Teams are still settling into who and what they’re going to be this season. Cheerleaders are still perfecting cheers. The band still is still practicing that halftime routine. Here’s where you can find your team, if they’re playing, in Week 3:
RABUN COUNTY (1-1) AT ADAIRSVILLE (1-0)
The Wildcats are coming off their worst loss since the second round of the playoffs in 2014, a 42-9 loss to Benedictine, with a 35-0 defeat at Stephens County last week. This week they hope to turn things around on the road against Adairsville.
Last season’s contest saw Rabun County come out on top of the Tigers 72-36 at home, the only previous matchup between the two.
Adairsville played its first game of the season last week, earning a 21-7 win over Cherokee Bluff on the road.
In the Wildcats’ win a year ago, they threw for 480 yards. That mark was more than the Tigers’ offense had in total. Rabun County finished with eight scores through the air and one on the ground.
Tiger Stadium will play host as the Wildcats look to duplicate last year’s home result in Adairsville.
STEPHENS COUNTY (2-0) AT FLOWERY BRANCH (2-0)
The Indians pounded the ground game in their 35-0 rout of Rabun County last Friday night at The Reservation. This week, they’ll look to contend with a hot-start Flowery Branch team that is playing well in its second season under Jason Tester.
The Falcons are averaging 34.5 points per game with 38-7 and 31-13 wins over Decatur and St. Pius X, respectively.
Senior quarterback Josh Oliver is averaging 144 yards passing per game and has thrown for three touchdowns this season for Flowery Branch. He’s also added three scores on the ground.
Of the 56 total run plays the Falcons have attempted this season, running back Malik Dryden has been the workhorse. The senior has rushed for 276 yards on 39 attempts with two scores to show for his efforts.
Junior Jeremiah Ware and senior Camo Campbell have been Oliver’s top targets in the passing game. Ware has hauled in seven receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Campbell has five receptions, 99 yards and two scores.
Stephens County, also unbeaten on the year, has been buoyed by the junior connection in the back field.
Quarterback Tripp Underwood has thrown for two scores in each of the Indians’ wins with 265 yards and a 47.7 percent completion rate.
Running back Javin Gordon has carried the ball 54 times this season, which accounts for 75 percent of the rushing attempts for the Indians through their first two games. The junior has produced three touchdowns and 318 yards.
Senior running back Omari Feaster added 147 yards and a score on nine carries in Stephens County’s win over Rabun County.
The two undefeated squads will square off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Falcon Field in Flowery Branch.
WHITE COUNTY (1-1) AT CHESTATEE (0-1)
The Warriors will look to build off of a 34-6 win over Habersham Central last week in Cleveland as they head to Gainesville to face the War Eagles of Chestatee.
After dropping its opener to North Hall, 49-34, White County rebounded with a big win over Habersham Central.
Junior quarterback Tripp Nix threw for 207 yards and three touchdowns, connecting on 9-of-16 attempts against the Raiders.
Senior running back Ryan Fowler had 160 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns in the victory.
Chestatee’s only contest thus far was an opening-weekend loss to Hebron Christian Academy in a 70-14 affair.
The War Eagles will look to bounce back as they host the Warriors at 7:30 p.m. Friday night.
LUMPKIN COUNTY (1-0) AT FRANKLIN COUNTY (1-1)
The Indians will look to continue rolling toward the playoffs after a commanding win over Union County at home last week at The Burial Grounds.
Lumpkin County figuratively leapt on the back of senior running back Mason Sullens as he covered 254 yards on 32 carries. Four of those attempts resulted in six points for the Indians.
In total, Lumpkin County amassed 501 yards offensively with 369 on the ground and junior quarterback Cal Faulkner adding 132 through the air.
Faulkner finished the contest 8-of-13 with a touchdown. A bulk of those completions came in the two-minute offense as he led his team 50 yards downfield before a holding penalty backed the Indians up, forcing a field goal as time expired for halftime. Faulkner was 4-of-7 on the drive.
Franklin County opened up its season with a big, 41-7, loss to Madison County on the road. It then returned home to face Pickens High out of South Carolina and picked up a 28-11 victory.
Lumpkin County and Franklin County have played seven times previously, all since 2010. Currently, the Lions hold the overall record a 4-3, but the Indians pitched a shutout last season in Dahlonega, 48-0.
