Packers defense will be on high alert again

Published 7:23 pm Thursday, October 26, 2023

MOULTRIE – It was a tale of two halves for the Colquitt County defense in the 52-34 win over Lowndes last Friday at Martin Stadium.

Colquitt gave up 279 yards and four touchdowns to the Vikings in the first two quarters and only another stellar performance by the offense allowed the Packers to slip into the break up by eight points at 35-27.

Whatever the Packers staff conjured up while awaiting the second-half kickoff proved potent.

Lowndes had just 182 yards in the second half and 71 of those came on a third-quarter scoring jaunt by the excellent Jacurre Fleming.

After producing 12 first downs in the first half, the Vikings managed just half that many the rest of the way.

The game might have felt close in the second half, but the Packers forced four punts and reined in the Lowndes offense.

Which begs the question, which Colquitt defense will show up on Senior Night at The Hawg Pen on Friday when Valdosta visits?

Colquitt County safeties and special teams coach Brian Simmons said he believes the Packers learned a few things in that rocky first half at the Concrete Palace.

“We were disappointed in how we played in the first half,” Simmons conceded. “Really proud of the kids in the second half. I think we learned from the mistakes we made in that first half.”

And Simmons related a football adage he said he learned long ago.

“The score at halftime is inconsequential,” he said. “It can change in a snap. The teams that win the second half usually win the game.”

The Packers are likely to have to play taut defense for all 48 minutes on Friday in a game that will determine the region championship and the prize of two potential playoff games at home to open the postseason.

The 8-0 Packers lead the region in total offense, producing 451.1 yards a game.

But the 7-2 Wildcats also can run up yardage quickly.

They average 407 yards a game.

Valdosta’s leading rusher is freshman Deron Foster, who has gained 620 yards on 100 carries and has scored eight touchdowns.

“He is a really good player,” Simmons said.

Junior quarterback Todd Robinson would rather run than throw and Packers coach Sean Calhoun characterizes him as “shifty.”

He averages 8.5 yards on 66 carries and has scored four times.

Shakevious Wright has rushed for 409 yards and Prince Jean has gained 402.

And Valdosta head coach Shelton Felton, the former Packer assistant, is not reluctant to use a couple of his stalwart defenders to firm up the offense.

Inside linebacker Amari Tomlin has gained 243 yards and scored a couple touchdowns when thrust into the offensive backfield.

“They bring him in to be the hammer,” Simmons said of Tomblin.

And All-State and Colorado-committed defensive lineman Eric Brantley is often called upon to use his 260-pound body on offense.

“They want to pound you,” Simmons said.

While Colquitt County’s Neko Fann has passed for 2,002 yards and 26 touchdowns, Robinson likes playing it closer to the vest.

He is 66-for-105 for 783 yards and six touchdowns.

Jean is 21-for-31 for 232 yards and two more passing scores.

A sophomore, Jean also is the Wildcats leading receiver with 25 catches for 366 yards and three touchdowns.

Lowndes quarterback Marvis Parrish was 8-for-13 in the second half last Friday, but his completions resulted in just three first downs and no touchdowns as the Packers pass defense warmed up.

Colquitt will counter the Valdosta sledgehammer offense with a defensive front that includes juniors Amari Wilson, and Jartavius Flounoy and senior Johnny Clay.

The two outside linebackers will be seniors Tyshon Reed Jr. and Jerron Blakely Jr.

Senior Nick Pace and sophomore Chance Sims will start at the inside linebacker spots with Kenyon Solomon, who had 10 solo tackles, including three for loss, against Lowndes, and Brayden Ruis backing them up.

Seniors Ty Lamar and Ka’Marian Williams will start at the corners and Trenton Dunbar and Arnold Flearau, also seniors, will man the safety positions.

Williams has three pass interceptions.

Pace has 88 tackles to lead the team; Wilson has 12 and Flounoy has 10 tackles for loss; and Reed leads the Packers with four sacks.

Brett Fitzgerald, who boomed seven of his kickoffs into the Lowndes end zone last Friday, has converted 44 extra point attempts and made 9-of-10 field goal attempts.

Chason Glenn will snap to holder Eli Meads. Sam Miller will do the punting.

Jah’Boris Fuller and Zay William will have punt return duty. Lamar and Ny Carr will return kickoffs.

For the first time all season, the Packers will have their preseason projected starting offensive line of tackles Turk Daniels and Xavier Nickerson, guards Khali Collins and Ja’Nas Daniels and center Jay’Den Williams take the field.

Colquitt was awarded the Georgia High School Football Daily’s Offensive Line of the Week honor last week after rolling up a school-record 663 yards of offense against Lowndes.

Carr, Zay Williams and Jaden Fowler will be the starting receivers.

Williams caught five passes for 155 yards and a touchdown last week. Carr has 16 touchdown passes this season and a school-record 39 in his career.

The tight end will be Landen Thomas, who has 107 career pass receptions.

Day’Shawn Brown and Ramsey Dennis, who combined to rush for 265 yards last week, will handle the ball-carrying.

Fann will start at quarterback and continue his assault on the school passing records.

He is the school’s all-time leader in touchdown passes, with 85; passing yardage, with 6,784; and total yards, with 7,820 yards.

PACKERS NOTES: Friday’s game will be the 109th meeting between the Packers and the Wildcats.

Valdosta leads in the series 71-33-4.

The Packers have won the last three meetings and nine of the last 10.

Between the first and second quarters, Jim Hughes, Colquitt County’s most successful coach with 140 victories, will be honored along with many of the assistants who worked with him.

With 15 wins, Hughes has had the most success of any coach against Valdosta.

From 1993-1999, his Packers teams won nine of 10 games against the Wildcats.