Packers mauling Miller Grove

MOULTRIE – It’s the game Colquitt County High football almost didn’t have, one head coach Rush Propst said over and over they desperately needed, and when they finally got it … they didn’t get all of it.

Given recent history, it would be no surprise to learn that the Packers’ fall scrimmage game – one week before the regular season gets going – ran into weather problems and did not go a full four quarters. Much like two years ago at Coffee, Friday’s practice battle against visiting Miller Grove High on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium, was delayed by lightning as action moved into the second quarter. During the lengthy pause, heavy rain hit in and around the stadium.

When things cleared up as far as dangerous conditions (there was still some light precipitation), the two teams finished that second quarter and got the younger players 10 minutes of playing time before things wrapped up around 11 p.m.

As for the game, it was all Packers despite some bloopers 30-0 in the first quarter. The offense scored four rushing touchdowns, two by Mar’Kaybion Spradley; and the defense only allowed penetration inside the 10-yard-line once. One of the rule modifications was no tackling on the quarterbacks, so anytime a defender got a hand on the QB the play was whistled dead.

A main reason Propst was anxious to have a fall scrimmage (the Packers did not have a spring scrimmage against another team and didn’t get a deal with Miller Grove set until July) was for new starting quarterback Jaycee Harden to get real game type play before this coming Saturday. That’s when Colquitt County makes its annual trek to Atlanta for the Corky Kell Classic, which is at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time and will pit Colquitt vs. McEachern.

For the first two series, the Packers went three-and-out. Two pass plays resulted in 10 lost yards, and the ground game was also at a net below zero. But the Miller Grove Wolverines weren’t fairing much better running just six plays in two drives. Two tackles each came from linebackers Rashad Revels and Kendrick Neloms and end Kree Herring, who ‘sacked’ the quarterback for eight lost yards.

The notable Colquitt advantage was in Ryan Fitzgerald’s punting game as he placed the ball inside the 20 twice. The edge in field position got Colquitt a drive beginning on the MG 32-yard-line, and Harden completed his first pass for positive yards to tight end Josh Hadley.

The Packers were flagged a pair of times for holding downfield, including one on the Hadley catch. Then, a snap went over Harden’s head where he fortunately fell on the ball on Colquitt’s side of the 50. With 32 yards needed for a first down, Harden hit Tyrique Williams over the middle on the 31 and Daijun Edwards followed Kam Bell and Will Rykard blocks to the 21.

Williams made two more catches up to the 14, and then it was Ty Leggett’s nifty running abilities. His outside cut got to the 2, and he did a 1-yard plunge over the goal line with seven seconds left in the first period.

Closing out the quarter, Samari Louis chased down a Wolverine for a big 11-yard loss. Early in the second quarter, Miller Grove had their own bad snap in the punt team. It was two points for Colquitt and 9-0 lead.

Montavious Ponder shined in several moments on offense and the return game. He went 40 yards on the ensuing kickoff to the MG 25.

It was more than an hour, though, before those who waited out the weather delay found out how this drive ended. They saw Harden’s clutch third-down conversion to Lemeke Brockington on the 14 and Spradley’s first touchdown at 9:57. Fitzgerald hit his second PAT (he made three in all) for 16-0.

Miller Grove had two snapping faux pas Friday. The second came after their initial first down on their own 30, but going back to the 15 they couldn’t avoid nose tackle Michael Roberts’ coverage of the pass for 4th-and-18.

To go ahead 23-0, Colquitt drove 52 yards in seven plays and four first downs. Ponder gained two of those both rushing and catching the ball up to the MG 11. It was on a fourth-down call that Spradley scored for the second time, a 1-yarder at 5:04.

Younger and less experienced Packers got most of the remaining game action, and the Wolverines made their most serious move with a third-down pass up top that gained 41 yards to the Packer 34. They advanced to the 15 when Ty French and Biron Silas pushed then back, and their path on the fourth-down play from the 12 was blocked by Louis and stopped by French.

The third quarter saw a lot more results by Silas and French along with Jordan Calhoun and a ‘sack’ from Ja’Michael Jones. Marvion McDonald ran the offense at quarterback for a scoring series of 61 yards in seven plays. He completed a 17-yard throw to Desmond Davis on the MG 26 and a 22-yard bomb to Carter Boatwright on the 15. Jamaree Hill rushed three straight times and scored from one out. Alex Romulo added the PAT kick.