Propst: Westlake a 'must-win' game

September 7, 2010

Colquitt County Sr High School


By Wayne Grandy of 'The Moultrie Observer'

MOULTRIE - MOULTRIE - Three games into what was expected to be a promising season, the 0-3 Colquitt County football football already faces a crucial game when 1-1 Westlake High of Atlanta visits Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium on Friday.

"It's a must-win week for us," Packers Coach Rush Propst said Saturday after going over the tape of his team's 35-29 loss to Thomas County Central on Friday in Thomasville.

"That was a bitter pill to swallow. And mostly it's because we're not playing as well as I think we can play."

The Packers were forced to play the veer-oriented Yellow Jackets with two sophomores at linebacker much of the game.

Not only was starting middle linebacker Stephen sidelined again, but Da'Quan Nelson got injured and missed time.

 "But we're just so green in defensive maturity," Propst said of the unit that gave up 319 rushing yards to the Yellow Jackets on Friday. "We really need to get Stephen Moore ready to play."

The loss of Moore, who injured an ankle against Cook "was huge, huge."

Propst said he thought the defensive line played well, but there were breakdowns elsewhere.

In addition to the sophomore linebackers, the Packers started two new cornerbacks and used a freshman and a sophomore on the defensive line.

"We can't seem to get lined up right," Propst said. "And we got out-coached."

Thomas County Central "kept and kept it and kept it and snapped it and snapped it," Propst said.

And while much of the team's defensive struggles were somewhat expected, Propst was not pleased with the play of the veteran offense against the Yellow Jackets.

"We just can't afford to misfire at all," Propst said. "We are just not playing to our potential on a consistent basis."

The Packers gained 245 yards through the air against the Yellow Jackets, but threw the ball just 19 times.

"Going in, I thought we could score in the 40s," Propst said. "We probably should have thrown it more."

The Packers did not throw an interception, but lost two fumbles.

The first came when Tevin King moved the wrong way and ran into D'Amonte Ridley and Tyler Brown in the backfield, causing the ball to come loose.

When Ridley appeared headed into the end zone for what appeared to be the game-tying touchdown in overtime, the Yellow Jacket defensive tackle got a hand on the ball and knocked it loose.

Thomas County Central recovered and got the win.

"It was like most rivalry games," Propst said. "Both teams rose to the occasion.

"But I don't think we played as fast or as sharp as we can."

The Packers now face a two-game stretch against teams they would likely be considered favorites against.

Westlike is 1-1 after dropping its opener to Washington, then defeating McNair on Friday.

"They've got some good players and some real good athletes," Propst said of the Westlake team that Colquitt defeated 10-0 in the first round of the playoffs last year.

"They are good enough to beat us."

After meeting Westlake, the Packers will be at home again to play Warner Robins, which has been shut out in its first two games of the season.

Lurking in the Homecoming game is Carver High of Montgomery, Ala., which is 2-0 and has scored 99 points.

"Right now, I don't think we are good enough to beat them," Propst said.

PACKERS NOTES: Brown had one of his most productive games on Friday, completing 15-for-19 for 245 yards and two scores.

His pitch to Stamps from 34 yards out in the second quarter was right on target.

Brown continues his assault on the Packer record book and has now completd 54-of-83 passes for 741 yards and five touchdowns this season.

He is third on the Packers all-time career passing yardage list with 3,577 yards, nine yards behind Clif Henry, who is in second place, and 799 behind Reggie Stancil, the career leader with 4,376 yards. ...

Former Packer Quin Roberson caught 11 passes for 96 yards in his first game for Samford as the Bulldogs fell to Florida State 59-6 on Saturday in Tallahassee