced himself in a violent way.

The Broncos hurt themselves numerous times in the second half, 45 yards of offensive penalties alone. They had first possession and didn’t take long to get a first down, but the holding flag and a sack from lineman Kree Herring took it all away and then some.

Singletary had 53 yards in punt returns in the second half, but Colquitt also made a few untimely fouls. The senior wideout spotted his team on the VM 34, but holding on the next snap backed it up 10. Fitzgerald tried his second long field goal, 45 yards, but came up short.

The next punt return went to the Packer 49. Though Krajewski suffered a sack on the 43, he gave the football to his sophomore teammate, Edwards. He went right tackle, and the blocking work of everyone from Kamaar Bell to Kameren Barnes to Jerick Davis and William Rykard sharing the job at center to Tyler Howard paid off with a 57-yard touchdown play. Fitzgerald went 3-for-3 in PATs for 23-0 at 4:43 of the third quarter.

Ward’s interception, on the CC 9, came seven plays into the next Bronco series, and Coleman felt the rush of Peterson in getting off this ill-fated throw at the 51-second mark.

In the final period, Vista Murrieta ended the shutout taking a fumble inside the Packer 10 across the goal line at 6:44.

Still up 23-7, the Packers used 10 plays and defensive pass interference to convert two more third downs and score the game’s final points. Edwards had 25 yards rushing, and from the VM 21 Fitzgerald made the 38-yard field goal with 2:18 to play.

The game couldn’t end, though, without Coleman feeling one more vicious pop from Peterson as he threw.