With Jefferson just days away from playing for a State Championship in the Benz, we look at each of the local football teams and their state title game history.

BANKS COUNTY

State Title Game Appearances: 0
Closest: 2016 2nd Round

The Leopards have never really gotten close, putting together one 2nd-round appearance in 2016 as part of a 7-win season. That’s not the best season by any means, as the 1985 team was 9-1 and 1981 team was 9-2. The program has 230 wins in 59 seasons, but have yet to win a region title.

COMMERCE

State Title Game Appearances: 5
State Championships: 1981, 2000

The Tigers of Commerce have been arguably the most successful team in the state, winning 2 state titles (’81, ’00) and 19 region titles in 99 seasons. Commerce has won 660 games in that span, with the 2 biggest being the 1981 state title over Greene County and 2000 over Buford. The 1976 team was State Runner-Up, as was the 1973 and 1965 Tiger teams.

DAWSON COUNTY

State Title Game Appearances: 0
Closest: 2015 Quarterfinals

The Tigers have yet to play in the State Championship, but the closest they got in the bracket was the 2015 Quarterfinals, which was a 9-win team. The team has 2 region titles in its history and one 10-win season, with 213 total wins in 57 years.

HABERSHAM CENTRAL

State Title Game Appearances: 0
Closest: 1973 Semifinals; 1984, 1990, 2006, 2007 Quarterfinals

The Raiders haven’t played for a title, but the 5-time region champs have made some deep playoff runs. That includes the 1973 Semifinals run and Quarterfinals runs in 1984, 1990, and 2006-2007 with Tavarres King and Bo Hatchett carving up the opposing defenses. Overall, Hab Central has 285 wins in 55 seasons, complete with 5 region titles.

JEFFERSON

State Title Game Appearances: 5
State Championships: 2012

The Dragons are set to play in their 5th State Championship in a matter of days. They also played for one in 2000 with Malaki Starks and company, falling to Marist. Before that, they won the coveted trophy in 2012 in a magical run to the Dome with legendary coach T McFerrin going out a winner for the 14-1 Dragons against Calhoun…as fate would have it, that’s who the Dragons have again this time. Jefferson, an all-time great program with 526 wins and 13 region crowns in 78 years of existence, also played for a title in 1977 and 1975.

LUMPKIN COUNTY

State Title Game Appearances: 0
Closest: 2023 Quarterfinals

Lumpkin County’s 2023 Quarterfinals run, in which the team finished 12-1. That was the best season in school history bar none, with an elite offense (546 pts) and the program’s lone region title. Lumpkin has 212 wins all-time in 64 seasons.

RABUN COUNTY

State Title Game Appearances: 1
State Championships: 0

The golden age of Rabun County football will be that stretch from 2014-2022, as the Wildcats won 9 straight region titles and if you add in 2023, made 9 straight Quarterfinals. The 2017 State Runner-Up finish polished off a 14-1 season with QB Bailey Fisher leading the charge. The Cats fell to Hapeville Charter, playing at home in Tiger on a cold and wet December night. The team remained close in each of the 9 Quarterfinal runs, including a Semifinals loss at Callaway in 2020 with Gunner Stockton at QB. Rabun has 437 all-time wins with 10 region titles in 76 years.

STEPHENS COUNTY

State Title Game Appearances: 2
State Championships: 1958

The Indians have their State Championship in 1958 in a 12-0 perfect season. One of the most consistent teams in the state with the expectation always being to play in the postseason, Stephens County also made a title game run in 1988, finishing 14-1 that year as the State Runner-Up. Overall, this program has 533 wins in 94 years, winning 16 region titles.

TOWNS COUNTY

State Title Game Appearances: 0
Closest: 2017 1st Round

Towns County has yet to win a region title or make a run past the first round, with the Indians’ lone playoff trip coming in 2017. The history includes 51 seasons with a win total of 84.

UNION COUNTY

State Title Game Appearances: 0
Closest: 1972-1973 Quarterfinals, 2019 2nd Round

The Panthers have 316 wins in 68 seasons, including a pair of region titles. Union hasn’t played for a championship, but did make Quarterfinals runs in 1972 and 1973. Those teams were 3- and 4-win teams, respectively though. So perhaps more accurately/recently, the team’s closest run to a title was in 2019, when Union posted its first-ever and only 10-win season to date, while making the second round.

WHITE COUNTY

State Title Game Appearances: 0
Closest: 2010 & 2013 2nd Round

The Warriors have 319 all-time wins going back 67 seasons, but still lack a region title and a title game appearance. The closest came in 2010 when White County won 9 games and made the 2nd Round with star RB/DB Ashely Lowery. They made another 2nd Round appearance a few years later.