BLAIRSVILLE — Union County football is starting to look more like it has reloaded.
Despite graduating a number of key players from last year's state playoff squad, the Panthers rolled to their second straight victory on Friday, pulling away from Lumpkin County over the second half for a 51-28 victory in Blairsville.
Union County (2-0) was led by a stellar night from senior quarterback Joseph Mancuso, who rushed for 111 yards, passed for 275 and manufactured six touchdowns, as the Panthers overcame a 14-9 first quarter deficit.
The Indians (0-2) got 122 yards rushing and 92 yards passing from quarterback Zach Matthews, who also rushed and passed for a score. Austin Pierce also rushed for 74 yards and had a hand in two Lumpkin County scores. His three-yard run with 1:56 left in the first quarter yielded a 14-3 Lumpkin lead -- after a 44-yard fake punt from Matthews set up the score.
It was to be Lumpkin's zenith, however.
Mancuso hooked up with Knox Kiernan for a 54-yard touchdown pass just seconds later and then gave the Panthers a 16-14 lead just minutes into the second quarter. Union County never trailed again. Cole Wright caught a 29-yard Mancuso touchdown pass for a 23-14 lead -- though Cole White interrupted Mancuso's big night with a 64-yard interception return for a score on the final play of the first half.
It proved only a hiccup for the Panthers, who made it 30-21 on a 49-yard touchdown pass from Mancuso to Sam Gilbert at the start of the third quarter.
Pierce responded with a 74-yard touchdown catch of his own to keep the pressure on, as Lumpkin County pulled within 30-28. But Union County stormed ahead -- Mancuso hooking up with Slade Thompson and Kiernan once more, while also running in another touchdown.
Union County will look to move to 3-0 next week at Andrews, N.C.
Lumpkin County will look to bounce back against Johnson next week.
