MOULTRIE – With points expected to be at a premium in Friday’s second-round playoff game against Collins Hill, the onus will be on the Colquitt County defense.
In its 48-20 first-round victory over Wheeler last Friday, the Packers cruised to a 41-6 halftime lead and turned the game over to the junior varsity for the running-clock second half.
Wheeler’s final two touchdowns came in the final 5:48.
Colquitt scored four second-quarter touchdowns and handled the Wheeler offense with ease through the first 24 minutes, allowing just the one touchdown.
But the stakes will be higher at the Hawg Pen on Friday.
“We want to be playing a little bit better each week,” Packers coach Sean Calhoun said. “But we’ll have to bring our best this week. If we don’t, we won’t be able to win.”
While the Collins Hill defense, which is surrendering just over 13 points a game, is receiving well-deserved plaudits, the Eagles offense has been efficient much of the season as well.
The Eagles average 32 points a game and have run up 51 points against Mountain View and, on back-to-back weeks, 53 against Dacula and 65 against Discovery.
The Eagles offense broke open their 35-14 playoff opening victory over Westlake in a game that was tied 14-14 early.
In addition to the competent Makyree Cross-to-Alijah Patillo passing combination, the Eagles have three running backs with more than 300 yards rushing.
Leading rusher Maddox Henderson, a sophomore, is averaging 7.8 yards on his 56 carries.
Senior Jacari Thomas has run for 437 and senior Cam Jones ran for 142 in the first-round win over Westlake.
Then there is the prospect of having to bring down Deuce Geralds, a 260-defensive lineman the Eagles unleash on offense with regularity.
The Packers defense will be without defensive lineman Nyneson Jeudy Jr., who underwent hand surgery before the Wheeler game and will miss the rest of the season.
But the defense front got a strong effort from junior Kamdon Gay, who earned Defensive Player of the Week honors in the win over Wheeler.
The 5-foot-10, 250-pound junior was credited with five total tackles, including two for loss, one of which was a sack. He also blocked the Wildcats first extra point attempt.
For the season, six of his 18 tackles have come in the opponents’ backfield.
Seniors Amari Wilson and Jartavius Flounoy, both first-team All-Region 1-6A selections, continue to anchor the defensive front.
Wilson, a 6-foot-1, 240-pounder, has 62 total tackles, including 18 for losses.
Working primarily inside, the 6-foot-2, 272-pound Flounoy, has been credited with 60 total tackles, 19 for losses. He also leads the Packers with 10 sacks.
Both are likely to being playing collegiately next season.
Junior Brayden Ruis and seniors Ra’Quavian Kinsey and Brad Tuff Jr. started at the linebacker positions against Wheeler.
Zach Palmore and Davion Enoch were credited with three tackles each coming off the bench.
Sophomore Kaden King made his way back on to the field against Wheeler after being injured against Camden County.
The secondary could be challenged by Cross, a sophomore who has thrown for 1,433 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.
Patillo, a senior, has 44 catches for 655 yards and eight touchdowns.
Jah’Boris Fuller and Ry’Sheed Fuller will be at the corners with a pair of hard-nosed safeties, Roderick Carter and Alfonso McNeil, behind them.
McNeil, a first-team All-Region selection, remains the Packers leading tackler, with 51 solo hits and 33 assists for 84 total tackles. Carter has 62 tackles.
Colquitt County also has had some success on special teams, with All-American Brett Fitzgerald continuing to excel.
He has converted all 49 of his extra point attempts and 12 of his 13 field goal attempts.
Fitzgerald also is the holder of two Georgia state kicking records: most career extra points (226) and career kicking points (367).
And as Ramsey Dennis showed on the opening kickoff last week against Wheeler, the Packers have dangerous return teams.
Dennis’s 71-yard kickoff return for a score that got the Packers off and running against Wheeler was the team’s second kick return for a touchdown this season.
The other one also came on a game-opening kickoff.
In fact, it was the season-opening kickoff, and was returned 85 yards to the end zone by Jah’Boris Fuller.
The Packers also have a punt return for a touchdown and that came in the second game of the season when Jah’Boris Fuller returned a punt 36 yards for a score against Monroe.
The Georgia High School Association held its universal coin flip on Tuesday and it appears likely the Packers will have to travel to Grayson if they can get by Collins Hill.
The quarterfinals are the first playoff round in which region champions can play each other.
So GHSA determines home field for those games and others in which same-seeded teams play, with a universal coin toss.
The outcome of Tuesday’s coin toss means the teams in the lower portion of the bracket will be at home.
If the Packers win and Grayson, the Region 4 champion, defeats Norcross, the No. 3 team from Region 7, Colquitt would have to travel to Loganville to meet the Rams in the quarterfinals.
If Colquitt wins and Norcross upsets Grayson, the Packers would be home for a third-straight playoff game.