USA Today
MOULTRIE — To get back to the state championship game, Colquitt County will likely need to win Region 1-AAAAAA again. That effort begins Friday at Lowndes, the first of five games against Region 1-AAAAAA teams who are a combined 23-2.
“The next five games in a six-week stretch are bloody,” Colquitt County coach Rush Propst said. “If you’re fortunate to be ahead in the second half of those games, you’ll have to sacrifice statistics and impressing polls and conserve your players and protect against injury. I’m not sure that will happen, knowing the hunger and the will of those teams. You’re dodging bullets and getting the very best every week.”
Propst says this year’s Packers squad ranks with any he has coached.
“We have 40 seniors,” he said. “We have depth, probably the best I’ve had since I was at Hoover in 05 and 06. It starts at the quarterback spot. Chase Parrish is a high-character kid who reminds me of (former Hoover quarterback) Jarod Bryant, who played for the Naval Academy. Chase was 19-for-24 in the state championship game and made some crucial throws. We’re better on the offensive line. At receiver, we have Keil Pollard, a four-star guy with a three-star rating and three guys who could start on half of the other schools we play. We’re also faster than we were last year on defense and our secondary is better.”
But the Packers (5-0) aren’t the only team in the region that improved. Lowndes (4-1) knocked off previously unbeaten Newton (Covington) 56-7 last week
“Everybody in our region has their QB back except for Tift County,” Propst said. “At Lowndes, I think their interior trench players are better. They have gotten out of the Wing T and think they’re better coached, doing some innovative things. I think they’ll be even better next year. It will be huge for us to control the tempo in the first quarter.”
Tickets still remain for the game Friday night. As of Thursday afternoon, there were approximately 3,000 seats available at $8 each.
The ticket office is open from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Friday for ticket sales. The remaining tickets will go on sale at the stadium gates at 6:30 PM Friday night.
