Our Round One Game of the Week (#2) takes us to Dahlonega for a first-round matchup between Lumpkin County and state-ranked Oconee County.

LUMPKIN COUNTY

The Indians roll into their hyped playoff home game with the team’s best season since 1976. Lumpkin is a win shy of a school record, and this is only the team’s 6th playoff game ever. The Indians have yet to win a playoff game, and this marks the second-ever home playoff game. You get the point, historical for Lumpkin to even be here. The turnaround is well-documented, as Heath Webb took the exact same roster and turned a 2-8 team into an 8-2 team. Cooper Scott is the straw that stirs the drink, as he has about 2,000 total yards and 23 total TDs this year. Mason Sullens is a 1,000-yd RB, and Cal Faulkner has 645 receiving yards. This is an offense that generates 36.5 per game (6th in the state). The defense was formerly a top-10 defense, and still is a solid 17.6 on average. This Lumpkin team is leaving behind quite the legacy, and they’re still mostly young. This might be the final game at home for Scott, win or lose.

OCONEE COUNTY

The Warriors are a ridiculous 3-seed. Oconee is actually the #6-ranked team in the state, but were in a crowded region that includes 4 ranked teams. Coach Ben Hall is used to big-time games and playoff runs, so he’ll have this team zeroed in on playing sharp football. At 25.9 points per game, the offense does lack a little, but the 15.6 defense is the 6th-best in the state. Consider also that the 4 losses for Oconee this year were by a combined 18 points. That’s the difference between this team being undefeated and 6-4. Offensively, the team is well-balanced with a mix of run and pass. This is a dangerous team just a couple years removed from back-to-back state championship game appearances. The DNA is rich.

BY THE NUMBERS (2022)

LUMPKIN COUNTY

• 8-2 (4-2 in 7-AAA)
• Region Standings: Region Runner-Up
• 36.5 OFFENSE AVG (6th in Class 3A)
• 17.6 DEFENSE AVG
• N/A State Ranking

OCONEE COUNTY

• 6-4 (3-2 in 8-AAA)
• Region Standings: 3rd
• 25.9 OFFENSE AVG
• 15.6 DEFENSE AVG (6th in Class 3A)
• #6 State Ranking

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Be looking for highlights post-game late tonight as well as a story recapping Round One. You can also follow us on Twitter (@BlitzSportsGa) for live score updates (5G pending).

OUR PREDICTION

As usual, let’s make the case for what both teams have to do to get a win here. For Lumpkin, put plainly, it needs to be the best game the Indians have played in their life. The margin for error here is slim to none. Yes, Lumpkin has the 6th-best offense. But to beat the 6th-best defense, it takes NO TURNOVERS as a start. Cooper Scott and Mason Sullens will need to use their legs to open up the passing game, and Cal Faulkner has to come up with some big catches. Defensively, the Indians need to play disciplined and get after the QB. If they contain the run, and play bend-don’t-break defense, they’ll be fine. For Oconee County, keeping to what they’ve done so far will be enough to win. There is a little more wriggle room with the Warriors to overcome their mistakes than vice versa. This is a deeper team, so likely on the line is where this game will be decided. That’s the case for both, but we have a clear prediction… OUR PICK: SEE HERE

DO WE BRING LUCK?

For Lumpkin, it’s a 5-12 overall mark in our games for the Indians. That includes a win just last week, and 2-0 this season with both games at The Burial Grounds.

DETAILS OF THE MATCHUP

TIME: 1 PM Kickoff (Saturday)
PLACE: Lumpkin County HS / Dahlonega, GA / The Burial Grounds / Cottrell Field
LAST MEETING: 1973 (Lumpkin County 13, Oconee County 7)
ALL-TIME RECORD: The series is tied 1-1 all-time
RECORDS: Lumpkin County Indians (8-2; Region Runner-Up 7-AAA); #6 Oconee County Warriors (6-4; 3rd in 8-AAA)
HEAD COACHES: Heath Webb (69-69; 13 Seasons); Ben Hall (91-29; 10 Seasons)

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING

These teams have met on the gridiron, but you have to rewind nearly 50 years. Not many around here remember it. In 1973 Lumpkin won a 13-7 game on the road to overcome Oconee County in a low-scoring game. The year prior, at Lumpkin County in 1972, the Warriors came away with the 26-3 win. So in a small sample size, the teams are even, and the road team has won both times.

TEAM LEADERS (2022 Stats)

*Stats accumulated by team-published data on Ga Maxpreps

LUMPKIN COUNTY

PASSING
Cooper Scott – 1,480 yds, 12 TD, 7 INT, 70% completion

RUSHING
Mason Sullens – 1,074 yds, 17 TD, 5.6 YPC
Cooper Scott – 555 yds, 11 TD, 5.1 YPC
Will Wood – 116 yds, 1 TD, 12.9 YPC
Gerald Walker, Jr – 105 yds, 2 TD, 13.1 YPC
Cal Faulkner – 69 yds, 2 TD, 6.9 YPC

RECEIVING
Cal Faulkner – 645 yds, 9 TD, 42 rec
Harper Davenport – 178 yds, 1 TD, 15 rec
Carter Disanto – 176 yds, 0 TD, 14 rec
Mason Sullens – 144 yds, 1 TD, 14 rec
Walker Scott – 77 yds, 0 TD, 4 rec
Caleb Norrell – 76 yds, 1 TD, 11 rec

DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Will Wood – 61 TKL, 3 TFL, 2 FR
Jay Grizzle – 60 TKL, 4 TFL, 2.5 Sacks, 1 INT, 1 FR, 1 FF
Preston Cox – 54 TKL, 4 TFL, 1 FR, 1 FF
Cameron Stringer – 45 TKL, 3 TFL, 2 FR, 1 FF
Connor Greilich – 39 TKL, 7 TFL, 1.5 Sacks, 1 FR
Tavion Lawrence – 33 TKL, 1 TFL, 3 INT
Caleb Norrell – 30 TKL, 1 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 INT
Harper Davenport – 30 TKL, 1 TFL, 2 INT
Dakota Bennett – 21 TKL, 3 TFL, 1 Sack
Cal Faulkner – 17 TKL, 1 TFL, 4 INT

OCONEE COUNTY (partial stats)

PASSING
Mac Ricks – 641 yds, 4 TD, 4 INT, 50% completion

RUSHING
CJ Jones – 456 yds, 4 TD, 3.9 YPC
Mac Ricks – 394 yds, 3 TD, 6.5 YPC
Whit Weeks – 135 yds, 2 TD, 5.0 YPC
Jesan Heard – 66 yds, 1 TD, 33.0 YPC
Titus Watkins – 15 yds, 1 TD, 3.0 YPC

RECEIVING
Dylan Manders – 175 yds, 1 TD, 8 rec
CJ Jones – 82 yds, 0 TD, 5 rec
Jack Ward – 78 yds, 0 TD, 7 rec
Whit Weeks – 77 yds, 3 TD, 3 rec
Jesan Heard – 71 yds, 1 TD, 4 rec

DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Whit Weeks – 54 TKL, 7 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 FR, 1 FF
Samson Stearns – 53 TKL, 3.5 TFL
Camden Eldridge – 28 TKL, 1 TFL, 2 Sacks
Caleb Smith – 28 TKL, 1 TFL
Billy Lewis – 27 TKL, 1 TFL, 2 INT