RABBITTOWN — It was just one game.
Yet East Hall’s stunning 48-14 win over Lumpkin County last week to open the Region 7-AAA schedule can have several interpretations.
Was it just a perfect-storm scenario for one night? Was it the culmination of three weeks of playing a brutal opening schedule where the opposition has been a combined 14-5 over the first month? Was it the coming out party for a young but talented team?
Not even Vikings head coach Bryan Gray is completely sure. But he would rather look at it as in the past as they prepare for a showdown with Dawson County on Friday night at Valhalla with an early chance to grab the top spot in the region standings.
“It was probably a little of all of those,” Gray said. “We played very well the entire game in all three phases of the game. I also think playing a hard schedule has toughened us up, and we are a young team with a lot of talent that maybe is starting to understand things and learning how to win.
“But that was just one game. Dawson County is the next game and we’re focused on that and just trying to get better each week. But I think the guys believed they were making progress and we all saw that last week.”
East Hall (1-3, 1-0 Region 7-AAA) opened the season with a pair of lopsided losses to Wesleyan -- ranked in Class AA -- and Pickens (from Class AAAA) and then dropped a heartbreaker in overtime to Jackson County before taking on Lumpkin County.
After scoring just six points against Wesleyan, the Vikings have averaged 33.6 points a game over their last three games while the defense has allowed just 48 points over the last two games after surrendering 101 in the first two contests.
“I feel like our improvement is more geared toward the offense,” Gray said. “We thought the defense would get better with each game and it is. But we have a lot of new guys on offense and to see them come together as quickly as they have I think is a good sign for us.”
The defense is led by five underclassmen. Junior defensive linemen Austin Haynes and Andrew Arrowood have been a handful and opened up the tackling lanes for sophomores Isaiah Jenkins and Jacob Wade and senior Jesse Peterson in the linebacking corps. Another key has been the play of sophomore safety Noah Dyer.
“The defense has been playing aggressively, pursuing, and rallying to the ball on every play,” Gray said. “The front seven has really gotten going the last couple of weeks. Noah has greatly improved and been a big addition to the defense.”
On offense, sophomore Austin Parker took control under center after a three-way battle during the preseason. Senior running back Jiel Vargas, senior wide receiver Jacquen Hopkins, and junior receiver Markese Jackson have given Parker plenty of weapons to work with.
“Austin is showing that he is very calm running the offense,” Gray said. “He really pays attention to detail. But the key I think is that he realizes he has playmakers around him and is getting the ball to them.”
Against Lumpkin County Parker threw for 250 yards, most of that going to Hopkins, Jackson, and Vargas. Vargas had 120 yards rushing and 60 yards receiving. Vargas also has given the Vikings a dependable option out of the backfield.
“We felt Jiel would be good when healthy. He showed some of that last year when he got some chances but was injured for part of the year,” Gray said. “He is really playing well. We’re getting the balance we want right now.”
Dawson County (2-2, 1-0) is similar in that the Tigers sport a new coach, new offense, and new defense and are also trying to find their way. The looked very much on the right path last week when they handed West Hall its first shutout loss since 2013, 17-0. Yet Dawson has yet to win back-to-back games since the opening two games of the 2013 campaign.
It will be a chance for both teams to take an early hold on the region. The two teams are tied with Franklin County, with the Tigers playing host to Franklin County next week. The Vikings will play host to West Hall next week.
But Gray said the Vikings are not trying to think about the future.
“Again, it was just one game last week. We aren’t in a position to really think about anything more than that,” Gray said. “We have zero concern beyond this Friday and Dawson County. I know people want to look ahead but we’re not at a level where we can do anything but focus on who we play this week.
“Every game is important in this region; we saw that last year. I think it will come down to the final game on the final week of the season. But this is a big game for both teams so I expect a battle the entire game. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”
