Jeff Moeller, sports correspondent
Richmond Hill’s game against Colquitt County can be described mainly in one word - momentum. Both teams had their share of momentous swings, but Colquitt won the battle in a 31-14 victory at Wildcat Stadium.
Working against the Wildcats also was four turnovers, three interceptions in the end zone that ended drives and a lost fumble to start the second half. The defeat left the Wildcats with an overall 5-2 record and it was their first regional Class 7A loss.
Richmond Hill head coach Matt LeZotte saw both elements as gamechangers, but he appreciated his team’s overall effort. The Wildcats clawed their way back into the game being down 17-0 before they closed the gap to 17-14 at halftime.
“It really was a game of momentum,” noted LeZotte. “Against a team as talented and well-coached as Colquitt County, you have to take advantage of your opportunities and limit mistakes.
“I thought our kids did a tremendous job responding to some early adversity and fighting their way back into the game. Unfortunately, we had some self-inflicted mistakes that made it difficult to sustain that momentum.”
Richmond Hill’s quarterback Gunner Mobley tossed touchdown passes to Eli Grant and Case Jenkins in the second quarter. LeZotte saw his club beginning to turn the corner.
Mobley completed 17 of 24 passes for 164 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Eli Grant caught five passes for 76 yards with a score, and DJ Menzie ran for 43 yards on 14 carries.
“I was really proud of how our guys responded in the second quarter,’ said LeZotte. We settled down, started executing better, and showed that we could compete with a really good football team.”
With momentum behind them, the Wildcats suffered a key blow when they lost a fumble on their own 30-yard line to begin the second half. From there, Colquitt struck again with the second of quarterback Khi Michell’s three touchdown passes. He was a dual threat throughout the game, as he also ran for 75 yards.
“The fumble early in the third quarter was certainly a critical moment,” said LeZotte. “When you’re playing an opponent of that caliber, possessions are extremely valuable. We had an opportunity to build on the momentum we established before halftime, and that turnover made things more difficult. You can’t give a team like Colquitt extra opportunities.”
After the fumble, Richmond Hill helped give Colquitt excellent field position on just a seven-yard punt. The Packers took advantage when Mitchell struck again with his third touchdown pass that gave the Packers a 31-14 bugle with 4:50 left in the third quarter.
Richmond Hill responded with a drive only to have another potential touchdown pass picked off in the end zone.
Colquitt then produced a methodical drive at the start of the fourth quarter down to Richmond Hill 27 that took nearly eight minutes off the clock. But the Packers couldn’t convert a 44-yard field goal.
The Wildcats had one last chance, but their final possession resulted in another end zone interception.
LeZotte knew winning the turnover battle would be a major factor.
“You have to give Colquitt credit,” said LeZeotte. “They have talented players, a good scheme, and do a great job creating opportunities in the passing game. We had some breakdowns in coverage and didn’t consistently affect the quarterback the way we needed to. Against a team with that kind of talent, your margin for error is pretty small. We’ve got to be more disciplined in our assignments and do a better job executing collectively.”
Senior linebacker Layton Steigelman anticipated a battle in which mistakes would decide the game.
“It was a tough one and momentum did play a big part,” said Steigerwalt. “Those turnovers were the momentum swings. I think they didn’t really win at the line of scrimmage, but, more so, were able to take the top off.”
The Wildcats will jump back on the road next Friday when they travel to Camden County (4-3), which is coming off a 50-13 loss to Lowndes.
LeZotte is confident his team will bounce back.
“The biggest positive for me was the fight our kids showed,” he said. “ We faced adversity against one of the better programs in the state, and our guys continued to compete. I thought there were stretches where we played some really good football on both sides of the ball.”
"It is a matter of staying focused for all 48 minutes. Deep into the season, it is all about winning."
“We’ve got to learn how to sustain that level of execution for four quarters,” said LeZotte. “There are no moral victories in our program, but there are certainly lessons and positives we can build on. Our responsibility now is to learn from it, improve, and make sure this experience makes us a better football team.”