In a Halloween special in Week 12, it was the home team Jackson County (9-1; 6-0 in 8-AAAAA) that pulled out all the tricks and treated themselves to a Region Championship with a 53-6blowout win over Habersham Central (7-3; 5-1). It marked the first-ever title for the #8-ranked Panthers, while Hab Central was seeking its first since 2007.
Habersham got an immediate boost when Griffin Cunningham picked off RJ Knapp III. However, moments later a blocked punt was scooped and scored by Bryce Garrison. It snowballed quickly from there. The Raiders fumbled it away on the next try, and Daylan Maxwell had a 13-yd TD for a quick 15-0 lead.
An interception of Paris Wilbanks by Kaleb Culver set up another fast score, as Knapp hit Landon Jones for a 27-yd TD. The Raiders again went 3-and-out, and the punt was blocked once more, with Culver taking it to the end zone for the 29-0 lead with still 4:33 left in the first. Christopher Burrows added a 19-yd field goal early in the second as the Panthers took a 32-0 lead.
Maxwell had a 63- and 66-yard TD run in the second half, and in between, the Raiders finally got the bagel off the board on a Wilbanks 78-yd TD pass to Tylon Davis. Jayson Lee added a 2-yd TD run for the Panthers late, leading to the 53-6 final. Maxwell finished with three touchdowns in the contest.
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