Things are heating up as the season gets closer and closer to that region slate for a lot of the area teams, though some have already begun the hunt for region supremacy. Here’s where local teams will be snapping up chinstraps this week:
HABERSHAM CENTRAL (1-2) VS FORSYTH CENTRAL (1-2)
With their seasons developing in the exact opposite fashion, the Raiders are looking to keep the good times rolling after getting their first win of the season. The Bulldogs are trying to snap a two-game skid after winning their season opener.
Habersham Central has won its last four games against Forsyth Central, with three of those coming in 1989, ‘90 and ‘91. Last season’s contest was a close 28-21 win for the Raiders.
After knocking off Chattahoochee in a close, 31-28, contest on the road to start the year, the Bulldogs have fallen to North Forsyth, 27-17, and Etowah, 49-27.
If the Raiders’ run game is strong, they’ll have an opportunity to emerge with a win.
In the North Forsyth loss, Forsyth Central only allowed 270 yards of total offense, but 199 yards of it were on the ground. Against Etowah, the Bulldogs allowed 426 yards on the ground for five touchdowns.
RABUN COUNTY (2-1) VS HEARD COUNTY (0-3)
The Wildcats got back on track with a 35-20 win over Adairsville on the road last week.
This week, Rabun County will look to repeat last year’s 42-13 win over the Braves to add another win to their season as they chase that second-consecutive region title.
The contest will be one between two very different offenses as Heard County has produced just 405 yards of total offense through its first two games (stats not available for third game). The Wildcats put up 531 yards last week against Adairsville alone.
Last year’s win over the Braves was Rabun County’s first, though they’d only played once before that.
Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Frank Snyder Memorial Stadium in Tiger.
BANKS COUNTY (3-0) VS GEORGE WALTON ACADEMY (2-2)
The Leopards are on a different path than a year ago, hanging each performance in the win column thus far.
Banks County’s defense has held opponents to 16 points or less through the three victories.
The Bulldogs haven’t scored over 14 in any of their four contests.
The Leopards will look to keep the good times rolling as they host Homecoming Friday in Homer.
FRANKLIN COUNTY (1-3) VS EAST JACKSON (3-0)
The Lions have another big test coming up this week after falling to Banks County a week ago on the road.
The Eagles are coming off a big, 42-7, win over West Hall that saw sophomore quarterback Drew Richardson complete 21 of his 25 attempts through the air for 295 yards and two scores. East Jackson put up 161 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
The Eagles are averaging 319 yards and 28 points per game.
Franklin County is putting up just over 14 points per game, but it’s allowing 33 to opponents.
The Lions’ only win of the season was in Carnesville against Pickens (SC). They’ll look to get that home field advantage back on Friday night against the Eagles.
LUMPKIN COUNTY (3-0) VS HART COUNTY (1-2)
After having their season opener canceled, the Indians sought out another competitor to replace the game, which put Hart County on the schedule.
The Bulldogs are averaging just over 17 points per game this season, while giving up almost 29 per contest.
Hart County will go on the road and have to try to slow down an Indians squad averaging 41-plus points per contest. The Lumpkin County defense is holding teams to under 12 points per game.
Despite there being a less than two-hour drive between the two campuses and both football programs being around for at least 62 years, this will be the first meeting between the Indians and Bulldogs.
The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at The Burial Grounds in Lumpkin County.
ELBERT COUNTY (2-1) VS WASHINGTON-WILKES (2-1)
A season ago, this matchup was a contest between two top-10 ranked teams, according to the AJC.
The Blue Devils are still sitting at No. 8 for single-A football in the state for the paper.
Washington-Wilkes will have to tend with the passing game from Elbert County, driven by quarterback Braydon Scarborough.
The senior has completed 68 percent of his passes for 732 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Junior running back Jacari Barnett has crossed into the end zone four times this season with 309 yards.
Elbert County was the Tigers’ only non-region loss in 2022, but they’ve already dropped one this season – their opener in a one-point contest.
The Tigers and Blue Devils have played every year since 2016 with Elbert County winning four of the seven contests, including last season’s 32-20 victory.
Overall, Washington-Wilkes owns the series record 22-18-1.
The Blue Devils will welcome the Tigers to the Granite Bowl at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
NORTH HALL (3-0, 1-0 Region 8A-AAAA) VS EAST HALL (2-1, 1-1 Region 8A-AAAA)
The Trojans and Vikings have traded blows 57 times throughout the years going all the way back to 1958.
North Hall has won 13 consecutive games in the series going back to 2002.
Senior quarterback Tanner Marsh has connected 56 of 77 attempts for 641 yards and seven touchdowns. Marsh has also added 209 yards and four scores on the ground.
Fellow senior Tate Ruth also has over 200 yards – 222 – and four touchdowns in the running game.
Ryals Puryear, another senior for the Trojans, has 25 receptions for 329 yards and three touchdowns from his wide receiver spot.
East Hall’s Jamarcus Harrison also plays as a dual-threat quarterback.
Harrison, a sophomore, has 510 yards with five scores through the air. In the rushing game, Harrison has added 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Fellow sophomore Lukas Pruitt has carried the ball 44 times for 205 yards and two scores.
Last season’s contest saw the Trojans win 69-0. This season, North Hall is averaging 39 points per game on offense, while East Hall’s defense is allowing just over 19 points per game.
