GAINESVILLE — There were moments Friday that both Flowery Branch coach Ben Hall and Gainesville coach Heath Webb could smile about.
There also were moments when both probably felt like they were watching a preseason scrimmage.
But no matter the perspective, Flowery Branch’s 28-19 win over Gainesville at City Park Stadium sends both teams into region play next week with plenty to build on and plenty to work on.
“We made some mistakes like penalties and we had some dropped balls and turnovers so those are things we will definitely need to work on,” Hall said. “But we did a nice job on that last drive and we blocked a punt and got some turnovers so those are some good things.”
The Falcons (4-0) had watched a 21-6 halftime lead dwindle to 21-19 midway through the third quarter on a pair of Gainesville scores after essentially allowing just one big play -- a 70-yard flea flicker pass on the Red Elephants' second play of the game -- in the first half.
But after stopping Gainesville on downs at their own 35 with 7:36 left in the game, the Falcons used a 14-play drive to chew up 7:11 off the clock, with Jaizen Ellingham punching in a 3-yard run with just 25 seconds remaining to seal the win.
“We wanted to keep the ball no matter what and the guys just did a great job of executing and getting it done,” Hall said. “We haven’t peaked yet. There is still a lot of room for improvement.”
For Gainesville (0-5) the loss continued its worse start to a season in program history. But after a disappointing 42-10 loss last week to Jefferson, where they held a 10-7 lead with just 1:16 left in the first half, the Red Elephants this time rallied in the second half with the two third quarter scores. But two missed extra points in the game by Gainesville played large down the stretch.
Gainesville had the ball at the Falcons 34 after Isaac Robinson gathered in a tipped Elijah Gainey pass with 8:25 left and a chance to grab the lead. But after a short Quintavious Hayes run and a pair of incompletions, Walt Dixon was sacked on fourth down turning it over on downs setting up the Falcons final drive.
“I thought we competed much better tonight than last week,” Webb said. “The special teams miscues cost us the game. Two missed extra points and a blocked punt for a touchdown. It’s hard to win when you make those kinds of mistakes.
“But I feel like we’re close to turning the corner. We came out of the halftime asking ourselves if we were going to fold or step up and compete. The guys stepped up. I was extremely proud of how we responded.”
Gainesville opened strong stopping the Falcons on three quick plays and needing just two plays to strike first.
Hayes took a Walt Dixon pitch and then pitched to Justice Johnson, who found a wide-open Lenny Chatman for a 70-yard flea flicker touchdown pass to give the Red Elephants a 6-0 lead after a missed extra point with 9:49 left in the first quarter.
The Falcons looked to answer on their next possession but Jamal Larach missed a 40-yard field goal. The Red Elephants’ Rassie Littlejohn saved the points for Gainesville by chasing down Zarian Brawner on a 35-yard run to the Gainesville 15. Brawner was then stuffed on two consecutive runs and Gainey was sacked for an 11-yard loss setting up the field goal attempt with 1:53 left in the first quarter.
However, the Falcons defense forced a quick punt by the Red Elephants on the ensuing possession and turned the momentum. Chandler Diaz-Watson blocked Hop Aldridge’s punt and Taylor Reeves recovered in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. Larach’s point after was good giving the Falcons at 7-6 lead with just 11 seconds left in the quarter.
Gainesville was poised to answer back driving to the Falcons 13 facing a 2nd-and-3. But a series of penalties and a sack of Dixon pushed the Red Elephants all the way back to their own 47 and forced another punt.
Flowery Branch needed just one play to extend its lead as Ellingham, who finished with 147 yards on 22 carries, ripped off a 76-yard touchdown run, hurdling a Gainesville tackler at the Red Elephants 38 and then racing the final 35 yards to give them a 14-6 lead with 7:28 left in the half.
The Falcons added on late in the half capping a short 51-yard drive when Gainey connected with Jalin Strown on a 15-yd touchdown pass for a 21-6 lead just moments before the half.
But Gainesville came flying out of the halftime behind Hayes, who unleashed a 50-yard run on the second play of the third quarter and then capped the drive with a 1-yard scoring run to pull the Red Elephants within 21-12 after another missed extra point. Hayes paced Gainesville with 173 yards on the ground on 28 carries.
Dez Brown pulled the Red Elephants within 21-19 with 6:19 left in the third with a nifty 20-yard touchdown run breaking three tackles on the way to the end zone.
Both teams traded turnovers and a series of punts until the Falcons stopped Gainesville on downs to set up the final drive.
The win for the Falcons snapped a three-game losing streak to the Red Elephants and it was just their second-ever win at City Park and first since 2007.
SCORING SUMMARY
F. Branch........7.....14.....0.....7 -- 28
Gainesville.....6......0....13.....0 -- 19
First Quarter
G -- Chatman 70 pass from Johnson (kick failed) 6-0, 9:49
F -- Reeves blocked punt recovery in end zone (Larach kick) 7-6, 0:11
Second Quarter
F -- Ellingham 76 run (Larach kick) 14-6, 7:28
F -- Strown 15 pass from Gainey (Larach kick) 21-6, 0:11
Third Quarter
G -- Hayes 1 run (kick failed) 21-12, 9:15
G -- Brown 20 run (King kick) 21-19, 6:19
Fourth Quarter
F -- Ellingham 3 run (Larach kick) 28-19, 0:25