The Lions will welcome Lumpkin County to Ed Bryant Stadium in Carnesville at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
HART COUNTY (0-1) AT APALACHEE (0-2)
The Bulldogs had a bye week to regroup after losing to Elbert County 24-14 to open the season at home. The Wildcats were not so lucky as they followed up a 28-7 loss to Winder-Barrow in the Battle of Barrow game with a 50-7 loss to Central Gwinnett.
Now both will be vying for their first wins of the year and recent history has favored Hart County when these two meet. The Bulldogs have won all five clashes with Apalachee, outscoring the Wildcats 187-26 in that time.
Hart County leaned on senior quarterback Kip Phillips against Elbert County as he tossed the ball 27 times, connecting on 14, for 167 yards and a touchdown.
Senior running back Nori Moore connected on the Bulldogs only score on the ground in a seven-carry, 45-yard effort.
Apalachee is under first-time head coach Mike Hancock, who will be looking to right the ship for the Wildcats as they host Hart County.
The pair will meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday at R. Harold Harrison Stadium in Bethlehem.
ELBERT COUNTY (1-1) AT HARLEM (2-0)
Looking to rebound from a 20-point defeat at the hands of Madison County in their home opener, the Blue Devils will travel just outside Augusta to take on the Region 4-AAA champions from a season ago.
Coming off a 10-2 season, which ended in a 40-7 loss to Carver (Columbus) in the second round of the state playoffs, coach Mark Boiter has his Bulldogs rolling with 33-14 and 48-12 wins to start the year.
Harlem’s senior quarterback, Ethan Evangelista, is 24-of-30 on passing attempts this season for an 80 percent completion rate. He’s thrown for 370 yards and eight touchdowns through two contests.
The Bulldogs spread the ball around in the run game. In their first game against Greenbrier, six different rushers carried the ball. In Game 2, eight players ran the ball.
Senior receivers Kee Williams, Dyson Maddox and Cayman Davis each brought in a touchdown pass from Evangelista against Greenbrier. Against Hancock Central, senior Elijah Evangelista and sophomore Jayden Futrell each caught two scores with Williams accounting for the fifth through the air.
Elbert County owns the overall record, beating the Bulldogs in each of the seven games played against each other. Last year’s contest was a close 27-21 final.
Bulldog Stadium awaits the Blue Devils for Friday’s 7:30 p.m. matchup.
NORTH HALL (1-0) AT DAWSON COUNTY (0-2)
The Trojans look to continue their turnaround from last season’s 3-7 record as Dawson County will be trying to get back to winning ways.
The Tigers were 8-3 last season with a Region 7-AAA championship under Sid Maxwell. They were bounced from the playoffs in the first round by Monroe Area, 35-13.
So far this season, it’s been a tough go of things with a 16-0 loss to Jackson County on the road and a 48-18 loss to Lambert in Dawsonville.
In the loss to Jackson County, Dawson County saw just 62 yards offensively.
The Lambert game was a completely different offense as junior quarterback Davis Glass connected on 16-of-28 attempts for 263 yards and a touchdown.
North Hall handled its business in its opener – a 49-34 win over White County.
In the win, senior quarterback Tanner Marsh put on an offensive clinic from under center. He connected on 17-of-23 attempts, an almost 74 percent completion rate, for 196 yards and three scores.
Marsh also carried the ball 16 times for 137 yards for three more touchdowns.
The seventh score of the contest for North Hall came from Tate Ruth. The senior running back carried the ball 11 times for 60 yards and the score.
Seniors Ryals Puryear, Breckan Kirby and Zeke Harris each brought in touchdowns through the air from Marsh. Puryear had seven receptions for 107 yards. Kirby had three catches for 26 yards and Harris caught one for 10 yards.
This will be the 10th meeting between the two schools. A North Hall win evens the series at five wins apiece.
The Trojans travel to Tiger Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday in Dawsonville.
EAST HALL (1-0) AT JOHNSON (0-2)
The Vikings opened its 2023 campaign with a 35-28 win over cross-county rivals West Hall and will look to continue moving forward as they stay in county to play Johnson.
After getting playing experience in two games as a freshman, East Hall sophomore quarterback Jamarcus Harrison took the mantle of starter this season and didn’t disappoint in his first game.
Harrison finished the win with 218 yards through the air for three scores, completing 11 of his 19 attempts. He also carried the ball 10 times for 98 yards.
Fellow sophomore Lukas Pruitt ran the ball 12 times for 57 yards and a score for the Vikings.
Junior quarterback Peyton Llewallyn was 3-for-7 for 34 yards and a touchdown.
Junior receiver Caden Daniels had five catches for 113 yards and three scores against West Hall. Sophomore Chasen Jones also caught a touchdown as he finished with three grabs for 105 yards.
