MOULTRIE — After losing four players from last year’s Region 1-7A championship team, Colquitt County boys tennis coach Mell Wier expected his 2023 Packers to endure some growing pains.

Colquitt got an expected win at No. 1 singles from two-time region Player of the Year Mark Breedlove, but managed just one more, at No. 2 doubles, and dropped its season-opener to Bleckley County on Monday at Packer Park.

The Lady Packers got their 2023 season off to a promising start by earning the split, defeating the Lady Royals 4-1.

“We’ve got a young team,” said Lady Packers coach Amber Day. “I was very pleased with how we played.”

Colquitt’s girls have seniors at the top of singles lineup, where Eva Barnett rallied after dropping the first set to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 1, and Odessa Dixon won at No. 2, 6-2, 6-4.

Sophomore Emily Lampman has an impressive varsity debut earning a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles.

“She was very solid,” Day said.

The Lady Packers lone loss came at No. 1 doubles where Carolyne Turner and Anna Grace Browning fell 0-6, 2-6.

The No. 2 doubles team of sophomores Ada Craft and Jayley Johnson won 6-3, 7-5.

The Lady Packers also played three junior varsity matches: Candace Moses and Langley Bennett lost 5-8; Laura Gonzalez and Kenley Dalton won 8-1; and Frances Bius and Arlin Smith lost 3-6.

After Breedlove coasted to a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles, the Colquitt boys lost at No. 2 singles, where Joshua Scroggins fell 4-6, 1-6, and at No. 3 singles, where Jack Taunton lost 2-6, 4-6.

The Packers also lost at No. 1 doubles, where Ty Hurst and Parker Anderson fell 4-6, 0-6.

The No. 2 doubles team of Dean Nguyen and Bailee Fountain won in three sets, 7-5, 0-6, 6-3.

“We’re in a situation we were in four years ago,” said Wier, who is in his seventh season as the Packers boys coach.

“We are going to take some lumps and be in some uncomfortable situations we’re not used to being in.

“Nobody likes to lose. But as long as we are growing through the process, we’ll be fine.

“And I thought we did some good things today. We just have some things we need to be more consistent at.”

Having Breedlove back should help the otherwise inexperienced team.

“He has matured and taken on a lot of leadership for us, doing the job that Jacob Icard, Colin Faison and Zach Tucker did last year,” Wier said. “He’s helping at practice, working with the young guys.”

Marco Lorenzo, Jedediah Manuel and Jared Rodriguez played junior varsity matches.

Colquitt County will be back at Packer Park on Thursday when it plays host to Berrien High at 4 p.m.