FLOWERY BRANCH — Flowery Branch exploded for 34 unanswered second half points to erase a 3-0 halftime deficit en route to a 34-10 defeat of Chestatee on Friday night in both teams’ season openers.
The Falcons (1-0) got 241 yards passing and three touchdowns from a mixture of quarterbacks. Jasen Johnson threw one touchdown pass and Kory Graham, normally on the scout team, was 2-for-2 for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
All three TD passes came in the third quarter as the Falcons took a 21-3 lead and never looked back.
"That's who we are, guys that, when it's time to make a play, they make a play,” Flowery Branch coach Chris Griffin said. “I'm incredibly pleased."
Flowery Branch also racked up 253 yards rushing behind Trey Wilcoxson, who led eight different ball carriers with 100 yards. Kyle King finished with 122 yards receiving and two touchdowns on just three catches, while Cortez Davis had 75 yards receiving and one touchdown on just two receptions for the Falcons.
Chestatee (0-1) took the early lead getting a 36-yard field goal from Steven Martinez in the first quarter. It stayed that way until the third quarter.
"(In the first quarter) we just made too many mistakes,” Griffin said. “We had a ton of effort issues, a lot of missed assignments. There were definitely some things we had to address at halftime, but I'm proud of our guys for responding."
The War Eagles did not score again until Jay Mays scored on a 45-yard run with just 30 seconds left in the game.
Mays finished with 81 yards on 11 carries while Muhammed Salaam added 57 yards rushing on six carries for Chestatee.
"We knew (Chestatee) were going to be very well prepared; they were gonna play hard,” Griffin said. “They've got a ton of great athletes and they're well coached. We knew it wasn't going to be easy."
SCORING SUMMARY
CHESTATEE................3....0.....0....7 -- 10
FLOWERY BRANCH....0....0...21...13 -- 34
First Quarter
CHS -- Martinez 36 field goal, 5:29, 3-0
Third Quarter
FB -- King 78 reception 11:27, 3-7
FB -- Davis 28 reception from Graham, 5:29, 3-14
FB -- King 40 reception from Graham, 3:52, 3-21
Fourth Quarter
FB -- Drayton 6 run, 11:53, 3-27
FB -- Damons 5 run, 2:02, 3-34
CHS -- Mays 45 run, :30, 10-34
