MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County basketball teams took a pair of easy victories at Thomas County Central on Tuesday, but the ante will be raised considerably when the Packers and Lady Packers play host to Houston County in their Region 1-AAAAA openers on Friday at the Espy Gymnasium.

Colquitt’s girls took Tuesday’s opener with a 47-42 victory that was not nearly as close as the score indicates.

The Lady Packers led by 14 with 2:21 left and the Lady Jackets made a run against the Colquitt County bench in the closing moments.

The victory raises the Colquitt County girls record to 8-4 as they prepare to meet Houston County at 7 p.m. Friday.

The Lady Bears also are 8-4 and are 1-0 in the region after a 55-38 victory over Lowndes. Houston’s girls have won six of their last seven games.

The Lady Packers were led in scoring on Tuesday by Ashley Stafford, who had 13 points. Taquella Coates, making her varsity start, had 10 points.

Nikki Hudson had six, Nicole Thomas added five, Dorothy Strong had four and Jessica Lemus, Tiffany Troupe, Laquita Smith and Selica Daniels each had two points.

The Lady Jackets, who fall to 8-5, were led by Akoshua Williams, who had 15 points.

“I thought our effort was outstanding,” Lady Packers coach Joe Parker said. “I thought we played hard and we didn’t necessarily have to.

“Nikki and Ashley especially showed what athletes they are.”

The Colquitt County boys, now 7-3, had little trouble with the Yellow Jackets, winning 69-48 to drop the Central boys to 1-9.

Antwan Tuff and Corey Goss, getting his first playing time of the season, led the Packers with 10 points each. Tuff had all of his in the first quarter.

Jeremy DeBruce added nine, Andrew Wallace had eight, Amar Parikh and James Trimble each had six and Orion Ponder, Ronald Wilson Ryshawn Melvin, Dannie Hunt and Duke Banks each had four.

Houston County’s boys will bring an 8-5 record. One of the Bears losses was to Lowndes by 71-66 score.