Second-half spark sends Wildcats past Dade County in playoff opener [VIDEO]

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Rabun County held a 17-7 decent but uncomfortable lead at the break, and were in need of a spark to get going in the second half. That spark came in the way of Ty Truelove, Willie Goodwyn, and Noah Legault. Truelove led 3 scoring drives in a row, as Rabun got 23 points in a big fourth quarter to take a 47-7 first round win over Dade County.

The Wolverines (6-5) got the scoring started with a 4-yd TD run by QB Zeke Wheeler to go up 7-0 late in the first. The Wildcats responded after a muffed punt set them up inside the red zone. However, #2-ranked Rabun County (11-0) settled for a 31-yd field goal by Marcus Remillard.

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Keegan Stover scrambled early in the second and found an open Jaden Gibson for a 46-yd TD that put the Cats up for good. A couple of drives later, Stover found Goodwyn on a 32-yd strike to push the lead up to 17-7 going into the break. Cory Keller came up with a timely interception to end the half and keep Dade County from cutting into the lead.

The Wildcat defense, which played exceptionally well, came up early in the second half with another pick, this time by Legault. He took it inside the 10-yard line, which ushered in freshman QB Truelove. He threw a dart to Gibson on a bubble screen, and he took it in for the 7-yd TD and the 24-7 lead about midway through the third.

In the final period, Rabun County piled up the points. It started with a Truelove 35-yd TD pass on 3^rd and long to Goodwyn, elevating the lead to 31-7. Less than a couple minutes later, Legault came up with a pick six, scoring from about 40 yards on the interception to pad the lead even further to 38-7. Dade County’s next drive stalled again, and the snap to the punter went over his head and out of the end zone for a safety, gifting Rabun the 40-7 lead. In the last drive for the Wildcats, Lang Windham scored on a 15-yd TD, diving inside the pylon to cap the scoring at 47-7.

Stover and Truelove both accounted for 2 TD passes, while Gibson and Goodwyn both had a pair of TD catches. Legault had 2 interceptions, while Keller and Jarret Giles recorded picks as well. The Wildcats move on to play Social Circle at home in the second round of the playoffs.