MOULTRIE – Colquitt County’s late-blooming 2022 baseball team was recognized last week at the program’s annual banquet and two of the Packers have received a significant honor since then.

Coach Brandon Brock’s first club overcame a slow start to take Region 1-7A’s No. 2 seed to the state tournament, where it won two series to advance to the Elite Eight.

It was the first Packers team to get that far since 2013.

The 18-17 Packers were led by their seniors, including three — Cameron Summerlin, Hayden Moore and Cannon Whatley — who took the top awards presented at the banquet.

Whatley and fellow senior Hayes Lightsey also were named this week to represent Colquitt County in the Georgia Dugout Club’s Senior All-State Games that will be played Saturday at Mercer University.

The pair will play for the Southwest team in the event that includes top senior players from around the state.

Whatley, the Packers’ first baseman, received the team’s Most Valuable Player Award. Only players who were with the varsity the entire season voted on the award.

The Packers leadoff hitter batted .384 and led the team with 33 runs scored.

He signed early on to continue to play next season at East Georgia College.

Summerlin earned the Coup de Diamond award that goes to the player who, Brock said, made the most strides from the 2021 season and who continued to improve from the start of this season.

Summerlin, a right-handed pitcher, turned in two of his best starts in the playoffs, getting wins over Harrison and Alpharetta.

“I am so proud of him,” Brock said of Summerlin who also will play next season at East Georgia. “He is such a hard worker and he wants it so much. He is so self-motivated.

“He really, really improved his craft this year.”

Summerlin, Whatley and Lightsey, an outstanding defensive center fielder, were named to the All-Region 1-7A second team.

Moore received the 10th-man award.

“He has so many wonderful qualities,” Brock said of Moore, who often started in the outfield, but was used in a variety of roles.

“He filled whatever role we needed him to. And he never complained.”

The Packers other seniors are Davis Dalton, Cole Whatley, Chasyn Miley, Bryce Monk and Abraham Daniels.

Monk, the relief pitcher who posted a 5-1 record and a 2.37 ERA, and Miley also were named to the All-Region second team.

Dalton and catcher Cole Whatley received honorable mention. Cole Whatley will continue his baseball career at Tallahassee Community College.

Lightsey, Dalton, Moore and Cannon Whatley received the senior Scholar-Athlete Awards for their 90-plus averages for seven semesters.

The Colquitt County seniors played for three head coaches   — Tony Kirkland, Matt Crews and Brock — during their high school careers.

They also lost much of their junior season to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They are a very special group,” Brock said. “They banded together, fought for everything they had and put the rest of the team on their shoulders.”

The Packers juniors who were honored at the banquet were Landon Griffin, Kale Hopper and Tyler Owens, who earned Scholar-Athlete Awards for having 90-plus averages for five semesters.

The Class of 2024 Most Valuable Player Award went to Cayden Parker.

Joining Parker in receiving Scholar-Athlete Awards for having a 90-plus average for three semesters are Cam Cook, Asher Cox, Neko Fann, Joseph Jackson and Mason Moore.

Cook, the Packers sophomore starting shortstop and leading hitter, was named to the All-Region first team, as was fellow 10th-grader Mason Moore, who was honored as both an outfielder and a pitcher.

Jaylis Larkin received the Class of 2025 MVP Award. One of his teammates said of Larkin, “He is the guy with the most positive energy in the entire dugout.”

Pitcher Cook Tompkins, another member of the Packers 2025 class, received honorable mention on the All-Region team after going 2-1 with a 1.33 ERA.

The Packers are expected to have a small senior class next season, but as far as the direction of the program, “I really like it,” Brock said.

“We’ve got some talent coming. And these seniors set us on the right course.”