Johnson opened the season by hosting Banks County, which resulted in a 53-13 loss. The follow up game was on the road at West Hall. That contest also went against the Knights, 29-9.
Turnovers plagued Johnson against Banks County, as the Leopards snagged three interceptions and recovered a fumble from the home squad.
Johnson’s two scores were both from senior quarterback Demetri Moon as he rushed for one and returned a kickoff for a second.
Moon rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown against West Hall a week ago.
The matchup will be the 44th between the two schools. Johnson holds a slight lead in the overall record going back to its days as “South Hall”. The Knights have won 22, lost 20 and tied once.
East Hall will travel the short distance to The Dungeon as Billy Ellis Memorial Stadium hosts the game at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
WEST HALL (1-1) AT EAST JACKSON (2-0)
The Spartans bounced back strong after losing their opener to East Hall with a 29-9 win over Johnson last week at home.
East Jackson, however, has remained in winning form through two games this season.
West Hall followed its running game to the end zone, amassing 284 yards and three scores on 30 carries, in the first game of the season. Junior running back Elijah Hayes had 13 rushes for 180 yards and a score. Sophomore quarterback Brett Sturm and junior Matt Hale each scored on the ground as well.
The Spartans came back to a more balanced attack against Johnson, throwing the ball 27 times and rushing it 24.
Sturm connected on 16 of those 27 attempts for 216 yards and three touchdowns. Senior receivers Keyvan Allen and Riley Packard along with junior Marcus Pugh brought the three scores down.
Hayes continued his already strong season with 14 carries for 216 yards and a score.
East Jackson held Oglethorpe County to less than 200 yards of offense and survived with just 224 of its own to pull out a 14-7 win at home.
Sophomore quarterback Drew Richardson threw for 108 yards and a score, and also rushed for two touchdowns in a 42-14 win over Social Circle a week ago.
Junior running back Quay Hill rushed 17 times for 74 yards and a touchdown in the contest as well.
West Hall will head to Commerce in hopes of staying in the win column for a second-straight week. The teams have played four times, alternating wins each time. If the pattern holds, West Hall would be victorious in this fifth meeting.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at East Jackson Comprehensive High School.
GAINESVILLE (2-0) VS COCONUT CREEK (FL) (1-0)
Red Elephants coach Josh Niblett has his team on the path to a second-consecutive unbeaten regular season after finishing 14-1, falling in the state championship game, in his first season last year.
Thus far, Gainesville has 34-26 and 34-21 wins over Marist and Mountain View, respectively.
The Red Elephants used a balanced attack against Marist, throwing and rushing the ball 28 times each. Against Mountain View, it was the run game that was the star of the show.
Senior quarterback Baxter Wright was 19-for-28 with 203 yards and two touchdowns in Game 1. He followed that up with an 8-for-14 for 139 yard performance against Mountain View.
Senior running back Gavin Hall has been the featured player for Gainesville. In the two games, he’s totaled 41 attempts for 373 yards and five touchdowns. That gives him 68 percent of the rushing attempts and 40 percent of the offensive load overall. His production of 430 total yards, which includes his 57 receiving yards, makes him 47 percent of the offensive production through two games.
Coconut Creek opened its season last week against Boyd Anderson High School out of Lauderdale Lakes, Florida. The Cougars topped the Cobras 6-0 in the contest.
Gainesville will look to maintain its home field advantage at City Park, where it hasn’t lost since October 15, 2021 against South Forsyth.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY (1-1) VS ST. ANNE-PACELLI (1-1)
The Lions picked up a victory last week at home against Athens Christian and will look to do the same as the Vikings come to Gainesville Friday.
St. Anne-Pacelli knocked off Tattnall Square Academy 50-35 at home after losing to Glenwood High (AL), 38-12, on the road.
Last season, the Vikings topped the Lions 51-14 in Columbus.
Lakeview Academy and St. Anne-Pacelli will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville.
RIVERSIDE MILITARY (0-1) VS STRATFORD ACADEMY (1-0)
Riverside Military was held to 105 yards of offense against Walker in a 57-0 shutout win for the Wolverines on Friday.
Junior running back Zion Milhouse carried the load with 11 rushes for 63 yards for the Eagles.
Stratford Academy defeated the Westfield School Hornets 35-13 in its season opener last week.
Riverside Military has lost the last two meetings between the two schools, but the series record currently stands at 3-3.
The pair of Eagles will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gainesville.
