Blue Devils get touchdowns from Moate, Parker in loss to Colquitt

Published 12:00 pm Saturday, September 3, 2022

MOULTRIE — Tift County’s Blue Devils go into their first bye week still searching for a win, but the pieces continue to come together for head coach Noel Dean’s squad.

Tift produced season highs in yardage and points against the Colquitt County Packers Friday, though ultimately falling 41-13. There were firsts for the Packers, too, in the game. Tift was the first team to score points against Colquitt in 2022, and also was the tightest game they had played this year.

The Devils shocked Colquitt early in the contest when Za’morian Brown intercepted Neko Fann on the Tift side of the 50 and returned the football all the way to the Packers’ 8.

With 1st-and-goal against them, Colquitt initially stiffened. Two plays went for lost yardage and, with only a four-yard catch by Antavio Pierce between them, the Blue Devils faced 4th-and-4 on the 6. Field goal points are almost a formality at that spot, but Dean decided he was not going to settle.

On 4th down at the 7, Carlton Brannon spotted Tyler Parker in one-on-one coverage on the right side. He threw to the back corner and Parker flagged down the pass for a touchdown. Antonio Gomez’s extra point meant a 7-7 score at 4:01 in the opening quarter.

Colquitt took the lead back on the next series and scored on three of their next four drives to end the half. However, none came easily against the Devils’ defense.

After a long kickoff return, Fann threw for a quick first down to Za’Mari Williams to Tift’s 24. Charlie Pace ripped consecutive nine-yard gains to the 2, but then the Pack began moving backwards. Danny Freeman met Pace for a yard loss and stunting defensive lineman caused a false start, something Will Flowers’ unit did twice in the goal line situations.

Jaden Fowler ended the drive with an 8-yard catch from Fann at 1:53. Brett Fitzgerald kicked the second of his five extra points and Colquitt went ahead 14-7.

Fann called his own number on the first drive of the 2nd period, where the big blow for a 40-yard completion to the 1. Landon Griffin and Landen Thomas caught Fann scoring tosses in the 2nd. Griffin’s 24 yards, came at 6:56 and Thomas’, 16 yards was with 21 seconds left.

In between, Tift’s offensive line began clicking, allowing Damion Moate to run with power. Moate had consecutive runs of 8, 7 and 8 yards to midfield before Colquitt slowed them down. Tift’s defense also forced its first punt of the evening after the hosts only gained four yards in three downs.

The defense was even stronger in the second half, allowing only a pair of Fitzgerald field goals. Fitzgerald hit from 44 yards out at 4:44 in the 3rd and 36 yards at 8:35 in the 4th.

Moate began racking up more yardage in the 3rd quarter, with Brannon also getting into the act to drive the Devils down to Colquitt’s 12. They ran out of downs there, but not on their last drive.

After Fitzgerald’s last field goal, Parker returned the kickoff 39 yards to the 45.

Moate ran for first downs on two straight runs, 15 and 11 yards, to get down to the 29. Brannon, Moate and Titus Beauford were all shaken up on briefly on the drive, but kept churning.

On 4th down at the 3, Moate blasted through the middle for a touchdown with 50 seconds remaining. Brannon attempted to run for two points after a low extra point snap, but were tackled just short of the goal line.

Tift doubled its yearly touchdown output with the two scores against Colquitt.

Moate ran 22 times for an unofficial 74 yards. The touchdown was his second of the year. Brannon added 23 rushing yards on nine carries and Parker ran four times for 22 yards, which included some sets as a wildcat quarterback.

Brannon completed 5 of 10 passes for 54 yards. Pierce caught three passes for 45 yards. Tift’s offensive line allowed no sacks on the night.

Tift County will get a week of rest before their next game, Sept. 16 at Thomasville. The Bulldogs (1-2) outlasted Cairo Friday, 36-27, for their first victory of the year and will play Bainbridge Sept. 9.The Blue Devils finally return home Sept. 23 to play Gadsden County, Fla.