Week Eight featured final tune-ups before region for some teams, and others got in their first or second region contest.

*keep checking back for additions to the recaps as that data becomes available.*

#7 Lumpkin County 56, Gilmer 3

This one was never close. The Indians scored on the opening drive on a 29-yd TD from Cal Faulkner to Walker Scott. Gilmer took the ensuing kickoff inside the 10-yard line, but the Lumpkin defense held the Bobcats to a 29-yd FG. That was all Gilmer would get. The #7 Indians scored the next 49 points, including 28 in the second to take a 35-3 halftime lead. That included a 24-yd and 25-yd TD by Mason Sullens, the state’s top rusher. Faulkner had a touch pass TD that went 34 yards to Nolan Matthews, and he connected on an 11-yd TD to Harper Davenport as well. In the third, Faulkner had a 1-yd TD and Sullens added a 17-yd score, his third. Jackson Bell had a rushing TD to cap the 56-3 win.

Union County 27, Banks County 7

Banks County held tough, but Union County won 27-7 in a rainy game in which the Panthers were short Seth Rutan and lost Jensen Goble to injury in the second quarter. Still, Union was up 27-7 at the half, and neither team scored the rest of the way.

#1 Stephens County 52, Franklin County 7

The #1-ranked Indians remained flawless with a huge 52-7 blowout against Franklin County. Javin Gordon had 6 TDs and north of 200 rushing yards, and played just one play in the third quarter.

#4 Commerce 34, Social Circle 0

A 34-0 shutout win for #4 Commerce kept the Tigers flying high. Jaiden Daniels had another monster game, scoring the first TD on a 3-yd run early in the first. He added an 85-yd TD later in the quarter, putting the Tigers up 13-0. Jacari Huff had a 1-yd TD on the first play of the second, and Tysean Wiggins’ 3-yd score in the closing moments of the half had Commerce up 27-0 at the break. Terrence Burch added a 12-yd TD in the fourth to cap the scoring.

#2 Rabun County 49, St. Francis 13

The #2 Wildcats blew out St. Francis 49-13, with the final tally for the opposing team coming in garbage time. Reid Giles had a 30-yd TD in the first, and Noah English had a 17-yd score to make it 14-0 Cats. After a TD by the visitors, Cooper Welch took the ensuing kickoff 80ish yards to the house for the 21-6 lead. In the second, Willie Goodwyn had a pick 6 for the 28-6 advantage. Ty Truelove later hit Goodwyn in stride, and he shredded a would-be tackler and went in for a 31-yd TD, padding the lead to 35-6. English had a 2-yd TD before the break, making it 42-6. A 67-yd TD run through the defense by Giles gave Rabun the monster 49-6 lead, which held til the final score.

Wesleyan 27, #10 White County 24

The Wolves pulled off a last-minute comeback to beat #10 White County, 27-24. The Warriors held a couple of leads in the second half. Wesleyan scored first, holding a 7-0 lead after one. A 26-yd Hayden Vandegriff FG got White County on the board early in the second. The Wolves had a 56-yd TD pass that had Wesleyan up 14-3, which held to the break. Late in the third, Tripp Nix had a 16-yd TD run to pull within 14-10. A pick six by Jason Rewis to open the fourth made it 17-14 Warriors. Wesleyan went back ahead a few minutes later, only to see White County get a 6-yd TD run from Ryan Fowler to make it a 24-20 lead with 7:14 to go. Wesleyan got the final jab on a 25-yd TD with 3:21 remaining.

Dawson County 42, Pickens 7

The Tigers had a third straight solid offensive week, earning their second win in a 42-7 region win over Pickens. Sawyer Bearden had a pair of rushing TDs, including one in the final minutes. Alex Stewart had a pick-six in the fourth. Moments earlier, Blake Arp had a 1-yd TD run. Preston Bannister had a 27-yd TD in the game to Dom LeBlanc, and Bearden had a TD run in the second as well as a TD pass from 79 yards out to tie the game in the second.

#7 Aquinas 40, Towns County 6

The Indians fell 40-6 against #7 Aquinas, as Towns County still seeks that first win.

OTHER LOCAL GAMES

Flowery Branch 48, Winder-Barrow 0
Walnut Grove 41, East Hall 14
Jackson County 36, Shiloh 7
Hart County 27, #10 Oconee County 16
Cherokee Bluff 10, East Forsyth 3
George Walton vs Riverside Military (Check Back Later)
Madison County 49, North Hall 35
#9 Fellowship Christian 55, East Jackson 21