Lee at Colquitt again will be a marquee So. Ga. matchup

Sep. 3—MOULTRIE — Last year, when Lee County and Colquitt County met in Leesburg, both teams were 3-0, the Trojans were ranked No. 2 in Class 6A and the Packers were No. 4 in 7A.

Both had won their first three games handily. Lee had outscored its opponents by a combined 107-17.

Some wag even called the game the South Georgia Super Bowl.

It never lived up to that characterization, although just four points separated the two teams heading into the final quarter.

That's when everything went south for the Trojans.

Colquitt scored 24 straight points in the fourth quarter and went on to a 48-27 victory.

The Packers went on to finish 13-1 after reaching the state semifinal against Carrollton.

Lee went two games deep into the playoffs and finished 8-4.

Both appear destined to make long playoff runs this season.

Both are again 3-0 and Lee County has one of the state's top running backs in junior Ousmane Kromah, who rushed for more than 3,800 yards and 38 touchdowns the last two seasons.

And 202 of those yards and two of those touchdowns came at the Packers expense last year.

A punishing runner, Kromah has run for 321 yards and six touchdowns already this season.

And although he can certainly be a difference-maker, the Packers have several players who fit that description.

Senior quarterback Neko Fann has thrown for 737 yards and 13 touchdowns in the first three games of the season.

After throwing for five scores in last Friday's 40-2 win at Tift County, he now holds the Packers record for career touchdown passes with 72.

Fann was 16-for-23 for 236 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Trojans last year.

Ny Carr has caught 22 passes and has scored eight times this year. He is closing in on Kiel Pollard's school record of 34 career touchdown pass receptions.

Zay Williams also is a formidable deep threat and Florida State-bound Landen Thomas is the top senior tight end in the country for a reason.

Day'Shawn Brown and Ramsey Dennis are a pair of fine ball carriers and when Fann tucks the ball and runs, he gives the offense yet another dimension.

The Colquitt defense has been scrambled by injuries, but has been holding its own.

Lee County breezed past Lithia Springs in Leesburg last Friday, winning 58-12 while holding the Lions to minus-42 yards rushing.

Kromah carried just eight times for 48 yards and caught two passes for 24 yards. He scored three times.

Senior Devin Collier also is a weapon for the Trojans. He took a kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown against Lithia Springs.

The Trojans also have one of the most successful coaches in the state in Dean Fabrizio, who in 15 seasons has a record of 126-46 and state championships in 2017 and 2018.

But Lithia Springs, which has produced just two winning records since 1985, will not offer what Colquitt County will.

And the Trojans are still looking for their first victory over their Southwest Georgia adversary.

In an on-again, off-again series that started in 1988, Lee County is 0-11 against the Packers.

Most have been lopsidedly in favor of Colquitt County, especially the last three.

In 2014, Colquitt won 58-14. The next year, it was 54-17 Packers.

Lee played the Packers on an even keel for the three quarters last year before coming up short.

Also, in Region 1-7A on Friday, Camden County (2-1) will play host to New Hampstead (2-0); Valdosta (2-1) will be at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium to entertain Warner Robins (1-1); and Lowndes (2-0) will be on its home turf to face Rock Creek Christian Academy of Upper Marlboro, Md. (1-1).

Richmond Hill (2-1) will be home on Saturday to face Creekside High of St. John's, Fla. (1-1).