MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County flag football team has won three of its first four games and is now preparing for a challenging stretch against teams from middle Georgia and the Atlanta area.
The Lady Packers split their first two games of the season on October 1 on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium, defeating Peach County 19-6 before taking a disappointing 6-0 loss to Fitzgerald.
Against Peach, senior quarterback Mashayla Davis rushed for 37 yards and two touchdowns and Ta’Meria Williams ran for 72 yards and scored the other touchdown.
And the Colquitt defense picked off three Lady Trojan passes, with Caylnn Singletary bringing down two and Marley Armstrong grabbing the other.
But the offense never got going against Fitzgerald, who scored the game’s only touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“We just didn’t execute,” said coach Kirk Woodall, who led the Lady Packers to an 11-1-1 record in 2023, the program’s first season.
“We had plenty of opportunities to score. We just didn’t take advantage of them.”
On Thursday, the Lady Packers returned to the Hawg Pen and defeated Warner Robins 13-0 and Dougherty 41-0.
Colquitt opened the game against Warner Robins with a 12-play drive, but had to turn the ball over on downs.
In the second quarter, the Lady Packers embarked on a 77-yard drive and this one bore fruit when Jaelyn Wier scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run.
An extra-point pass from Davis to Williams gave Colquitt a 7-0 lead.
Later in the second quarter, Armstrong intercepted a pass and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown that gave the Lady Packers a 13-0 lead they held the rest of the game.
An interception by senior Melissa Breedlove late in the game protected the lead.
Armstrong finished with two interceptions.
“She is going to be a very special player,” Woodall said about Armstrong, who is just a sophomore. “And Melissa had a big game for us defensively against Warner Robins.”
Woodall said his team “just couldn’t find our footing offensively in that game. And we made some foolish penalties.”
Against Dougherty, the Lady Packers had plenty of offense and led 24-0 at the half.
“That was huge,” Woodall said. “It was a very exciting game.”
Recruiters from Thomas University attended the Thursday games and several Colquitt County seniors had outstanding performances, including Williams who had a touchdown run and an extra point reception against Dougherty.
Davis was 12-for-16 passing and Singletary caught a touchdown pass.
And Amareyia Knighton played well all over the field.
“Marey was just being Marey,” Woodall said of Knighton, whose athleticism is allowing her to star for Colquitt County’s flag football and basketball teams.
“She is a legit player. She has all the right measurables.”
And Armstrong had another outstanding game leading the Colquitt County defense against the Lady Trojans.
“She was all over the place, knocking balls down and pulling flags,” Woodall said.
A highlight of the game came when senior Raley Merritt, who missed last season after undergoing surgery, came off the bench to play quarterback and throw a touchdown pass to sophomore Dalyn Monk.
Woodall also was pleased with the Colquitt County junior varsity team’s 13-12 victory over Thomas County Central.
Dy James, an eighth-grader who scored the winning touchdown, Lila DeMott Skeen and Ann Brown turned in strong performances for the JV team.
“We played a lot of eighth- and ninth-graders in the JV game,” Woodall said. “And they found a way.”
The varsity Lady Packers will be off until Tuesday, October 15, when they travel to Warner Robins to face Northside and Houston County.
The next day, Colquitt will be at Milton High in Fulton County to play South Forsyth and Milton.
On Thursday, October 17, the Lady Packers will square off with Hiram and Centennial at Hiram High School in Paulding County.
The Lady Packers will play at home next on Tuesday, October 22, when Thomas County Central and Lowndes visit.