Pace scores four touchdowns, Packers slam Camden 49-21

Published 12:19 am Saturday, October 15, 2022

MOULTRIE — Some fans might have been worried that having 15 days off between games might take some of the edge off the undefeated Colquitt County football team.

If so, their fears were unfounded.

The Packers won their seventh straight game and their Region 1-7A opener in dominating fashion on Friday on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium, stunning Camden County with a 49-21 victory.

After turning the ball over on downs on their first possession after winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Packers went on to play flawlessly the rest of the first half.

With quarterback Neko Fann completing 14-of-16 passes for 220 yards and Charlie Pace rushing for three touchdowns, the Packers rolled up 20 first downs and led 35-7 after the first two quarters.

Pace added his fourth touchdown run in the third quarter and backup quarterback I’marius Bussie came off the bench to throw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Fowler in the fourth.

Camden also scored twice in the second half, but each score served only to cut a deficit to 28 points.

The No. 2-ranked Packers are now 1-0 in the region as they prepare to play host to Lowndes on Senior Night next Friday in what will be the final regular-season game in the Hawg Pen.

The Vikings are 4-3 overall after defeating Dunbar High of Ft. Myers, Fla., 43-12 at Martin Stadium on Friday.

Lowndes is 0-1 in the region after dropping the Winnersville Classic 13-6 to Valdosta last week.

Valdosta is 8-0 overall and 2-0 in the region after blanking Richmond Hill 20-0 on Friday.

Valdosta will travel to Camden County next Friday.

Colquitt County and Valdosta will square off on Oct. 28 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. Both could still be undefeated.

The Packers were not crisp in their previous outing, a 30-7 victory over Lincoln High of Tallahassee on Wednesday, Sept. 28, a game played three days early because of the threat of Hurricane Ian.

Colquitt’s bye week followed.

But the Packers appeared to have put the long hiatus to good use.

Packers coach Sean Calhoun said after the game that he and his staff had several “meetings” with both groups and several individual players during the break.

“And I was proud of the way our players responded and reacted,” Calhoun said. “We called them on the carpet and they answered the bell.”

The passing game look fully in tune, with most of Fann’s passes on the money and the ones that weren’t his receivers were able to outstanding catches of.

“We caught the ball the way we should,” Calhoun said. “That is the level we know we can play at.”

And, of course, Pace did his thing, finishing with more than 100 yards in the first two quarters.

Colquitt also never let the Camden wing-T gain traction.

The Wildcats rushed the football 44 times for 272 yards, but 42 of those yards came on a touchdown run 5:18 left in the game.

Camden virtually ignored its passing game, attempting just five passes and completing just the first one for nine yards.

After the Packers turned the ball over on downs on the Camden 33 to end their first possession, the Wildcats went three-and-out and their punt was downed at the Colquitt 4.

But it only took the Packers six plays to go 96 yards for their first score, a 15-yard run by Pace.

Pace had another run in the drive of 16 yards and Fann completed passes of 36 and 19 yards to Landen Thomas.

Brett Fitzgerald kicked the first of his six extra points after Pace’s first score.

Camden managed two first downs before fumbling the ball away on its next possession on the Packers 49. Jack Luttrell came up with the loose ball.

Four plays later, Pace had his second touchdown and Colquitt led 14-0 with 3:24 left in the first quarter.

Camden’s Ja’Marley Riddle returned the kickoff 80 yards to the Packers 17 and three plays later Jaden Dailey scored from seven yards out as the Wildcats pulled to within seven.

But Colquitt scored four straight touchdowns before Camden visited the Packers end zone again.

The Packers scored on their next possession, driving 83 yards in 10 plays with Fann throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Ny Carr, his first scoring reception of the season.

Camden lost five yards the next time it had the ball and the Packers took the punt and scored again in short order.

Pace’s 45-yard run to the south end zone was one Packer fans will remember as he appeared to be stopped several times before shaking loose and reaching the end zone to help put the Packers up 28-7 with 7:57 remaining in the first half.

Colquitt scored again with 43 seconds left in the half on Fann’s second touchdown pass, a,1-yarder to Landon Griffin.

Leading 35-7, Colquitt added on in the third quarter with Pace scoring his fourth touchdown on a 5-yard run with 3:30 left in the third quarter.

Riddle scored from 15 yards out as Camden cut the Packers lead to 42-14 with 41 seconds left in the third quarter.

Bussie relieved Fann at quarterback on the last play of the third quarter and threw an interception on the second play of fourth.

But he more than redeemed himself later in the quarter by waiting patiently until Fowler broke free downfield and then connecting with him for the 51-yard touchdown pass that ended the Packers scoring.

Fann was 17-for-22 for 270 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Seven Packers had carries in the game, with Pace rushing for an 126 yards on 12 carries.

Za’Mari Williams had six catches for 86 yards and Carr had five for 63.

Thomas needed just three receptions to gain 88 yards.

“That was a good team win,” Calhoun said. “(Camden) is a team that runs an offense unlike anything else and you have to prepare for it.

“But now there are no more bye weeks. We have got to heal up, suck it up and get ready for Lowndes.”