At first glance when looking at both Colquitt County and Dutch Fork warming up on Tom White Field at Mark Tharpe Stadium Saturday evening, you’d say the latter had a size advantage.
Maybe so, but what the Silver Foxes had an edge in size wise, they had no answers for Packers’ quarterback Neko Fann and wide receiver Ny Carr.
The pair terrorized the Dutch Fork secondary the entire evening, including a highlight-type catch in the second quarter by Carr, as Colquitt County rolled to a 48-17 victory. It was an impressive showing by the Packers, scoring 48 against a Silver Foxes’ defense that didn’t yield more than 28 points all of 2022.
There was never much doubt from the opening quarter who was in control of the matchup, with Fann setting the tone early on. Fann scored on a 17-yard touchdown run less than four minutes into the contest and the offense was humming from there.
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5 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE GAME
As Neko Fann goes, so does the Packers
Calhoun said it right after the game that the team relies heavily on Fann and he showed why he’s one of the state’s top dual-threat quarterbacks.
Not only was he able to help jumpstart the team offensively, but he maintained a steady poise throughout and made good decisions, outside of a couple throws he’d like to have back.
Fann finished the game completing 15-of-26 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns. He also was a factor in the rushing attack, going for 87 yards on eight touches. Totaling five touchdowns and over 300 all-purpose yards wasn’t a bad night.
Doesn’t hurt to have some skill players around Fann, either
We say all the good things about Fann in the passing game to also add it doesn’t hurt to have receivers to throw to like Ny Carr, Landen Thomas and Zay Williams.
Carr was unstoppable against the Silver Foxes’ secondary and was excellent in man-to-man coverage. The Georgia commit ended the evening with seven catches for 174 yards and two scores.
He also made what could be considered already an early ‘Catch of the Year’ candidate in the second quarter of the win. It’s looking like a long season for opposing secondaries when they face the Packers.
Dutch Fork had trouble moving the ball on offense
The Silver Foxes never had problems moving the ball last season outside of their 26-7 loss to St. Frances Academy (MD).
Well, until they ran into the buzzsaw that was the Colquitt County Packers. Dutch Fork total amount of yards of offense matched the area code for Moultrie (229). It was tough sledding throughout and quarterback Jonathan Hunt just never found a groove.
The signal caller finished the evening completing 6-of-14 passes for 56 yards before exiting the game due to a shoulder injury. Finding offense on the ground was no easy task, either.
Dutch Fork finished the game rushing for 134 yards on 27 attempts. It wasn’t a terrible average, but because the Silver Foxes fell behind by double digits early, they had to abandon the run earlier than scheduled.
We don’t expect this to be a problem for Dutch Fork as they return to the Palmetto State, but definitely something to keep an eye on this season.
Mack Tharpe Stadium can pack em in
When you get small town South Georgia football, expect the entire town to come out and watch.
By the time the Lowndes-Christ School game had ended, droves of fans were already filling the stands up for the second game of the Georgia-Carolina Classic.
The atmosphere was electric and brought a big-game feel with the two national powers going at it. With Moultrie possibly serving as the home for this new showcase, the stadium was a great host and environment for all.
Colquitt County will be a big player in AAAAAAA
With all the upsets that took place over the weekend, you have to like the Packers’ chances a little bit more than before.
Colquitt County obviously wants to get back to states and this team presents likely its best chance to do so. The myriad of talent on offense along with a more opportunistic defense equals a team that will be in the mix.
It’s one game at a time for the Packers, but a great start in Week 1.
Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.
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