With the final 3 teams left in action – Rabun, Stephens, Union – here’s what happened in the second round of the state playoffs!

ROUND 2 RESULTS

#3 Sandy Creek 20, #2 Stephens County 7

The Stephens County Indians dropped a low-scoring top-5 battle to Sandy Creek at The Reservation. After Sandy Creek’s dual threat elusive QB Geimere Latimer found pay dirt with an early 9-yd TD, the Indians’ SR DB Corey Richie kept it a 7-0 game by intercepting Latimer in the back of the end zone late in the half. Coming out of the break, Stephens County polished off a great drive with a Ben Stowe 24-yd TD pass on 3rd and long to Cam Lacy to tie the game midway through the quarter. Sandy Creek just a few minutes later retaliated, as Jasec Smith tipped a long pass twice before it landed in Cameron Watts’ arms for a 34-yd go-ahead TD. Latimer scored from one yard out early in the fourth to put the game away.

#2 Rabun County 42, Social Circle 0

MUCH BETTER! The Wildcats played the ball we’re all used to seeing, unlike they have since probably Week 10. Lang Windham got the party started with a 22-yd TD run with about 10 minutes on the clock in the first. Keegan Stover then hit Jaden Gibson, who went 80 yards for a TD and the 14-0 lead with about 7 minutes to go. In the second, Gibson ran a wildcat play for 2-yd TD and the 21-0 lead for Rabun. An 82-yd TD from Stover to Willie Goodwyn padded the lead to 28-0 and pretty much put the game on ice. It was more of the same to start the third, as the Cats scored on a 45-yd screen pass to Gibson from Stover that went the distance. Later in the third, it was a 44-yd TD to Goodwyn to cap the scoring. The Cats advance to an 8th straight quarterfinals game, traveling to Swainsboro.

South Atlanta 42, Union County 14

Union County jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead at South Atlanta against DI prospect and the state’s leading rusher in Dejuan Brown. Of the first 4 plays the Panthers ran on offense, 2 of them went for TDs. One was a TD pass from Caiden Tanner to Griff Young, and the other a double pass from Jensen Goble to Young. Union County was constantly in SA territory but unable to punch in any more scores. The Hornets scored on an 85-yd TD run and a 60-yd TD pass to go up 16-14 at the break. From there, South Atlanta ran away with the game, ending Union’s season.

OTHER LOCAL GAMES OF INTEREST

• #4 Gainesville 42, #10 South Paulding 21
• #6 Walton 42, #1 Buford 35