Here's a look at five things we learned from Week 1 of the high school football season...
1. Kyle Bacus and Nick Lyles moving toward superstar status
We already knew that the two running backs were good -- they proved it in a showdown on Aug. 19. But this week they showed that not only are they good, they are ready to put their respective teams' seasons on their shoulders. There are plenty of other talented players on the North Hall and Chestatee football teams -- just watch the highlights of the Trojans' win over Flowery Branch and the War Eagles streak-busting defeat of East Hall -- but there is no doubt that those two are talismans. The numbers alone are impressive -- through two games Bacus has 428 yards rushing (as a team North Hall has 620 so far) and six touchdowns. Not to be out-done Lyles has 345 yards rushing and two scores, while also totaling 138 yards receiving and a score. And this past week each was crucial to victory (we see Player of the Week nominations in the works). North Hall moved to 2-0 for the first time since 2013 courtesy a one-point win at the Branch -- Bacus doing all the scoring. Meanwhile, Lyles put up two of the War Eagles' three touchdowns and 198 total yards at East Hall for the program's first win since 2014. If these guys can stay healthy, so will each team's postseason chances.
2. Commerce, Stephens County more than ready for 2016
The Tigers entered the season with high expectations, returning several starters off last year's Class A Public semifinal squad. The Indians, meanwhile, brought back plenty of experience from 2015's first round playoff team. Each still had questions, however: Could Commerce adequately replace three-year starting quarterback Caleb Brooks? And could Stephens keep its offensive line production despite graduating four starters? The initial answers were certainly positive. New Tigers quarterback Lane Sorrow scored on two touchdown runs and facilitated Commerce's option offense to the tune of 451 yards rushing -- yes, 451 -- in a 43-0 defeat of Banks County. Meanwhile, Stephens County opened its season with an emphatic, 61-20 defeat of Franklin County. Remember, this is a Lions team which defeated a promising White County squad 26-7 in their season opener. The Indians will look to keep things rolling against a Rabun County team coming off a frustrating opener at Mt. Pisgah Christian, in which the Wildcats led 21-14 at the half before the game was abandoned due to severe weather. Commerce, meanwhile, will leap right into Region 8-A play against Hebron Christian.
3. Jefferson is set for its top 10 showdown with Thomson
The Dragons were amongst the early-season favorites to compete for a spot in the Georgia Dome in the uber-competitive Class AAAA. So far, Jefferson has done nothing to disprove that, rolling to a 2-0 start in wins over Discovery and Riverwood. The challenge will ramp up considerably this week, however. That's because Thomson -- also a front-runner in Class AAAA -- is coming to town. The Bulldogs are also 2-0 and ranked sixth in Class AAAA. The Dragons are No. 5. This was a game we circled on the calendar as soon as it came out in the spring. Both teams feature excellent rushing attacks, Thomson averaging 317 yards on the ground through two games, while Jefferson is putting up 250 behind the play of Colby Wood and Zack Boobas. Thomson also has four star defensive back Christian Tutt. The stars certainly seem aligned for an epic early-season showdown -- and perhaps a Class AAAA playoff peak?
4. Winder has plenty of backbone, bounces back
All the ingredients were in place for the Bulldoggs to feel sorry for themselves this past week. They had been blanked 31-0 the week before in a season opening loss to a Clarke Central team in its first game under a new coaching staff. And after graduating all sorts of playmakers from the 2015 senior class that helped lead Winder's resurgence, it would have been easy for the new starters to wonder what they had gotten themselves into... Instead, the Bulldoggs regrouped and showed that the lessons of the past two seasons were well learned, storming back for a 41-7 win over Walnut Grove. The victory saw quarterback Brock Landis pass for four touchdown passes and run for another. It was just what the doctor ordered to slave memories of the season opener and pave the way for a promising 2016 campaign.
5. Malik Drayton is a human highlight film
Yes, the Falcons lost to North Hall last week -- a missed field goal at the end just sealing the defeat -- but fans and coaches had to like what they saw in Branch junior Malik Drayton. Coach Chris Griffin said in the days leading up to the contest that they were going to get the ball into Drayton's hands in as many ways and as often as possible. And it was obvious as to why as the shifty speedster put up 94 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go along with 41 yards receiving. Every time he touched the ball he looked a threat to break loose, and his moves provided enough "ooooh" and "ahhhh" moments to leave us wanting more. Drayton may be small, but his impact is anything but, and we can't wait to see more of him.
WEEK 1 AREA PREP FOOTBALL SCORES, Aug. 26
Alpharetta 28, Gainesville 7
Chestatee 23, East Hall 21
Commerce 43, Banks County 0
East Jackson 38, Lakeview Academy 6
Jefferson 38, Riverwood 14
Johns Creek 28, North Forsyth 21
Madison County 42, Jackson County 14
Mill Creek 32, Stephenson 7
North Gwinnett 43, Milton 29
North Hall 21, Flowery Branch 20
Prince Avenue Christian 34, Riverside Military Academy 0
River Ridge 27, Apalachee 14
Stephens County 61, Franklin County 20
South Gwinnett 17, Lanier 0
Union County 36, Gilmer 16
West Hall 42, Johnson 14
Winder-Barrow 41, Walnut Grove 7
CANCELLED (Due to weather)
Forsyth Central at Dawson County
Rabun County at Mt. Pisgah Christian
White County at Lumpkin County
WEEK 2 SCHEDULE, Sept. 2
Apalachee at Union Grove
Athens Academy at Lakeview Academy
Banks County at Johnson
Bishop Timon, Buffalo, N.Y. at Buford
Clarke Central at Gainesville
Dacula at Mill Creek
Dawson County at Chattooga
Flowery Branch at Chestatee
George Walton Academy at Towns County
Habersham Central at White County
Hayesville, N.C. at Union County
Hebron Christian Academy at Commerce
Jackson County at Lumpkin County
North Forsyth at Loganville
North Gwinnett at Hillgrove
Providence Christian at Riverside Military Academy
Ringgold at Fannin County
Stephens County at Rabun County
Thomson at Jefferson
West Hall at Washington-Wilkes
Winder-Barrow at Northview
