MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County basketball teams saw their season-opening unbeaten streaks come to an end over the weekend.
The Colquitt County boys took a seven-game winning streak into the U-Save-It Classic at Monroe High in Albany, but fell to Dougherty and Monroe.
The Packers, now 7-2, will be off until Friday, January 3, when they open Region 1-6A play at Camden County.
Playing without the injured Jakari Byrd, the Packers rallied in the fourth quarter against Dougherty on Friday, but still came up four points short in a 60-56 loss, their first of the season.
Colquitt pulled to within two points at 52-50 with three minutes left in the game, but could get no closer.
Marcus Moore led all scorers with 23 points. Kanilyn Jones added 15.
On Saturday, the Packers fell to the Tornadoes 65-54.
Moore again had the hot hand, leading the Packers with 20 points.
Cason Harden added 14.
The Lady Packers won their first game in the Lee County Girls Showcase on Thursday in Leesburg, but could not handle Region 1-6A foe Lowndes on Friday.
The 51-41 win over Lee County raised the Lady Packers record to 8-0, but after a close first quarter against the Vikettes on Friday, the Packers fell 71-38.
“We just totally abandoned what we have been working on,” said Stephanie Cody, who took her first loss as the Lady Packers head coach. “We just got away from what we do best.”
The Lowndes girls are now 10-1.
The silver lining, Cody said, was that the loss will not count in the region standings.
The first of the teams’ two region games will be played on Tuesday, January 7, at Lowndes.
They will meet on the William Bryant Court in Moultrie on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Amira Walters-Smith led the Lady Packers on Friday with 18 points and was named to the all-tournament team.
Amareyia Knighton added 11; Caylnn Singletary added five; and Ta’Meria Williams and Nacardia Robinson each had two.
The Colquitt County girls will play next when they travel to Brunswick for the Hoopin’ at the High Invitational.
The Lady Packers will meet 8-4 Orange Park High at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, December 27.
The next day, they will face Ware County at s1 p.m.
The Lady Gators are 12-0 and ranked No. 4 in Class 4A.
Colquitt’s girls will travel back to the coast to meet Camden County in their region opener on Friday, January 3.