Packers eliminated at Norcross 17-7

Published 10:10 pm Friday, December 11, 2020

NORCROSS – Colquitt County headed into its state quarterfinal game at Norcross on Friday averaging 44.4 points a game.

But the Packers never found any consistent offense and managed just one fourth-quarter touchdown in a 17-7 loss to the Blue Devils.

The Packers finish the coronavirus-shortened season with a 9-1 record.

Norcross, now 13-0,  advances to next week’s state semifinal game against Grayson, which eliminated West Forsyth in another quarterfinal.

The Packers were held scoreless in the first half with Zane Touchton handling most of the quarterback duties.

But coach Justin Rogers used Baby D Wheeler exclusively in the second half.

Wheeler rushed for 51 yards and threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to TJ Spradley on the first play of the fourth quarter, but Colquitt faltered the rest of the way.

Norcross led 7-0 at the half on the strength of a 4-yard second-quarter touchdown pass from Mason Kaplan to Lawson Luckie.

The score capped a 53-yard, 15-play drive that started in the first quarter and ended with 6:20 left in the half.

Colquitt squandered excellent field position in the first quarter when it took over on the Norcross 27 after a 22-yard Blue Devils punt.

But the Packers were forced to settle for a 40-yard field goal attempt by Emmanuel Perez, which sailed wide.

The Packers had just 56 yards of offense and three first downs in the first half.

Touchton completed 6-of-10 passes, but for just 42 yards.

Norcross got an 18-yard field goal from Fernando Hernandez on its first possession of the second half to extend its lead to 10-0.

On Colquitt’s first snap after the field goal, Wheeler completed a pass to Lemeke Brockington, who fumbled the ball away when tackled. It appeared on a television replay that Brokington’s knee was down before ball was stripped away.

Six plays later, Kaplan scored on a 4-yard run and with 2:47 left in the third quarter, the Blue Devils led 17-0.

After Wheeler’s scoring pass to Spradley cut the Norcross lead to 10, however, the Packers went three-and-out on their final two possessions.

The game featured two region champions, but a coin toss sent the Packers north to play on the slippery grass field at Blue Devils Stadium.

Colquitt threw for just 87 yards and rushed for only 68.

The Packers allowed the Blue Devils just 102 yards on the ground and just 86 through the air.

“Our defense played light’s-out,” Rogers said. “We just put them in some bad situations. Offensively, we never could get into a rhythm. The offense just didn’t pull its weight tonight. We decided to go with Baby D and he gave us a little spark.

“It’s unfortunate that it ended this way. This is a great group of boys. I really hate to see it end like this.”