Grayson dismantles two-time defending state champ Colquitt County in quarterfinal rout

MOULTRIE — Grayson scored on its third snap of the game and never let up, knocking out two-time defending state champion Colquitt County 49-21 on Friday at Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium.

The Rams rolled up 375 yards on the ground, including 204 by Kurt Taylor, who scored three touchdowns, and 103 by Jamyest Williams, who scored twice, to bludgeon Packers in the Class AAAAAAA state football quarterfinals.

With the Rams leading 49-14, the final quarter was played under a running clock.

Grayson advances to a semifinal next Friday against Mill Creek, which held off McEachern. The Rams won a late-night coin toss, earning the right to host the Final Four matchup.

The Packers had won 30 straight games coming into the season but lost four straight to start 2016. They recovered to run off eight straight wins and earn a state quarterfinal berth for the eighth straight season. But there would be no trip back to the semifinals.

Colquitt County quarterback Jay Saunders completed 22 of 38 passes for 292 yards in his final game, but was intercepted twice. One of those picks was returned for a third-quarter touchdown by Grayson’s Darrius Martin.

The victory was the 12th in row by the Rams after a season-opening loss to IMG Academy.

Exploiting their advantage in team speed, the Rams led by 21 at the half and added three more touchdowns in the third quarter to dash the Packers’ shot at a third straight title.

Colquitt County coach Rush Propst said before the game that his team would have to play near-perfect football to have a chance at upsetting Grayson, a 16-point favorite.

But they had no chance against the swift Rams.

Grayson wasted little time in grabbing the quick 7-0 lead.

After forcing a punt on Colquitt’s first possession of the game, Grayson got a 39-yard burst up the middle to the Packers’ 15 by Kurt Taylor, and after an incompletion, Jamyest Williams bolted into the end zone.

Will Van Pamelen’s conversion put the Rams up 7-0 with 9:09 left in the first quarter.

The Packers fumbled the ball away on the second play of their next possession, and the Rams took over on the Colquitt 6.

Taylor took it in from 4 yards out two plays later, and the conversion put the Rams up 14-0 with 8:08 left in the first quarter.

The Packers punted away their next possession as well, but got a defensive stop to take over on their 11.

Colquitt then drove 89 yards for its only score of the half, with Jay Saunders taking the ball in from 9 yards out after being flushed out of the pocket on a third-and-7.

The Packers appeared to have missed a 42-yard field goal attempt earlier in the drive, but the Rams were penalized for roughing the kicker.

Grayson answered the Packers score by driving 80 yards to score on a 13-yard pass from quarterback Chase Brice to Elijah Barnes. The conversion put the Rams up 21-7 with 3:31 left in the half.

The drive took 6 ½ minutes and featured two Colquitt County third-down penalties that kept the drive alive.

The Packers tried a fake punt on their next possession, but John Samuel Shenkers’ run came up 7 yards short to give Grayson the ball at the Packers’ 45.

After a delay penalty on the Rams, Taylor carried four straight times. He took the final carry 23 yards to the end zone to put the Rams up 28-7 with 51 seconds left in the half.

Taylor finished the half with 124 yards on 15 carries.

Taking the second-half kickoff, the Rams needed just four plays to score on a 37-yard run by Williams.

After Owen Pappoe intercepted Saunders on the Packers’ next possession, the Rams drove 79 yards in just eight plays to score on 17-yard run by Taylor to go up 42-7.

Martin’s interception return gave the Rams a 49-7 advantage with 3:36 left in the third quarter.

The Packers scored on an 84-yard touchdown pass from Saunders to Ty Powell late in the third quarter and on a 90-yard punt return by Tory Ponder in the fourth quarter.

The Rams threw the ball just nine times, with Brice completing six for 90 yards.

GRAYSON 49, COLQUITT COUNTY 21

Grayson 14 14 21 0 — 49

Colquitt 0 7 7 7 — 21

First quarter

Grayson: Jamyest Williams 15 run (Will Van Pamelen kick)

Grayson: Kurt Taylor 4 run (Van Pamelen kick)

Second quarter

Colquitt: Jay Saunders 9 run (Ryan Fitzgerald kick)

Grayson: Elijah Barnes 13 pass from Chase Brice (Van Pamelen kick)

Grayson: Kurt Taylor 23 run (Van Pamelen kick)

Third quarter

Grayson: Williams 37 run (Van Pamelen kick)

Grayson: Taylor 17 run (Van Pamelen kick)

Grayson: Darren Martin 30 pass interception return (Van Pamelen kick)

Colquitt: Ty Powell 84 pass from Saunders (Fitzgerald kick)

Fourth quarter

Colquitt: Tory Ponder 90 punt return (Fitzgerald kick)