GAINESVILLE, Ga. — If ever there was proof positive that stats don't always matter, it was Gainesville's Region 8-6A first-place battle with Lanier Friday night at City Park.
In the first half, No. 1-ranked Gainesville ran just 11 plays and held the ball for just 2:51. But two pick-6s by the Red Elephants defense, a long punt return by Travien Watson, and one long TD pass from Baxter Wright gave them a wild 28-0 lead at the break. They would use that to go on for what turned out to be a sloppy-at-times 35-0 win to stay unbeaten and atop the early region standings.
Lanier would run 45 plays in the opening 24 minutes for 130 yards. They got into plus-territory three times—the results: three turnovers, zero points.
It was the second time in two games the Red Elephants have had fewer offensive snaps than points in the first half. They had 17 plays against Apalachee yet led 63-0 at the break two weeks ago.
"We had the same thing in our last game," Gainesville coach Josh Niblett said. "There were several times when we should have gotten off the field as a defense, and we would have a penalty to let them keep the ball. Look, we didn't play our best ball. We need to clean some things up."
A midseason assessment by Niblett was both glowing and critical.
"Our guys love to compete and play hard. We play physical, and we play fast, and we do those very, very well," he said. "But every now and then, we'll have a penalty, whether it's on offense or defense, and set ourselves back. If we do those things, we're just like everybody else, and we don't want to be like everybody else. We just need to continue to work on those things."
The game started innocently enough as both offenses were able to move the ball early. The Red Elephants (6-0, 2-0 Region 8-6A) drove down to the Lanier 22 on their opening drive, but running back Gavin Hall was stripped, and the Longhorns recovered the fumble.
Lanier (4-2, 1-1 Region 8-6A) generated a quick first down, but a botched handoff of its own allowed Gainesville's Cash O'Callaghan to recover the fumble at the Longhorns 44. The Red Elephants offense only needed three plays to strike first.
Hall ran for 15 yards, Wright ran for 7 yards, and then Wright found Sky Niblett for a 22-yard touchdown pass for an early 7-0 lead.
The Gainesville defense struck again on Lanier's next possession. After the Longhorns got to midfield, Jamarcus Sims jumped a slant route and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown for a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.
The Longhorns were forced to punt on their third possession, and Watson returned it 64 yards to the Lanier 6. Wright scored from the 1 three plays later for a 21-0 lead 4 seconds into the second quarter.
The Red Elephants would not run another offensive play until just 12 seconds were left in the half.
It didn't matter, however.
Lanier had its best drive going on its fourth possession, moving all the way to the Gainesville 14. But a penalty, an incomplete pass, and later a 7-yard sack of Preston Ratliff set up a 4th-and-22 from the 26.
Zion Ferguson picked off Ratliff's fourth-down throw and serpentined his way for an 87-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 28-0 lead.
The Longhorns drove inside the Gainesville 20 again, but two sacks and two incomplete passes turned it over on downs. The Red Elephants took a knee on the final play of the half for their second play of the quarter.
"We had some big plays on special teams and defense," Niblett said. "It's also about what you do with the plays you have and not necessarily how many you get."
In the third, Gainesville made it 35-0 when Wright connected with Watson for a 3-yard TD pass on their first drive after two other scores on the drive were called back because of penalties.
Not long after, the reserves for both teams took over, and the fourth quarter was played with a running clock.
Big Red is off again next week before traveling to Habersham Central in two weeks.
"We have another off week, and we'll take that time to work on the things we need to get better at and try to heal up as well," Niblett said.
Hall finished with 80 yards on 12 carries for Gainesville. Wright was 6-of-8 for 110- yards and 2 TD passes. Niblett had three catches for 63 yards. Watson had three catches for 66 yards and 1 TD and added 86 return yards as well.
Ratliff finished 12-of-21 for 149 yards passing, but the Longhorns had just 67 yards of offense in the second half.
