Habersham’s 4-1 start to the season was phenomenal. What followed was a hard-fought battle through Region 8-AAAAAA that saw the Raiders suffer a couple of heartbreaks to dash their state playoff hopes.

Nevertheless, there’s no disputing the fact that under second-year head coach Benji Harrison, the Raiders’ program is back on the rise. Habersham remained within striking distance in each region loss with the exception of powerhouse Lanier. The Raiders fell to Gainesville, Dacula and Winder-Barrow by narrow margins.

Habersham must now focus on closing the season in the same fashion it opened it in…with a decisive win on the home turf. There’s no doubt the Radier seniors will play with every ounce of energy until the final horn hits zero. Tonight marks the final game for some 23 young men, many of whom are playing their last football game at any level.

Michael Babers, Cole Wilbanks, Jake Jones and the rest of the seniors have put Habersham back into contention this season and will close out their respective careers tonight.

Challenging Hab Central is Apalachee (2-6-1; 0-4), a team that has scored only 11 offensive touchdowns this season. The Wildcats are led by senior quarterback Ryan Miller (1,189 yds, 5 TD; 3 rushing TDs) and running back Stephen Massillon (618 yds, 2 TD). Fellow senior Ethan Morris (786 yds, 4 TD) has been about the only option Miller considers, as he’s hauled in 43 of the team’s 78 receptions.

The Raiders and Wildcats have squared off four times in history, with Apalachee holding the 3-1 advantage. However, Habersham won the last meeting in 2011 when the Raiders won a 38-35 thriller at home.

Stat Leaders

Passing

Cole Wilbanks – 1,618 yds, 14 TD

Rushing

Michael Babers – 582 yds, 6 TD
Aaron Galloway – 277 yds, 1 TD

Receiving

Aaron Wood – 480 yds, 3 TD
Jake Jones – 357 yds, 6 TD
Trey Hurt – 345 yds, 4 TD

Tackles

Jake Jones – 76 (13 for loss)
Dawson Landers – 71 (3.5 for loss)
Garrett Kinsey – 70 (4.5 for loss)
Carson Taylor – 69 (9.5 for loss)

Sacks

Dylan Holcomb – 3
Austin Frady – 2
Andrew Lovell – 2

Interceptions

Luke Wilson – 2
Jake Jones – 1
Carson Moore – 1