Houston County’s group of receivers may be the best in the state

Warner Robins Air Force Base rests a little over 10 miles from Freedom Field and in honor of the airmen and airwomen that protect this great country the Houston County High School receivers try their best to represent flight during their football games. On Friday against the Veterans Warhawks their was a full-on aerial display as three different members of what could easily be considered the state’s and maybe even the country’s best corp of high school football receivers scored touchdowns through the air. Senior receiver Amari Colbert and fellow senior receiver Eli Watson caught two touchdowns each while sophomore Tyler Fromm caught another. Senior Kimar Robinson, the speedster of the group caught a number of passes that put his fellow receivers in position to score. Juniors Logan Morris and Chandler Ring along with senior receiver/punt return/kick return Branden Smith fill out the group. Smith’s 62-yard punt return touchdown against Veterans might have been the highlight of the Bear’s 58-27 victory.

At 4-0 the Houston County Bears have found a number of ways to score points this season. Junior running back Jaeven West (who scored twice on Friday) and senior running back Shelton Horton are major weapons for the Von Lassiter/Jake Fromm HoCo machine but it’s the team’s vast array of proven receivers that consistently helps senior quarterback Jake Fromm move closer and closer to breaking Hutson Mason’s state single season record of 54 touchdown passes. Fromm had 31 and 36 during the past two seasons, respectively, and with an experienced group of receivers looking to play on Saturdays next season, there’s a good chance the ball will be up in the air a lot this season.

The question now is does the group believe they are the best in the state? “We are the best receiver corp till proven otherwise,” says Robinson. “I think we are the best receiver corp in Georgia,” says Colbert who is currently being recruited by a number of Division I programs. “I can’t really say we’re the best I’ve ever seen but Amari and Eli are definitely two of the top receivers in the state,” says Fromm who will be most likely be receiving his touchdown passes from fellow sophomore, backup quarterback and twin brother Dylan. Watson agrees and has put a hashtag on the group that will most likely catch on by seasons end. “I honestly and truly believe we do have the best receiver corp,” says Watson. “We are the WRU at HoCo,” he says referring to the created acronym “Wide Receiver University.”

The “U” as Watson would like the world to refer to Houston County High’s receivers has had the wealth spread amongst them this season. Five separate receivers have had at least one touchdown catch this season. Three have led the team in receptions while three others have led the team in receiving yards. Against Eagle’s Landing on Sep. 2 (a 50-27 Bears win) five receivers (non running backs and tight ends) registered a catch with Tyler Fromm leading the way with a season high eight receptions for 211 yards. In that game Watson scored two touchdowns and had 157 yards on seven receptions. Colbert and Robinson each had three catches while Ring registered two catches, one of which was for a touchdown. Whenever one of the group catches a touchdown pass or makes a big catch, the others seem as happy for him as they are for themselves. What’s the deal with that? These are high school kids we’re talking about after all, right? “”The bond that we have is unbreakable,” says Tyler Fromm. “As long as we move the ball downfield and put six points on the board, it was a team effort and it doesn’t really matter who scores.” Robinson says, “We’re supportive of each other because it’s more than a football game to us. We’re a family at Hoco so we stick with each other through everything.”

On the road at Peach County (The Bears would win this game 49-31 after being behind 14-7 after the first quarter) three receivers each scored touchdowns. Robinson led the way with nine catches while Watson earned a team high 184 yards and Colbert scored twice. “I believe we are so close because we all grew up together,” says Colbert in regards to Watson, Robinson and himself. “From the beginning of the season we understood that we are a very talented and every game would be someone’s good game so we just roll with the hot hand.” In Macon against Mary Persons High School on the opening night of the annual Corky Kell Classic, Colbert was the proverbial hot hand with 10 receptions, four touchdowns and 168 yards. Watson caught five for 78 yards and Robinson four for 82 yards. The wealth was spread from day one this season and continues to be. “We had to learn to support each other through that process,” says Colbert.

On Thursday night the WRU crew will be at The Mac to face neighboring Warner Robins High School and a pretty good cover cornerback in Demons senior Michael Bradley. Until proven otherwise there’s no reason to believe that four to five HoCo receivers won’t catch passes and three to four of them don’t score touchdowns. After all, they’ve only been doing it all season long.

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