Packers blank Monroe 52-0 in Saturday game

By Wayne Grandy, Moultrie Observer Sports, Photos by Connie Southwell

MOULTRIE – Colquitt County got its first shutout since 2022 in a 52-0 victory over very overmatched Monroe on Saturday on Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium.

The Tornadoes made their second trip to Moultrie in as many days after Friday’s regularly scheduled game was called off because of lightning and rain and they had little to show for the effort.

The Packers scored the first two times they had the ball and led 38-0 at the half.

The game was played under a running clock in the second half, but the Packers managed to score two more touchdowns.

And the margin of victory could have been more. 

Packers quarterback Khi Mitchell threw an interception from the Monroe 3-yard line 20 seconds before the end of the first half and an apparent 39-yard interception return for a touchdown by Johnte Lewis was called back by penalty on the return.

The rout enabled the Packers to rinse the sour taste in the mouths left by the 57-21 loss at Thomas County Central the week before.

“It’s always nice to get a win,” Packers coach Sean Calhoun said after the game, which started at 3 p.m. on Saturday. “We needed this.”

The Packers played without two members of its staff.

Safeties coach and special teams coordinator Brian Simmons was out of town after the death of his father-in-law.

And the funeral for video coordinator Darius Townsend’s mother was earlier Saturday.

Other members of the team and staff had deaths in their families as well.

“We had a lot of non-football things going on,” Calhoun said. “I’m proud the team was able to overcome them.”

The Packers also had two new starters – guard Montavis Mathis and tackle Landon Beverly – in the lineup against the Tornadoes.

It was clear from the first play, however, the Packers were ready to play.

Antwan Lockett, who usually lines up at wide receiver, was in the backfield next to Mitchell, who flipped the ball out to him on the first snap.

Lockett turned it into a 32-yard gain by running over and threw several would-be Tornado tacklers.

Mitchell threw to Ethan Ruffin on the next play and senior tight end took the ball to the Monroe 3.

Two plays later Denim Lewis scored from the “wild hawg” formation and after Stewart Grant’s conversion, Colquitt was up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game.

On Monroe’s first possession, Colquitt’s Ni’Corius McNeil stripped Justin Grice of the football and Nyneson Jeudy Jr. recovered on the Tornadoes 20.

Two plays later, Mitchell hit Jason Stephenson out of the backfield and the junior running back took it 17 yards to the end zone and the Packers led 14-0 with 7:30 still remaining in the first quarter.

Colquitt turned the ball over on a bad snap the next time it had the ball and was forced to settle for a 26-yard Grant field goal on its first possession of the second quarter.

But Monroe fumbled the ball away on the first snap after the kickoff and Colquitt converted.

On first down, Mitchell hit Ruffin for a 20-yard completion to the Monroe 3 and Stephenson scored on the next play to put the Packers up 24-0 with 8:21 left in the first half.

Four minutes later, Colquitt took advantage of a poor Monroe punt when Lewis scored his second touchdown from 3 yards out with 4:02 remaining in the half.

Colquitt put the second-half running clock into play when Mitchell hit Lockett on a 41-yard touchdown pass 1:43 before halftime.

The Packers Quinahri Thornton fell on the Packers pooch kick to start the second half and four plays later Mitchell connected with Lockett again from 15 yards out to extend Colquitt’s lead to 45-0.

Another short Monroe punt gave the Packers possession on the Tornadoes 9-yard line with less than three minutes remaining in the third.

Jalen Clayton busted into the end zone from 8 yards out with 2:48 for the Packers final touchdown.

After Grant converted after the Packers first six touchdowns, Cristian Lucio kicked the final extra point.

Monroe quarterback Jordyn Shorter completed 5-of-12 passes for 51 yards and one interception.

His 31-yard second-quarter completion to Da’Karie Carr was the Tornadoes biggest gainer of the game and it carried to the Packers 46.

But four plays later, a bad snap on a punt led to an intentional grounding penalty and, ultimately, the 41-yard touchdown pass to Lockett.

Grice ran for 26 yards, but it took him 14 carries to get them.

Monroe had eight plays that went for negative yardage. 

The Tornadoes will open Region 1-AAA play on Sept. 11 when they meet Dougherty.

“This was an extended Senior Night and we got every senior in the game,” Calhound said. “And almost every kid got to play. It was a great win.”

Calhoun will go for his 100th career victory when 1-1 Cook High visits the Hawg Pen at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.

Cook, under first-year coach Cornelius “Pig” Brown will offer an unique challenge.

The Hornets run the wing-T offense.

Also on Friday in Region 1-7A, Richmond Hill defeated Liberty County 42-7, Camden County won over Glynn Academy 42-31, Valdosta won by 50 over Howard 56-6 and Lowndes blanked Harris County.

Also next Friday, Jenkins will go to Richmond Hill, Camden County will travel to Benedictine, Bradwell Institute will go to Valdosta and Lowndes will play host to Lithonia.