WINDER -- Winder-Barrow clinched the fourth seed in Region 8-AAAAAA with a 35-28 win over Habersham Central Friday night.
But the Bulldoggs would not have been able to celebrate their third straight playoff berth -- a program record -- without Deon Williams.
The senior wide receiver/defensive back ran for 112 yards, caught three passes for 71 yards, and added a pair of kickoff returns for 164 yards, including an electrifying 91-yarder for a touchdown to give the Bulldoggs a 21-14 third quarter lead they would never relinquish. He also added several key tackles on defense.
“Deon was big-time for us in every phase of the game,” Winder-Barrow coach Heath Webb said. “He was outstanding all night. We left him on an island out there at corner and he did not give up much.”
The win for the Bulldoggs (5-4, 2-2 Region 8-AAAAAA) snapped a two-game losing streak. It also officially knocked Habersham Central (4-5, 0-4) out of the playoff race with one week remaining.
Bulldoggs’ quarterback Brock Landis also had a solid game throwing for 207 yards and three touchdowns. Landis connected with Casey Thurmond late in the first quarter on a 16-yard touchdown pass to take the first lead.
Habersham Central answered late in the second quarter on a 1-yard Michael babers touchdown run to tie the game at 7 by halftime.
Landis and Thurmond hooked up again midway through the third quarter on a 5-yard pass but the Raiders answered again with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Cole Wilbanks to Aaron Wood to tie the game at 14 with 1:30 in the quarter.
Williams responded taking the ensuing kickoff 91 yards for a score and a 21-14 Bulldoggs lead. After the Winder-Barrow defense forced a quick punt, Landis found Teague Moore for a 51-yard scoring pass to push the lead to 28-14 less than two minutes later.
Habersham cut the lead to 28-21 on a 6-yard scoring pass from Wilbanks to Trey Hurt but Williams sealed the win one play later sprinting 80-yards for a touchdown and a 35-21 lead.
The Raiders closed to within 35-28 on Wilbanks’ third TD pass of the game, a 27-yard strike to Jake Jones with 5:26 left. But they could get no closer.
Wilbanks finished 18-of-37 for 258 yards and the three touchdowns but also was sacked four times. Babers was held to just 61 yards on 23 carries. Wood had 6 catches for 122 yards for Habersham.
Winder-Barrow closes out the regular next week on the road against Region 8-AAAAAA champion Dacula, which sealed the title with a 20-0 victory over Lanier Friday night. Habersham Central plays host to Apalachee next week in its season finale.
