Region play is beginning for some in the area, while others still try to correct problems or keep the good times rolling in non-region games. Here’s where local teams are kicking off as Week 4 commences:
HABERSHAM CENTRAL (0-2) AT CENTRAL GWINNETT (2-1)
The Raiders will head back out on the road in Week 4, looking to notch one in the win column for the first time this season.
Central Gwinnett is coming off its first loss of the season, a double-overtime affair at Jackson County.
In their two wins, the Black Knights have posted 50 and 56 points against Discovery and Apalachee, respectively.
The win over Apalachee saw Central Gwinnett throw the ball six times, completing all six, for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Comparatively, they ran the ball 31 times for 323 yards and four scores.
The two will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the shadow of The Castle at Tally Johnson Field in Lawrenceville.
STEPHENS COUNTY (3-0) VS DAWSON COUNTY (0-3)
After back-to-back routs of their competition, the Indians will return home to The Reservation to welcome a winless Dawson County squad.
Stephens County junior running back Javin Gordon followed up a 196-yard performance against Rabun County with a 194-yard showing against Flowery Branch last week.
Through three games, Gordon has racked up 81 carries, 512 yards, and five touchdowns. Junior quarterback Tripp Underwood (28/56, 414 yards, four touchdowns) may be taking the snaps for the Indians, but Gordon is carrying the load.
Stephens County is averaging nearly 33 points per game while allowing just 12 per game defensively. Dawson County has scored a combined 25 points through their three contests.
The Indians and Tigers will kick off at The Reservation at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Toccoa.
BANKS COUNTY (2-0) VS FRANKLIN COUNTY (1-2)
Leopards coach Jay Reid got his team off to a hot start last year, winning the first four games, and he’s on his way to doing it again this year with a 2-0 record.
Banks County is coming off a bye week and will host the Lions for its first home game of the season. This matchup last year was a 43-6 win on the road for the Leopards.
Through three games, Franklin County has scored 42 points, but its losses have come at a combined 87-14.
In the Lions’ loss to Lumpkin County last week, they allowed 163 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The Indians also threw for 170 yards and two scores.
The Leopards ran the ball well against Oglethorpe County in Week 2 with six rushers combining for 190 yards and three touchdowns. Aaron Scott accounted for one and Aucy Jacobs for the other two.
Jacobs also had two scores in the first game of the season at Johnson.
These two teams have only played six times with all of those matchups coming since 2014. The Leopards have emerged victorious twice.
The Lions will travel to Homer for the 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday.
HART COUNTY (1-1) VS DANIEL (SC) (2-0)
After a 5-5 start in Year 1, Bulldogs coach Cory Dickerson is right back where he was a year ago going into the Daniel game.
The Bulldogs lost to Elbert in Week 1 and then beat Apalachee in Week 2. Mirror starts to seasons in consecutive years.
Last season, the Lions topped Hart County 38-17 en route to a 12-1 record, a region championship and a third-round playoff push in South Carolina.
The Bulldogs will try to even the series at one apiece with a victory Friday in Hartwell.
WALNUT GROVE (1-1) VS NORTH HALL (2-0)
Senior quarterback Tanner Marsh had a record-setting night for the Trojans last week in a big win against Dawson County and will look to help his team carry their successes into Friday’s contest against Walnut Grove.
Despite falling a close matchup in Week 1, Walnut Grove came out of the bye week to put together a 40-0 win over Chattahoochee County in Week 3.
The Warriors scored four times on the ground, with senior quarterback Reid Fagan and junior running back Emadd Howard combining for 24 carries and 193 yards and the quartet of point-scoring scampers.
Walnut Grove was opportunistic, taking a fumble recovery to the house and scoring on a punt return to boost its lead in the game.
In the win over Dawson County, Marsh set single-game school records for passing attempts with 31 and completions with 24. He also tied the record for passing touchdowns with three.
Senior receiver Ryals Puryear had nine receptions – another single-game school record – for 80 yards and a score. Zeke Harris and Ty Kemp hauled in the other touchdown passes.
With freshman Alex Schlieman getting some time under center, the team passing game set single-game records for passing attempts (38), passing completions (31), passing yards (288), and tied team passing touchdowns (3).
Senior running back Tate Ruth was also able to put up a strong performance of his own with 107 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns.
Now, as region play kicks off, these two high-powered offenses could provide fireworks for those in attendance in Walnut Grove.
EAST HALL (1-1) VS CHESTATEE (0-2)
The Vikings will look to rebound from a close one-point loss to Johnson as the War Eagles are looking for their first win of the 2023 campaign.
