It was a stormy start to the season for Habersham Central as the Raiders fell to #3-ranked Stephens County Friday night, 28-10.
The Raiders took an early 10-0 lead, starting with an FG from Camden Meads, followed by a scoop-n-score by Everett Rudeseal with just 5:43 to go in the first. Before the quarter ended, the Indians got on the board with a 25-yd TD from Tripp Underwood to Davon Swinton.
It remained a Habersham Central lead until 5:25 to go in the break when Javin Gordon scored from 19 yards out for a 14-10 Stephens lead. Brock Tankersley added a 9-yd TD before the half to take a 21-10 lead into the break.
RELATED PHOTO GALLERY: HCHS season opener
Stephens would score once more for a 28-10 advantage before lightning halted play with 5:04 to play in the third. The game was called and considered official at that point.
Here’s a roundup of other Northeast Georgia area Week 1 action:
#4 Rabun County 40, White County 21
The highly-touted offenses made it a track meet early. Rabun took a quick 21-7 lead on TD passes from Ty Truelove to Lake Evans (7 yds), Reid Giles (70), and another to Evans (25 yds). Tripp Nix kept it close with a pair of TD runs (21 yds, 3 yds), and Noel Lammers had a 1-yd TD as well. Truelove ripped off TD runs of 70 yds and 4 as the Cats were up 34-21 at the half. Play was halted for nearly two hours due to lightning. Truelove’s fourth TD pass went for 65 yards to Jake Payne. The 2PC was no good, making it 40-21. Several key players suffered some injuries, notably Truelove, Nix, Jon Scott, and Jason Rewis. Truelove was seen in a sling on the sidelines on his throwing arm. Nix could barely lift his throwing arm as well. Alex Freeman threw a 56-yd TD to Brayden Roach in the fourth to bridge the gap even more, and the ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Warriors made it very interesting.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS Rabun outlast Warrior in injury-marred opener
#6 Wesleyan 42, #6 Commerce 21
The Tigers dropped a 42-21 decision and had to wait out a lightning delay at one point. Tysean Wiggins go the first score from 16 yards out late in the first to tie the game at 7. Commerce then took a 14-7 lead after Jacari Huff scored from 57 yards out early in the second. Wesleyan would tie it up before the break. They went ahead 28-14 in the third before Huff scored his second TD to cut it to 35-21 in the fourth. Wesleyan added one more for insurance.
#1 Marist 23, #1 Jefferson 7
It was a slobber-knocker in the first quarter, as it was scoreless after the first 12 minutes. Marist got a field goal before the break to take a slim 3-0 lead. The Dragons got on the board with a Colton Grant TD pass to RJ Hinton for a 7-3 lead; it was 10-7 Marist with 5:04 left in the third. A few minutes later, the game went into lightning delay. It finally resumed, where Marist would eventually take a 17-7 lead in the first seconds of the fourth. It reached 23-7 moments later as Marist pulled away.
Cherokee Bluff 31, #5 Lumpkin County 20
The Indians drew first blood on a 52-yd TD run by Cal Faulkner in the opening seconds, but Cherokee Bluff would respond with a 28-yd TD a few minutes later. Roughly midway through the second, the Bears took the lead on a 31-yd FG. Nolan Matthews responded with a 99-yd kickoff return for the go-ahead 14-9 lead. A QB sneak but Cherokee Bluff up 17-14 heading into the half. Lumpkin had a huge lightning delay before resuming around 10:30 PM. It was a scoreless third as the Indians went for a comeback in the fourth. Bluff went ahead 24-14, and again Matthews came up clutch, taking the kickoff for a TD and making it a 24-20 game with 7:29 to play. However, the Bears did the same thing to reclaim the lead and staple down the win.
East Hall 16, Banks County 14
The Leopards officially started the Todd Winter era with the triple option. It was 14-10 at the half, but that halftime break lasted over 12 hours. The game was declared suspended due to lightning. It was slated to resume on Saturday at 1:30 PM…at WEST HALL. That’s one crazy experience. Start a game one night on one field and finish it the next day on a different field. In resumed action, East Hall went ahead with a TD and had a goal-line stand to end the game.
Murray County vs Towns County
Lightning delayed this one before it started, and the teams will play Saturday morning.
BYE WEEKS – Dawson County, Union County
Other area scores
Jackson County 31, Flowery Branch 2
West Hall 13, Seckinger 10 (postponed at half)
Riverside vs Rock Springs (unknown)
#1 Milton 13, #1 Buford 10
#3 Gainesville 41, Marietta 3
Chestatee 27, Franklin County 21
Hart County 17, #4 Elbert County 7
Winder-Barrow 36, East Jackson 20
Lakeview 21, Lanier Christian 0
BYE: North Hall, Johnson
This article has been corrected to reflect the Banks County/East Hall game will resume Saturday
