The Tigers took the wind out of the North Hall sails with an electrifying second half kickoff return touchdown after trailing 14-10 at the break. Dawson never looked back, moving to 3-1 on the season.
Dawson County (3-1; ranked #10 in the state) saw a 10-0 lead vanish when North Hall scored two unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter, but Kolton Brumbelow took the second half kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, putting the Tigers up 17-14. They’d never relinquish the lead.
Coey Watson was unstoppable, nickel and diming his way down the field using his legs and arm. He found Nick Murphy for a pair of touchdowns (Murphy’s first two of the season) and Luke Martin for a short-yardage TD as well. Watson finished with three touchdown passes, matching his season total coming into the game.
The Tigers scored an early field goal before the Watson-to-Murphy combo hooked up for a 18-yard score to make it 10-0 in the first. North Hall (4-2) responded with two Jack Brown rushing scores, his first two of the season. Both came in the second quarter, and the second one was set up by a ricochet interception from Watson. The pass was tipped in the air and hauled in by the Trojans’ Cutter Sanford.
The Tigers attempted a game-tying 40-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter, but the kick was blocked, sending the Trojans to a 14-10 halftime lead. Dawson received the second half kickoff and needed just a handful of seconds to change the game completely. Brumbelow took the kick 99 yards for the go-ahead and game-winning touchdown. The Tigers never lost the 17-14 lead.
After a strong defensive stand, Watson went to work and again found Murphy from 26-yards out to make it 24-14 midway through the third. With 28 seconds to go in the quarter, North Hall’s Kyle Bacus pounded one in from a yard out to trim the Tigers lead to 24-21.
The fourth quarter belonged to Dawson County, as it went on to put up 21 unanswered points. Watson found Martin for a 9-yard score, and after a bad North Hall snap to the punter, the Tigers took over at the two-yard line. Watson called his own number and pushed the lead to 38-21. Two minutes later, Peyton Myers notched a 33-yard touchdown run to put Dawson up 45-21. North Hall scored in the final minute to close the game at 45-27.
The Tigers earned their first region win, while North Hall moves to 1-1 within region play. The winner of Friday’s game likely earned the inside track to play for the region title when playing region-favorite and state number one seed in Greater Atlanta Christian.
Local Scores
#10 Dawson County 45, North Hall 27
Union County 51, East Hall 46
Lumpkin County 20, White County 14
#5 Rabun County 46, Banks County 3
#3 Prince Ave Christian 21, #6 Commerce 14
Hebron Christian 31, Towns County 13
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#1 Buford 44, Clarke Central 13
#5 Jefferson 28, Madison County 7
#8 Marist 24, Gainesville 10
Flowery Branch 33, Cedar Shoals 0
Johnson 28, Walnut Grove 0
Feature photo by Bobby Escoe
