Colquitt County linebacker Hayden Moore sacks Marietta quarterback Tyler Hughes, creating a fumble.

MOULTRIE — If you think Marietta quarterback Tyler Hughes was a handful, Colquitt County head coach Justin Rogers most respectfully suggests that you ain’t seen nothing yet.

Hughes competed 16-of-33 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 120 yards in the Blue Devils vain attempt to defeat the Packers last Friday night at Northcutt Stadium.

If Hughes didn’t give Alan Rodemaker and Ashley Anders and the rest of the Colquitt County defensive coaching staff insomnia, the quarterback who will lead Westlake to play on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium on Friday surely will.

R.J. Johnson, who is listed on the Westlake roster as the same size — 6-foot-2, 200 pounds — as Hughes.

He is has all the attributes that Hughes enjoys — great arm, fleet and sure-handed receivers and running ability — plus one: he operates behind an offensive line that one opposing veteran head coach characterizes as the largest he has seen.

Unlike Hughes, whose Blue Devils lost 28-25 at home to Colquitt County last Friday, Johnson was able to lead his team to a victory last week, a 29-14 win over Archer last Thursday at Dacula High in the first day of the Corky Kell Classic.

Johnson was not required to throw as often as Hughes, but his results are strikingly similar.

He hit on 12-of-22 passes and threw for touchdowns of 11 yards to TJ Booker and 26 yards to Jakari Christian.

Johnson also ran the football nine times for another 63 yards and scored twice.

He is ranked as a top-10, all-classification quarterback.

In addition to having the pleasure of operating behind what might be the biggest offensive line to come to Moultrie since the one that Batesville, Mississippi’s South Panola High brought in 2010, Westlake also has a legitimate running back.

Jai’den Thomas ran for 129 yards against Archer.

Thomas also helps lead the Westlake defense, which had 15 tackles for losses, seven sacks, a forced fumble, a safety and an interception against Archer.

Thomas had three tackles, all for losses, and a pair of sacks.

Gannon Weatherby led the Lions with six solo tackles, two assists and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Archer starting quarterback Caleb Peevy completed 8-of-14 passes, but for just 45 yards and a first-quarter touchdown. He was sacked seven times.

Westlake led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter, 16-7 at the half and then outscored Archer 13-0 in the third quarter.

The Tigers scored their second touchdown on a 16-yard run by Chase Sellers with 49 seconds remaining.

No wonder the Georgia High School Daily has the Lions ranked No. 3 in Class 6A behind defending state champion Buford and defending state runner-up Lee County.

Although Westlake has not defeated Colquitt County in three opportunities, these Lions could give the Packers the same kind of headaches that Marietta did.

The Lions have won seven straight region championships and scored 503 points during the 2020 COVID-disrupted season.

Westlake finished 11-2, losing only to Hillgrove in the third game of the season and Lee County, by a 35-14 score, in the state semifinals.

Bobby May is in his third season as the head coach at Westlake. He has a record of 18-7.

Friday’s game will be the third between Colquitt County and Westlake.

The two programs first met in the first round of the 2009 state playoffs.

The Packers were 8-2 overall, but were third in Region 1-AAAAA and had to go to Atlanta to meet the Lions.

Colquitt got a touchdown pass from Tyler Brown to Quin Roberson and a 47-yard field goal from Tyler Dismuke in a 10-0 victory.

Tevin King rushed for 141 yards on 12 carries as the Packers posted a ninth win for the first time since 1999.

The 2009 Packers went on to the state semifinals before their season ended in a 19-10 loss at Camden County.

Westlake visited Moultrie the next two seasons and the results were the same.

King rushed for 277 yards and scored on runs of 58, 41 and 32 yards in a 43-27 victory.

The game was closer in 2011 when the Packers had to overcome five turnovers for a 21-10 victory.

Colquitt running back Willie Woodyard rushed for 183 yards on 17 carries.

Looking ahead

After playing host to Westlake on Friday, the Packers will play at home again on September 3 against Cedar Grove.

 The Saints did not play last week and will open on Friday against Tucker, which lost its opener 32-7 to Dacula.

Valdosta, which will play host to the Packers on September 10, lost its opener to defending Class 5A champion Warner Robins 48-20.

Under first-year coach Shelton Felton, a former Packers assistant, Valdosta will play host to Madison County (Fla.) on Friday.

Back at home on September 17, the Packers will meet Heritage High of Conyers, which dropped its opener to Salem 20-10.

Northside-Warner Robins, which will visit on September 24, won its opener over Veterans 48-7.

Alcovy, Colquitt County’s October 8 Homecoming opponent, dropped its opener to Robert Craft-coached North Forsyth, 37-7.

OF THIS AND THAT …

Colquitt County has won 23 straight games on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium.

The Packers last home loss came on October 20, 2017, when Tift County won 38-35 on a late field goal.

Rogers is 13-0 at The Mack. …

Freshman Brett Fitzgerald converted both of his extra point attempts and was successful on field goal attempts of 28 and 23 yards in the victory over Marietta.

With the first eight points of his career, Brett has begun to chase the Colquitt County kicking records held by his older brother Ryan, one of the most successful kickers in Georgia high school history.

Ryan had 51 field goals and 171 extra points for 324 points during his Colquitt County career.

Brett is wearing jersey No. 88 as brother Ryan and father Chad wore as kickers for the Packers.

Uncle Cameron Fitzgerald was the Packers punter in 2006 and 2007.