Things are different in Colquitt County these days. The Packers have emerged as one of the premier teams in the state and the region. Save for head coach Rush Propst’s first year, the Packers have not finished a football season earlier than the semifinals. Their unprecedented run includes one appearance in the state championship.
Thus far, however, a state championship has eluded the Propst-led Pack. This year, though, Colquitt is an early favorite to be the last team standing in the 6A classification. That’s good news for football fans and for the Colquitt County community as a whole; but it makes for some interesting scheduling dilemmas for multi-sport athletes, particularly basketball players.
One such athlete is Zay Lewis, a defensive back/wide receiver for the football team and a guard/forward for the basketball team. A 6’0,” 201-pounder who possesses exceptional athletic ability, Lewis is one those kids who is good at just about anything he attempts. Basketball and football are a big part of his life, and have been for as long as he can remember.
Lewis is the consummate competitor; he works hard at everything he does. Lewis doesn’t want anyone getting the upper hand on him, and he hates to lose.
“I love to compete. And I love to play as hard as I can,” Lewis said. He is a punishing defensive back who doubles as a sure-handed receiver when needed. On the basketball court, he can play both guard and forward, and the same physicality that intimidates opposing receivers and running backs on the gridiron keeps would-be scorers at bay on the hardwood.
“I like to crash the boards, finish hard, box out. I’m also a physical player on the court. It’s kind of the same thing in football. I love to hit,” he said.
Heading into his senior year, Lewis had set several goals for himself in both sports. In football, it all comes down to a ring. That’s what everyone in Moultrie is talking about, and that’s where the team’s expectations are. The Packers were already on the radar screen when the season started. Their big win over Hoover (Alabama) early in the season thrust Colquitt into the national spotlight.
“Hoover was a big game for us. We really wanted to win,” he said. At the time of this writing, Lewis had one touchdown on the year, and it came against Hoover. “We’re trying to get a ring this year. That’s what we want.”
In basketball, the expectations are a little different. The Packers didn’t make the playoffs last season and Lewis would like to change that this year. “We just didn’t make it. We all want to make the playoffs this year. And beat Tifton,” he said, followed by a laugh.
As much as Lewis loves football, he may enjoy basketball even more. The speed of the game, the atmosphere, the coaches, the fans, the constant action – those are the reasons why he loves basketball.
Playing a long football season, however, means that there is a pretty quick learning curve when making the transition from football to basketball. Williams 
insists that it doesn’t take him long to adjust. As football season comes to a close, he starts shooting and working on his dribbling. When it’s time to play basketball full-time, he’s ready to go.
“It’s all football until the last game. Then we get to basketball. It doesn’t take long; within two or three days, I’ve got my basketball legs under me,” he said.
So how does Lewis keep from getting burned out? It all comes down to loving the games he plays. He truly loves both sports, and there’s nothing more he would like to be doing than playing football and basketball. They never get old, and he never gets tired.
“I just love my sports and I love working hard. I never give up and I want to go just as hard as I can,” he said.
Special Feature/South Georgia/November 2014
Zay Lewis
Colquitt County High School
Moultrie, Georgia
Robert Preston, Jr.
