LAWRENCEVILLE – Thanksgiving Week is more of a work week for those coaching football at Colquitt County High. And a productive week it was. It wasn’t until 10 p.m. Friday that they could all feel the holiday spirit, the new Moultrie tradition of Happy Semifinals.

And the outside the box thinking, it works.

Ryan Fitzgerald kicked four made field goals – one being quite unconventional – Friday at Archer Community Stadium. That was all of Colquitt County High’s scoring in the GHSA Class 7A quarterfinal with the Archer High Tigers, and it was all needed in a defensive dominated game. Rush Propst and the Packers move on to another semifinal – eight since 2009 – winning 12-7.

Fitzgerald made his first try, a 43-yarder, with 5:18 left in the first period. To close out the first half, Propst declared that Fitzgerald would try the rare free kick field goal. No problem, for  Fitzgerald nailed the 60-yard try.

Propst said, in order to take a free kick that – if it splits the uprights – is worth three points, you must first signal for and make a fair catch of the other team’s punt. That’s what Ty Shealey did on the 50-yard-line after the fourth three-and-out defensive stand from Colquitt County in the first half. After the fair catch is secured, Propst said you declare to the officials that you are not going to run regular scrimmage plays but instead set the football on a tee to kick like a kickoff. Each team has 11 players on the field as usual, but the defense cannot attempt any kind of block. It is basically the kick, which is either good, no good and out of play or no good and in play for a possible return.

Fitzgerald took what was a first in Colquitt County Packer football history and broke his own record for a made field goal by eight yards. He also punted the football 49 and 45 yards in the first half.

Archer, however, had the game’s only touchdown on Carter Peevy’s 55-yard pass to Taiyon Palmer two plays into the second period. So at the half the home Tigers, unbeaten all season, led 7-6. In that first half, the Packers had 100 offensive yards, the Tigers countering with 107. Quarterback Steven Krajewski was victim of five tackles for a loss, and the team had 38 net rushing yards.

But in the second half, it was all Colquitt in terms of moving the football and taking the ball away from Archer. Krajewski was hit with one more seven-yard sack, and then he had enough. His next five carries resulted in 43 yards. Also in the second half, sophomore running back Daijun Edwards carried 17 times for 70 yards, giving him 83 for the game on 23 totes.

Archer had 92 offensive yards after halftime. Sophomore cornerback Nyquan Washington, with interceptions in Colquitt’s first two playoff games, picked off Peevy two times. Defensive coordinator Mo Dixon said afterwards it wasn’t so much a case of one-on-one coverage but a zone scheme. Peevy himself was never sacked Friday, but that was O.K. with Dixon, for he felt they pressured him enough to force these throws where five Packer defenders were against one Tiger at times.

With 8:25 lett in the fourth, Fitzgerald punched home a 29-yard field goal after Washington’s pick on his own 10 and return to the Archer 41. It was all running the football, nine times up to the 12. The Packers led 9-7.

Archer’s next two drives ended in punts, and starting from the Packer 43 Edwards got the ball on four rushes to the 25. Fitzgerald was good on a 47-yard try with 28 seconds left.

Krajewski was 11-for-18 passing for 106 yards. He carried the football – yes, seven times for a loss – a total of 20 plays. His gutsy second-half play led to a net of 50 rushing yards. For a quarterback who had a 320-yard passing game and five touchdowns through the air and a 14 completions in a row streak, Propst simply said this game at Archer was Krajewski’s best of 2017.

The Packers ended up with 250 yards of total offense to 199 for Archer. Only 50 of the Tiger yards were on the ground. In terms of third-down conversions, Archer was 1-for-6 in the first half, and that one was the touchdown play. The home team also converted just one third-down chance in the second half. Colquitt’s third-down numbers were 3-for-8 in the first half but 50 percent, 5-for-10, in the second.

There was a point in the first half where Archer’s best advancement of the football was from one Packer offsides penalty (five penalty yards to four from scrimmage in the first 12 plays).

Colquitt County’s second possession consisted of 10 plays with three first downs and two Cam Singletary catches for 30 yards. Edwards also took Krajewski’s throw in the flat up to the Tiger 28, and Fitzgerald turned the series into points for 3-0 Colquitt.

Peevy’s attempts to throw early were broken up by Dante Moore and Jarvis Christopher. The Tigers couldn’t get a field position break because of Fitzgerald, and when they were looking for a spot other than their own 20, the Packer punter hit the ball 49 yards to a different place, the 19.

Maybe it should have still been the 20, for Archer was able to warm up on a cold night with Peevy to Palmer for their initial first down at 1:26 of the opening period. As the quarter ended, “Dog” Camari Louis’ play put Archer at 2nd-and-16.

Palmer’s deep post route was the best for the home team all game, and Peevy hit him in stride to sprint to the end zone.

In terms of first downs, the Packers were piling those up, four of the 10 on a 13-play drive that advanced up to the Archer 34. Fitzgerald’s lone blemish on Friday was missing a 51-yard field goal here.

His next kick, however, was a 45-yard punt to the Tiger 13.

After the TD, Archer had one first down in nine remaining plays of the half. Linebacker JJ Peterson had much to do with that. From that 13 spot, the hosts advanced to the 16. Shealey made his fair-catch with seven seconds remaining.

Propst gave credit for the free kick suggestion to kicking coach Shawn Sutton. The result was no surprise for one who did not allow a kickoff return all game.

The defensive tone of the third quarter saw Krajewski gang sacked on the opening series, Fitzgerald’s 43-yard punt, Packer lineman Brian Merritt bringing Strickland down for lost yards and Washington’s interception of Andrew Booth’s halfback option throw on the Colquitt 14.

Colby Wooden of Archer, wearing No. 7, got credit for the seventh sack on Krajewski … for seven lost yards. On 3rd-and-16, the rest of the game belonged to Colquitt. There were only three completed passes, but two went to KT Wilson for 24 yards. Krajewski hit him open for 17 yards and first down on the 36. The quarter was halfway over and the Packers were still driving thanks to Archer’s offside jump in punt return formation.

Krajewski decided to make Archer earn stops on him, pulling off a play-fake keeper for 10 yards to the Tiger 36. He next shot forward for 10 more. The visitors were certainly in field-goal range, but lost a fumble to Jayln Phillips on their 10.

More great field position, but Strickland and Booth responded gaining first downs inside Packer ground. On third down, Peevy went deep into a crowd of players, somebody caught it, and it was Washington for the second time. His 49-yard return eventually resulted in Fitzgerald’s third field goal.

Behind Peterson and cornerback Jay Ward, Colquitt got the ball back with 5:44 to play. They ran four plays down to 3:49 before punting into a touchback. Peevy couldn’t find anyone open and avoided a third interception ruled incomplete.

So the football is back in Colquitt’s hands with 3:06 remaining. Archer burned all timeouts when Edwards advanced the ball 32 yards. Fitzgerald made his fourth 3-pointer with 28 seconds left.

Kam Woods, after two big passing gains for Peevy, recorded Colquitt’s third interception with no time remaining.

Next, for the fourth time in the last two seasons, Colquitt County plays Brookwood High. Brookwood held off Tift County in Snellville on Friday and earned the right to host the semifinal where it will look for its second home win against Propst’s squad of 2017. The winner is going to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta Dec. 9 for the 7A championship.