Scrimmage against Bainbridge will be Packers’ first major test under fire

Published 3:38 pm Monday, July 29, 2024

MOULTRIE — Colquitt County coach Sean Calhoun said he is pleased with the progress his 2024 team has made this spring and summer, but there are obviously more than the usual number of unknowns as the Packers prepare to meet Bainbridge on Friday in the Hawg Pen in the annual preseason scrimmage.

There will be no Neko Fann throwing passes or Ny Carr or Landen Thomas to catch them as there has been the last two seasons when the Packers went a combined 25-2. Gone from the defense are the likes of Tyshon Reed Jr. and Nick Pace. Seventeen starters are being replaced.

“This year, every day has truly mattered because we are trying to build a foundation for the season,” Calhoun said Monday after the Packers finished their first practice in full pads.

“We plan to play everybody, put them in game situations to see who are the No. 1s and who are the backups. We’re looking forward to seeing them in game-like situations to help build our depth chart.”

Calhoun said the first half of Friday’s scrimmage will be played as if it were a real game.

The third quarter will feature more reserve players and perhaps no special teams play.

The fourth quarter will be for the junior varsity and other young players.

Kickoff for the scrimmage will be at 7:30 p.m. All tickets are general admission and are $10. They can be purchased at the gate or at GoFan.com.

Construction at Willie J. Williams Middle School should not cause too much of a problem for fans, athletic director Cleve Edwards said.

Those fans who have parked on Fourth Street Southwest walked straight across to the stadium behind the Arts Center will now have to walk around the front of the Arts Center to reach the stadium.

Edwards reminded fans that only clear bags can be taken into the stadium and that umbrellas are not allowed.

Bainbridge is likely to offer some stout opposition.

The Bearcats went 9-3 and 4-0 in Region 1-4A last season.

Their region title was the fourth straight under coach Jeff Littleton, who went 91-46 and won a state championship in 2018 before resigning to take the head coaching job at Tift County this year.

The Bearcats, who will open Aug. 16 at home against Coffee, will be coached this season by Jay Walls, who led the Tift County program from 2005-2011, going 44-34.

Walls spent the last 12 seasons at Navarre High School near Pensacola, Fla., where he won 102 games and took three teams to the state semifinals.

Bainbridge will play in Region 1-AAA this season along with Westover, Peach County, Monroe and Dougherty.

Colquitt is 20-6 all-time against Bainbridge, but the two schools have not met since 2007, when the Bearcats won 23-22 at home.

The Packers went on to finish 2-8 in the final season of Tim Cokely’s tenure. Rush Propst took over the Colquitt County program in 2008.

Since 2008, the Packers are 170-44 under Propst, Justin Rogers and Calhoun.

But rarely have the Packers been as inexperienced as they are heading into the 2024 season.

Much of the focus on Friday will be on the two quarterbacks, one of which is likely to become Fann’s heir-apparent.

Junior A’Zhiyen Alridge and freshman Cohen Lawson have been battling for the starting job since spring, but neither has separated himself from the other.

“We are going to try to give them the same amount of opportunities on Friday,” Calhoun said.

The receiving corps also will be filled with new faces.

Calhoun likes what he has seen so far, but adds, “What will they do in real situations? Can they block without holding? Can they make the catches when it matters?”

Running back Day’Shawn Brown and Ramsey Dennis, each of whom rushed for just under 1,000 yards last season, are back.

Ja’Mari Stokes and junior Ty’Jaevian Lamar also will be given some opportunities.

The offensive line took a hit when projected starting right tackle Cole Holder suffered a broken foot recently in an accident at his home.

The defense will debut its new 3-3 stack look. Defensive linemen Amari Wilson and Jartavius Flounoy are being counted on to create havoc when the other team has the football this season.

Brett Fitgerald, one of the nation’s top high school kickers, is also likely to showcase his considerable talents on Friday.

“I want us to be at a certain level in all three phases of the game on Friday,” Calhoun said. “But we still will have time before West.”

Colquitt will open the season on Friday, Aug. 16, on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium against West High, which will be flying in from Salt Lake City, Utah, to take on the Packers.