If Chestatee is going to find its first victory, it’ll have to slow down sophomore quarterback Jamarcus Harrison who has averaged 17.2 yards per pass and 9.4 yards per carry through two games. The Vikings’ signal caller is responsible for five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing) this season.
Junior receivers Caden Daniels (10 rec, 214 yards, 3 TD) and Jevon Harrison (6 rec, 75 yards, 1 TD) along with sophomore Chasen Jones (7 rec, 134 yards, 1 TD) have been the top receivers for East Hall.
Chestatee has run into a pair of buzzsaw opponents through its first two games this season in Hebron Christian and White County. The War Eagles have been outscored 122-21 by the pair.
Hebron Christian held Chestatee to just 146 yards of total offense and White County held the War Eagles to 147.
Chestatee will be looking for a breakout performance against the Vikings as the pair meet Friday night at War Eagle Stadium in Gainesville.
CLARKE CENTRAL (2-0) VS GAINESVILLE (3-0)
The Gavin Hall show continued last week as the Red Elephants sent Coconut Creek back to South Florida with a 30-22 loss.
The senior running back finished the contest with 23 carries for 180 yards and a touchdown. Hall also caught six passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.
The Gladiators are also coming off a bye week but a win in their last contest. They’ll be looking to continue their undefeated season as well
In a 38-31 win over Oconee County in Week 2, Clarke Central relied heavily on the legs of junior running back Corey Watkins Jr.
Watkins Jr. carried the ball 22 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Kendrick Curry also added 66 yards on seven carries for a score.
Senior receiver Jaylen Jackson hauled in the lone touchdown pass from senior quarterback Riley Berrong.
The Red Elephants knocked off Clarke Central 43-20 last season in this contest. The win increased Gainesville’s lead in the overall record against the Gladiators to 9-4.
Gainesville will travel to Athens, and the two will kick off in Billy Henderson Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
CHEROKEE BLUFF (0-2) VS MADISON COUNTY (2-0)
After being held to 160 and 241 yards of total offense in their first two contests, the Bears have just 14 points to show for their efforts in 2023.
In that time, they’ve allowed 61 points to the opposition.
The Red Raiders are outpacing the competition 96-42, leaving Cherokee Bluff with the uphill battle of slowing down an offense averaging 48 points per game.
This game last season came down to a 20-19 finish in the Bears’ favor.
The two will kick off in Danielsville at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY (1-2) AT CREEKSIDE CHRISTIAN (0-2)
The Lions are coming off a shutout loss to St. Anne-Pacelli after hanging 57 points on Athens Christian the week before.
Across the field, Creekside Christian is looking for its first win and points of the season. The Cougars have been shut out by both Loganville Christian Academy and Bethlehem Christian Academy by a combined score of 95-0.
Lakeview Academy will look to repeat last year’s result in this clash, a 42-6 victory for the Lions, and get back to .500.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday in McDonough.
RIVERSIDE MILITARY (0-2) AT PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN (2-0)
With two big losses on the schedule already this season, the Eagles are looking for their first win of the 2023 campaign.
Riverside Military has produced 270 yards of total offense through two games. In those two contests, the Eagles have been outscored 114-14.
The Storm have ridden a trio of seniors to their unbeaten record thus far.
Senior quarterback Ben Klassen has only thrown the ball 29 times this year, but he’s found his receiver 22 times for 498 yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception.
Senior receiver Matthew Miller has nine receptions for 240 yards and four touchdowns.
Senior running back Quinton Slaughter has done his part, amassing 519 yards on 41 carries for five scores.
Last season’s contest was a 52-0 win for Providence Christian, but the overall record belongs to Riverside Military with four wins in six meetings.
The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Lilburn.
LUMPKIN COUNTY (2-0) AT TEMPLE (3-0)
The Indians are off to a hot start, averaging 45 points per game and allowing 17 points per game.
A big reason Lumpkin County has been playing so well is senior running back Mason Sullens. The all-region back from a year ago has scored half of the team’s 14 touchdowns this year.
There are six others credited with rushes this season for the Indians, but Sullens has 60 percent of them. He’s touched the ball on 45 percent of the snaps without having caught a pass out of the backfield.
First-year starting quarterback Cal Faulkner has also been a big part of the Indians’ surge.
The senior signal caller has connected on 21-of-29 attempts for 311 yards and three touchdowns. Faulkner has also run for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Senior receiver Luke Evans has been a top target for Faulkner with 10 receptions for 194 yards and two scores.
The Tigers are heavy in their run game, having thrown the ball just 20 times, they’ve run it 129 times for 1,076 yards and 15 scores. Temple has 10 different players credited with a rushing attempt.
Something has to give between these two unbeaten teams as they meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Temple.
