Here's a look at five things we learned from Week 10 of the high school football season... (NOTE: Check out the latest standings for area regions here.)
1. Dawson County gets its big shot
Even back in August, the regular season finale between Greater Atlanta Christian and Dawson County looked like it might be important -- turns out that this Friday's showdown between the Tigers and Spartans is worthy of marquee status. It is a top 10 showdown for a region title with some of the best players in northeast Georgia going against perhaps the top quarterback in the state -- and we cannot wait. Few teams have had any real success in slowing Greater Atlanta Christian since the return of senior signal caller Davis Mills from injury. The Stanford-bound quarterback has passed for 1,331 yards and 20 touchdowns against zero -- yes, zero -- interceptions. He's also rushed for a very respectable 154 yards and three scores. Meanwhile, running back Kyler McMichael is rushing for 106 yards per game and has scored 12 TDs. Can Dawson County slow an offense averaging 371 yards per game (180 passing and 191 rushing)? The Tigers defense has been impressive so far this campaign, and middle linebacker Luke Martin (121 tackles, 8 sacks, 2 interceptions) has been a star in his own right, anchoring a unit that is yielding 17 points per game (though some of that came after the Tigers had built insurmountable leads). Perhaps the question should go the other way as well. The Dawson County offense enters the contest averaging 43 points and 398 yards per game. Led by quarterback Coey Watson (1,440 yards passing, 14 TDs, 2 INTs; 555 yards rushing, 14 TDs), the Tigers have been just as balanced as the Spartans (213 yards per game rushing, 185 passing) -- and are also getting key scores on special teams. We think this is as intriguing game as we've had on the schedule all season.
2. Commerce is finding its from at the right time
At the end of September, the Tigers ran into some trouble, dropping two straight in hardfought losses to Athens Christian and Prince Avenue Christian. Since then, however, Commerce has been unstoppable, and to show that it was not just a matter of playing weaker teams, the Tigers handed previously undefeated Athens Academy its first loss of the season on Friday, rolling up 526 yards rushing. That mark was just four yards shy of the program record for yards in a contest and shows that Commerce's offense is starting to hit its stride at just the right time. New starting quarterback Lane Sorrow looks to be in full command of the Tigers' option attack, and with a stout George Walton Academy (7-2, 6-2 Region 8-A) on the schedule Friday and the state playoffs to follow that can only be a good thing for Commerce.
3. East Jackson's strides will make 8-AAA interesting down to the wire
Coach Christian Hunnicutt has helped turn the Eagles into a much more consistent and dangerous team in his first season in charge -- and Friday's 21-14 win over rival Jackson County proved it. East Jackson lost that same contest in 2015 by a score of 69-0. And while this year's victory undoubtedly banished some demons around the Eagles locker room, it also vaulted East Jackson into the state playoff mix in a Region 8-AAA that has seen only one team -- Morgan County -- pull away from the pack. In fact, the Eagles face Hart County on Friday knowing that a win, combined with a Jackson Couty loss at Morgan County (already the 8-AAA champion) would actually clinch East Jackson's first state playoff berth since 2009. It would also represent the program's second-ever postseason appearance. This is a program that won three games combined in its last four seasons. And if Hunnicutt and company land a playoff spot already that could present an immeasurable boon for a program looking for growth.
4. Kyle Bacus hits beast mode
We have chronicled numerous times the exploits of North Hall's senior running back -- see his Player of the Week award video here -- and anyone who watches high school football in northeast Georgia with regularity should be familiar with his name. But what Bacus accomplished on Friday night may well enter legendary status. He put on a game-for-the-ages performance against East Hall, in which he smashed the Trojans' program record for rushing yards in a contest with 337 -- overtaking arguably the most explosive player in North Hall history in TJ Pitts. Now, Bacus' unassuming nature makes him a reluctant star, but there's no doubt just how important he has been to the Trojans' offense this season. The senior finished his regular season with 1,554 yards and 14 touchdowns -- the rest of the team combined has 1,283 yards rushing. Bacus' feats already had him 14th in the state amongst all rushing leaders across all classifications, and he will now undoubtedly finish the regular season inside the top 10, perhaps top 5. Yet, most importantly, his contributions helped ensure that the Trojans are back in the state playoffs for a second straight season. They are still waiting to discover their seeding (either No. 3 or 4, depending on Friday's Lumpkin County at Union County contest), but you can bet that Bacus will have a lot to say about North Hall's postseason fortunes as well.
5. Deon Williams can be Winder-Barrow's spark
Speaking of difference-makers, the Bulldoggs needed one to step forward on Friday night -- and Williams obliged. Winder faced Habersham Central in what was, essentially, an early playoff game. The Bulldoggs knew that a win pinned them to their third straight state playoff appearance -- they also knew it would not come easy against a Raiders team fighting for its own playoff life (and first postseason berth since 2011). Williams made perhaps the biggest difference. 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 in a 35-28 win that notched a program record third straight state playoff win. The Bulldoggs will enter the postseason as a No. 4 seed, but the knowledge that they have a performer like Williams will give them optimism -- even against a No. 1 seed.
WEEK 10 AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES, Oct. 28
Athens Christian 41, Riverside Military Academy 7
Banks County 14, Putnam County 0
Buford 35, Loganville 10
Cedar Shoals 40, Johnson 0
Commerce 42, Athens Academy 30
Dacula 20, Lanier 0
Dawson County 54, Lumpkin County 8
East Jackson 21, Jackson County 14
Gainesville 28, Apalachee 0
Jefferson 35, Stephens County 7
Lakeview Academy 42, Towns County 35 OT
Marist 47, Chestatee 14
North Gwinnett 41, Collins Hill 7
North Hall 68, East Hall 42
Rabun County 58, Oglethorpe County 0
Union County 63, Fannin County 39
Winder-Barrow 35, Habersham Central 28
West Forsyth 55, North Forsyth 7
West Hall 35, White County 14
AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE WEEK 11, Nov. 4
Apalachee at Habersham Central
Banks County at Elbert County
Discovery at North Gwinnett
Fannin County at East Hall
Flowery Branch at Buford
Gainesville at Lanier
George Walton Academy at Commerce
Greater Atlanta Christian at Dawson County
Hart County at East Jackson
Jackson County at Morgan County
Jefferson at Oconee County
Loganville at Johnson
Lumpkin County at Union County
Mill Creek at Duluth
Milton at North Forsyth
North Oconee at Stephens County
Providence Christian at Towns County
Rabun County at Monticello
Riverside Military Academy at Lakeview Academy
West Hall at Blessed Trinity
White County at Marist
Winder-Barrow at Dacula
