Brookwood game brings back memories

Published 1:00 pm Tuesday, September 12, 2017

MOULTRIE, Ga. — There is no one officially associated with the Colquitt County football team who accompanied the team when the Packers made their first trip to Snellville to take on Brookwood in 1997.

But as the two teams prepare face off at the home of Broncos on Friday night, there certainly are fans and others who remember a 14-7 loss to the Broncos in a Corky Kell Classic game that was moved from the Dome to Brookwood … and the four subsequent meetings — three especially memorable — as well.

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In 1997, Brookwood, coming off its first state championship and converted 10 third- and fourth-down opportunities, defeated the Packers 14-7.

It was the lowest scoring of the five games.

The two teams met in Georgia Dome in the Corky Kell Classic just a day under a year later and the Broncos won again, 21-16.

It then was 12 years before the Packers and Broncos squared off again and it started a run of three meetings in which the two schools combined to 257 points.

That next meeting was for the state championship in 2010.

And it was one of the most remarkable games in Colquitt County history, although Packer fans don’t remember with relish.

The Packers rolled up 609 yards of offense and picked up 36 first downs at the Dome that night, only to lose by 14.

Quarterback Tyler Brown set a school record by throwing for 354 yards in his final game as a Packer.

Tevin King rushed for 205. Tommy Hudson caught 11 passes for 127 yards with a broken hand.

But the Packers could not stop the Broncos, who won 52-38, defeating the Packers for a third straight time to win their second — and last — state title.

But the next five years were not good ones for Brookwood.

While the Packers reached the semifinals in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and won state titles of their own in 2014 and 2015, Brookwood went 8-4, 7-5, 6-6, 2-8 and 4-6.

Then the two schools entered into a two-year contract that stipulated that Brookwood would trek to Moultrie in 2016 and the Packers will head north this year.

It turned out the Broncos would have to play on the Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium twice last year.

Neither ended well for the Broncos.

Brookwood was 2-1, ranked No. 7 in one poll and No. 10 in another when they came to Moultrie last September.

The Packers, after having posted back-to-back 15-0 seasons, were 0-4 and coming off a 34-3 spanking at Roswell.

The loss to the Hornets appears to have roused the Packers, who rolled over the Broncos, winning  52-14.

Brookwood composed itself after the loss and won six of its next seven and drew the Packers in the third round of the playoffs.

And they had to visit Moultrie again. Again, it was not pleasant: Colquitt 66, Brookwood 35.

It appears unlikely the Broncos will be lacking for motivation when the Packers honor this year’s RSVP.