The next rendition of this cross-county rivalry is slated for a 7:30 p.m. kick off at The Brickyard in Gainesville.
WEST HALL (1-2) VS UNION COUNTY (3-1)
The Spartans are coming off a bye week, regrouping from a 42-7 loss to East Jackson on the road on Sept. 1.
This week, they’ll have just as tough of a test with Union County for the final non-region game on both teams’ schedules.
West Hall sophomore quarterback Brett Sturm is completing almost 60 percent of his passes this season for 456 yards and three touchdowns.
The Spartans have also been successful with the run game.
Junior running back Elijah Hayes has been the main workhorse for West Hall, carrying 40 of the team’s 75 rushing attempts for 493 yards and three touchdowns. He’s gone over the 100-yard mark in two of the three games this season. Sturm is the second-highest rusher with 15 carries for 84 yards and a score.
On the other side of the field, senior quarterback Caiden Tanner is also just over that 59 percent mark of completions, but to the tune of 870 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Tanner has added 34 carries for 262 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Leading rusher for the Panthers is Braylen Rader. The senior running back has rushed 53 times for 364 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Union County is averaging 44 points per contest on offense, while giving up a little more than 14 per game on defense.
The Spartans are putting up just over 21 points per game and allowing 28-plus on defense.
West Hall will welcome Union County to The Hot Gates on Friday night for a 7:30 kick off.
JOHNSON (1-2, 1-0 Region 8A-AAAA) AT EAST FORSYTH (2-0, 1-0 Region 8A-AAAA)
The Knights are coming off a bye week following a 20-19 win over East Hall at home. The victory was the first for Johnson since beating Walnut Grove in October 2019.
Now, Johnson will be contending with an unbeaten Broncos squad which has only played two games this season, missing Week 1 and having a bye week last week as well.
Through their two contests, the Broncos have put up 44 and 35 points, respectively. Johnson’s highest points posted so far this season was in the win over East Hall.
The Knights will have to defend a good run game from East Forsyth, which is averaging 248 on the ground through its two games. The Broncos have rushed for seven scores and thrown for three.
Quarterback Demetri Moon has been an all-around player for Johnson. The senior has thrown for 112 yards, but it’s been his legs that have moved the offense along.
On the ground, Moon has rushed 65 times for 411 yards and five touchdowns. No other player has more than 95 yards and no other player has scored for the Knights.
Johnson and East Forsyth will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville.
GAINESVILLE (4-0) VS APALACHEE (0-4)
The region schedule is kicking off for the Red Elephants and the first opponent standing in the way of defending that region title is Apalachee.
So far this season, Apalachee has been outscored 150-55. Gainesville, on the other hand, has outscored opponents 122-76.
The Red Elephants have been bolstered by the run game. More particularly, that of Gavin Hall.
The senior has posted 476 yards and six scores on 61 carries through four games.
In their first, second and fourth games (Hart County hasn’t posted stats), the Wildcats allowed a total of 1,451 yards of total offense. An astounding 1,025 of those yards were on the ground.
Should Apalachee be able to shut down Hall, senior quarterback Baxter Wright is capable of inflicting damage as well. He’s completed over 61 percent of his passes for 525 yards and three touchdowns.
Wright has three different receivers, including Hall, that have over 100 yards this season.
The Wildcats will come into City Park Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kick off against the Red Elephants.
FLOWERY BRANCH (2-1) AT LAMBERT (3-0)
Both of these teams are coming off bye weeks and should be rested and ready to put on a show.
The Falcons last contest was a 32-7 loss to Stephens County at home. Lambert has used a strong offense to outpace opponents through its three games this season.
The Longhorns are averaging 41 points per game, while allowing 23 points per contest.
Flowery Branch is putting up 25 points on average and allowing 15 per game.
Lambert has an extremely balanced offense thus far with 83 passing plays and 82 rushing plays.
The Falcons will have to slow down a pair of juniors in the backfield with quarterback Marshall Coleman averaging 266 yards per game through the air and running back Tommy Lafayette averaging 85 yards on the ground.
Coleman has thrown for eight scores while completing nearly 61 percent of his passes. He’s also tacked on a score in the run game.
Lafayette has three rushing touchdowns on the year and also has a receiving score as well.
The senior backfield for Flowery Branch will cause some trouble for the Longhorns as quarterback Josh Oliver has tossed three scores this season and ran for another three.
Running back Malik Dryden also has three touchdowns on the ground and has rushed for over 100 yards in each game this season.
CHESTATEE (0-3, 0-1 Region 8A-AAAA) VS CHEROKEE BLUFF (0-3, 0-1 Region 8A-AAAA)
Something has to give with these two getting together as they’re both looking for a first win this season.
Last season’s matchup proved beneficial for Cherokee Bluff as the Bears took a 42-21 victory.
This season, both teams are looking to get going and turn the season around as they’re both in Game 2 of the region schedule.
Kick off will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville.
RIVERSIDE MILITARY (0-3) VS GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE (0-4)
Both teams are giving up over 40 points per game and both are still looking to hang a “W” in the win column for the first time this year.
The Eagles and Bulldogs will likely both shorten the clock by running the ball.
Riverside Military has run the ball 59 times versus throwing it 13 through three contests. Georgia Military College has all but doubled its passing attempts with rushing attempts with 88 rushes and 46 passes.
Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville.
