Colquitt County’s Jah’Boris Fuller (21) and Nick Pace (4) bring down Lee County running back Ousmane Kromah in 2023. Tyshon Reed Jr. (10) closes in.

MOULTRIE — Colquitt County has been relatively successful in handling Lee County’s AJC Super 11 running back Ousmane Kromah the last two seasons.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder, then just a sophomore, rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns when the two south Georgia football powers met in Leesburg two years ago.

Last year, he again scored twice, powering his way to 179 yards in The Hawg Pen. But the Packers stripped him of the football on one occasion, causing him to fumble the ball away.

And, importantly, the Packers won both of those meetings: 48-27 in 2023 and 37-20 last year.

Still, a back who is a cinch to be playing on Saturdays, perhaps as soon as next year, demands the full attention of the defenses charged with stopping him.

Colquitt County defensive line coach Terel Toomer is under no illusions about dealing with Kromah, who will lead the 3-0 Trojans in their non-region game against the Packers that will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium.

“Stopping him would be holding him to 50 yards,” Toomer said Monday. “I hate to say it, but I don’t think we are going to do that.

“We just have to slow him down.”

The Packers might have some defensive packages aimed at containing Kromah. and they have a pair of defensive linemen — seniors Amari Wilson and Jartavius Flounoy — who were on the field the last two years against Lee County and have been a part of the effort to handle the big back.

“I feel good about our defensive line up front,” Toomer said. “They know what we are going to be up against.

“We’ve just got to be where we are supposed to be on every play. If we’re not, he’ll find the gap we left. and he’s not a guy you can arm-tackle.”

Stacey Lambright, Kamdon Gay and 270-pound sophomore Nyneson Jeudy Jr. will be joining Wilson and Flounoy in getting those first shots at Kromah.

The second line of defense will be linebackers Chance Sims, Ra’Quavian Kinsey and Toomer’s son Bryce, and nickel back Ramsey Dennis.

Linebackers Brayden Ruis and Brad Tuff Jr. also have been instrumental in stopping the opposing offenses in the 2-1 Packers first three games.

Jah’Boris Fuller and Ry’Sheed Fuller have been the starting corners with Roddriek Carter and Alfonso McNeil manning the safety positions.

There could be additional pressure on the defense this week after the Packers were unable to manufacture a touchdown and were held to just a Ryan Fitzgerald field goal in the 14-3 loss to North Gwinnett two weeks ago.

Colquitt’s defense held its own, holding the No. 4-ranked Bulldogs to 3.7 yards per rush and allowed just two touchdowns, none in the second half.

One of the touchdowns came after an interception gave the Bulldogs a first down on the Colquitt 18. and it took eight plays to punch it in from there.

Quarterback Ryan Hall was North Gwinnett’s leading rusher and was able to make several plays after escaping pressure.

Toomer said the defense will have to do a better job in hemming up Lee County senior quarterback Weston Bryan, who is 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds and is being recruited as a tight end.

“He’s a load to bring down, too,” Toomer said. “He can be as brutal as the other guy.”

Bryan throws the ball well, but Toomer said one of the Packers goals is to get the Trojans into passing situations.

“If they have to pass, it will be tough for them to block our guys,” Toomer said. “And when we get good pressure on him, we can’t let him escape.”

But Kromah will be the focus.

Heading into his senior season, Kromah had rushed for 5,288 yards and 63 touchdowns.

He is athletic enough for the Trojans to split him out as a receiver and throw the ball to him. He has 12 career touchdown catches as well.

In Lee’s 55-7 victory over Tift County at Brodie Field two weeks ago, Kromah carried 11 times for 144 yards.

In the Trojans’ three games — wins over Warner Robins, Hapeville Charter and Tift County — Kromah has carried 37 times for 377 yard and five touchdowns.

Lee’s offense is built to bludgeon the opposition behind a big and physical offensive line.

It will be up to Wilson and Flounoy to foil those plans.

Flounoy leads the Packers with five tackles for losses. Wilson, who leads the team with 19 tackles, has four. Both have three sacks.

“They are our leaders, both on the field and off the field,” Toomer said. “They set the tone for the rest of the defense.

“They are doing the things they need to do to make us successful.”