Calhoun expects Valdosta to run right at his Packers

Oct. 23—MOULTRIE — Coming off a game in which Colquitt County ran up the most total yards in school history, coach Sean Calhoun can only hope he won't need that much production again when Valdosta visits Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium on Friday with the Region 1-7A championship on the line.

In last Friday's 52-34 win at Lowndes, the Packers rolled up 663 yards that broke the previous record set when the Colquitt totaled 640 yards in a 44-26 win at Brunswick in 2012.

But if that is what it takes ...

"We tell our guys, find a way," Calhoun said on Monday. "Find a way to win your individual battle and find a way to win the game."

And defeating Valdosta for the 10th time in the last 11 meetings would give the Packers a second-straight region title and a chance to play their first two post-season games at home.

The Packers are already guaranteed no worse than a second-place finish, meaning they will play in The Hawg Pen on Friday, Nov. 11 in the first round for sure.

But there are still plenty of reasons for the Packers to play well.

"We are on the doorstep of one of our two goals, winning the region championship," Calhoun said. "It'll be Senior Night, we'll be at home, the weather will be beautiful and the place will slam-packed."

But, as Calhoun makes clear, that doesn't mean taking down Valdosta will be easy. A Wildcats win gives them the region title.

While the Packers were overcoming a lackluster first-half defensive performance to put away Lowndes, Valdosta, echoing Calhoun's words, did what they had to do to defeat Camden County last Friday.

After Camden scored to tie the game 21-21 with less than two minutes remaining, Valdosta drove to the Camden 6-yard-line, called a time out, and got a game-inning field goal from Franklin Garcia as time expired.

Valdosta is 7-2 overall with losses at Massillon (Ohio) in the season-opener and at McEachern on Sept. 22.

The Wildcats have defeated Lowndes 37-27, Richmond Hill 24-14 and Camden County 24-21 in their three region games.

Valdosta will bring the best defense the Packers have seen when they visit on Friday.

And the Wildcats, led by big defensive lineman Eric Brantley, will be especially strong in the trenches and at linebacker.

"He is the single best defensive player in the region," Calhoun said of Brantley.

And the Wildcat defense is reflective of head coach, and former Packer assistant, Shelton Felton.

"He's a heck of a defensive coach," said Calhoun. "You can see his hands all over their defense, especially on the defensive line. They play hard and they play physical."

Offensively, Valdosta would rather keep the ball on the ground than throw it.

And why not?

Quarterback Todd Robinson is among the top rushers in Region 1-7A and ran for 172 yards in the win over Camden County last week.

Robinson has rushed for just over 600 yards this season. So has running back Deron Foster.

"They've got six offensive linemen sets; heavy run sets; they'll pull guys; they'll run power," Calhoun said. "And when they run the quarterback, they've got an extra blocker.

"So we've got to play good team defense and we've got to tackle. We missed too many tackles last Friday."

If the Packers play defense as they did in the second half again Lowndes, the Packers should have a chance to win.

If the defensive performance resembles the one the Packers had in the first half against the Vikings, a region title will be in doubt.

Over in Valdosta, the Wildcats certainly have seen video of the Packers offensive performance against Lowndes and can't be comforted.

This is what they saw:

Packer quarterback Neko Fann completed 15-of-29 passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns.

Wide receiver Ny Carr caught six passes for 67 yards and two scores. Zay Williams had five catches for 155 yards and a touchdown.

Tight end Landen Thomas caught two passes: one for an 18-yard touchdown and one that he carried under duress 77 yards to the Lowndes 3 that led to a Ramsey Dennis touchdown and a 35-27 lead with just 51 second left in the first half.

Dennis carried 14 times for 123 yards and two scores. Day'Shawn Brown carried 16 times for 142 yards and another score as the Packers rushed for a season-high 316 yards behind an offensive line that was without one of its starters.

Calhoun liked that Brett Fitzgerald sent seven of his nine kickoffs into the Lowndes end zone last Friday. He wasn't happy that one of the two that didn't result in a touchback was returned to midfield.

Fitzgerald did convert after all seven Colquitt touchdowns and hit a late 23-yard field goal.

Calhoun and Felton served under Rush Propst at Colquitt County in 2014 and have kept in touch over the years.

Their conversations over recent days have been understandably brief.

"I'll ask him if he'll leave the defensive lineman and the quarterback in Valdosta and he'll ask me not to use Ny and Neko," Calhoun said.

"Neither's going to happen."