It was a night of eye-opening results and gritty fightbacks on Friday night, as northeast Georgia's high school football teams battled through Week 2 of the campaign.
(NOTE: For in-depth game stories and video highlights from contests around northeast Georgia, visit our Friday Game Night Page. Also, scroll down for a complete list of scores for area teams. Check all state scores here.)
Buford bounced back from a season-opening loss on Friday with a vengeance, as did Flowery Branch. The Falcons stormed back from last week's one-point loss to North Hall with an explosive 41-13 defeat of Chestatee -- a team that entered the showdown with plenty of momentum. The Wolves, meanwhile, never allowed long-distance visitor Bishop-Timon any momentum in a 49-6 victory in Buford to wipe away memories of a 24-7 loss to Roswell two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Mill Creek proved it is quite comfortable as a No. 1, as the Hawks, now atop the Class AAAAAAA polls, shut down old rival Dacula 30-0. In the night's other big rankings showdown, Thomson flashed its big play ability late to pull away from Jefferson 42-20 at Memorial Stadium.
In Class AAAAAA, Gainesville's defense bowed its neck late and helped the Red Elephants hold on for a 21-14 win over Clarke Central that pushed them to a 2-1 record. Fellow Region 8-AAAAAA competitor Apalachee so nearly busted a 12-game losing skid -- but could not hold on to a lead against Union Grove, settling for a 22-22 tie. Meanwhile, cross-town rival Winder-Barrow moved to 2-1 with a 35-20 win over Northview.
In the very northeast corner of the state Rabun County also got its season off to a winning start courtesy a gritty, 24-10 win over Stephens County in Tiger -- the Wildcats were also kept from finishing its first game of the season last week due to weather.
In Cleveland, Habersham Central moved to 2-0 on the season, fighting past White County 29-23 -- the victory represents the Raiders' highest regular-season win total since 2011.
Dawson County picked up its first win of the season after last week's regular-scheduled opener was hijacked by Mother Nature, running past Chattooga, 30-8. Meanwhile, in Dahlonega, Lumpkin County earned its first win of the Shane Williamson era, taking out Jackson County 26-10 just one week after the Indians also lost a contest due to weather.
Union County set a new program record for points scored in a game, blitzing Hayesville, N.C., 61-7. Meanwhile, Commerce kept its domination going, rolling over Hebron Christian 49-15. West Hall also won its second in a row, taking out Washington-Wilkes 10-0 on the road.
Banks County got first win of the season, pushing past Johnson in a shootout 54-35 in Oakwood, while North Forsyth kept up its strong start to the Robert Craft era with a 31-24 defeat of Loganville. Riverside Military Academy also squeaked out a 27-24 Region 8-A win over Providence Christian. North Gwinnett also claimed its second straight win to move to 2-1, 42-24 over Hillgrove.
AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES, Sept. 2
Apalachee 22, Union Grove 22
Athens Academy 54, Lakeview Academy 14
Banks County 54, Johnson 35
Buford 49, Bishop Timon (Buffalo, N.Y.) 6
Commerce 49, Hebron Christian Academy 15
Dawson County 30, Chattooga 8
Flowery Branch 41, Chestatee 13
Gainesville 21, Clarke Central 14
George Walton Academy 21, Towns County 6
Habersham Central 29, White County 23
Lumpkin County 26, Jackson County 10
Mill Creek 30, Dacula 0
North Forsyth 31, Loganville 24
North Gwinnett 42, Hillgrove 24
Riverside Military Academy 27, Providence Christian 24
Rabun County 24, Stephens County 10
Ringgold 49, Fannin County 30
Thomson 42, Jefferson 20
Union County 61, Hayesville (N.C.) 7
West Hall 10, Washington-Wilkes 0
Winder-Barrow 35, Northview 20
