GAINESVILLE — Gainesville football knows how close it is to putting everything together for four quarters -- on Friday night it was painfully close.
The Red Elephants stormed down the stretch but could not overcome a slow offensive start en route to a 25-20 loss to Dacula in Gainesville -- an outcome that took the Region 8-AAAAAA title race out of the Red Elephants' hands.
"We just gotta quit getting so many just crazy penalties. We just shoot ourself in the foot too many times, and then we try to bail ourself out," Gainesville coach Bruce Miller said after watching his program respond to a 25-6 deficit to push the visiting Falcons to the limit over the closing minutes. "We've got to be a more disciplined football team, and hopefully we'll learn and do that.
"We just gotta believe in each other, and don't point fingers at each other, and just pull it together and make things happen."
The Red Elephants (3-4, 1-1 Region 8-AAAAAA) certainly made things happen late in the third and fourth quarters, as quarterback DJ Irons connected with Brendon Goss and then Jim Barnett for touchdown passes to haul Gainesville within 25-20 with 5:54 remaining. Yet the Falcons (3-4, 2-0) would not led the Red Elephants continue that momentum, grinding out a key drive to seal the victory.
The Red Elephants out-gained Dacula, rolling up 363 total yards to the Falcons' 283. But Dacula made the most of its ground game, rushing for 229 yards while also scoring on an interception return to stake the visitors to a 7-0 lead.
Tre McMillian did most of the damage for Dacula, rushing for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
Irons finished the game 15 of 30 for 289 yards and two scores. Barnett led all Gainesville receivers with 5 receptions for 77 yards. RD Timmons also had 2 catches for 76 yards, and Red Davis had 4 catches for 62 yards.
Gainesville faces another key region contest against Winder-Barrow next Friday in Gainesville.
Dacula travels to Habersham Central next week.
