Parkview linebacker Tony Ward said there was some serious discussion among the defense at halftime of Friday’s game against Colquitt County. The Panthers had given up two touchdowns in the final minute of the second quarter and were in serious trouble.
“We just sat down and talked to everybody,” Ward said. “We we’re just like, ‘We can’t go home right now. We refuse to lose this game. We came out and got to set the tone and immediately the offense picked it up and we just feed off each other.”
The reinvigorated defense came out with a point to prove, didn’t allow another first down until the fourth quarter and watched the Parkview offense take over the game. The result was 30 unanswered points in the second half of a 40-21 win in the second round of the Class AAAAAAA playoffs.
No. 7 Parkview (11-1) will host Archer (9-3) next Friday in the quarterfinals. Archer eliminated Parkview from the playoffs last season. No. 3 Colquitt County finished 9-3.
Parkview put itself in a bind just before halftime. The Panthers had just scored the go-ahead touchdown on Cody Brown’s 8-yard run to take a 10-7 lead when the roof began to cave in. Colquitt County was facing fourth-and-7 when Jaycee Harden connected with Lemeke Brockington for a 17-yard gain. The same duo hooked up again on the next play and Colquitt had a 14-10 lead.
Then, on its first offensive play after the kickoff, Colquitt’s Pershaun Fann stepped in front of a Jordan Williams pass and returned the interception to the Colquitt 43. Two plays later Harden threw a strike to Tajh Sanders, who beat double coverage and scored on a 55-yard touchdown. With 23.9 seconds left the Packers had needed just a minute to transform a three-point deficit into an 11-point lead.
The second half was a different story.
“We made a couple of adjustments and collectively our defense stepped up,” Parkview coach Eric Godfree said. “We talked about how important that first possession was coming out of the half. And our kids stepped up and fought and made plays all night long.”
Colquitt went three-and-out and Parkview drove into position for Nolan McCord’s 35-yard field goal, which cut the lead to 21-13.
Another three-and-out followed and Parkview answered this time with a touchdown. The momentum-changing play was a faked punt, which Cody Brown gained 33 years. Parkview scored when Jordan Williams kept the ball for a 5-yard touchdown run. The two-point pass failed and Colquitt led 21-19.
“We get that fake punt right there where Cody can take the ball and run and what a momentum shift that was,” Godfree said. “From that point on the momentum short of shifted our way.”
Another three-and-out followed and Parkview scored the go-ahead touchdown. Brown covered the final 21 yards and Williams dove in for the two-point conversion and a 27-21 lead.
Colquitt turned it over on the second play of its next possession. Quincy Bryant intercepted Harden and returned it to the 16. Two plays later Tyler Curtis powered through the line for a 10-yard touchdown and a 33-21 lead.
Parkview closed the curtain on any chance for a Colquitt comeback when David Patterson stripped Harden and recovered the fumble. The Panthers let Brown do the rest and he finished with a 23-yard touchdown run.
Brown finished with 138 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Williams was 14-for-20 for 240 yards and one interception. C.J. Daniels caught eight passes for 113 yards.
Colquitt’s Harden completed 19 of 27 passes for 194 yards, one interception and two touchdowns. But he was sacked seven times for minus-49 yards.
Parkview defensive lineman Mason Huntley said, "We just made some adjustments and coach told us we had to do a better job with coverage and get pressure. You've got to cover good and get some pressure and we basically got the job done."
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