MT. AIRY — For the second straight week Habersham Central rallied from a second half deficit to stay unbeaten so far in the 2016 season with a 21-14 victory over Franklin County at Raider Stadium.
The Raiders (3-0) got a 17-yard pass from Cole Wilbanks to Jake Jones late in the third quarter to take the lead and then needed a goal line stand in the final 40 seconds to hold off the Lions (1-2).
Wilbanks was 15-of-24 for 207 yards and two touchdowns passing and added a touchdown run to lead the Raiders offense. Wilbanks opened the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and then pushed Habersham’s lead to 13-0 in the second quarter on a 45-yard pass to Aaron Wood.
Franklin County rallied back, however, getting a 65-yard touchdown run from Tyrique Davis late in the first half and then a 9-yard scoring run from Myrian Craft in the third quarter take a 14-13 lead.
But Wilbanks’s pass to Jones, coupled with a 2-point pass to Wood with 2:25 left in the third quarter reclaimed the lead for the Raiders at 21-14.
The Raiders were poised late in the fourth quarter to add a field goal to push the lead to 10 but a botched snap on the try gave the Lions the ball in Habersham territory. Franklin County got a 1st-and-goal at the Raiders 7 with 1:30 left but was stopped on downs at the 4 on fourth down.
Habersham ran out the final 40 seconds to preserve the win.
"Just an unbelievable effort. Great effort, great determination, I'm just really proud of them," said Habersham Central coach Benji Harrison. "We talk to our guys all the time, if they haven't scored yet there's still a chance. Our guys were definitely living in the moment right there to get the goal line stop."
Wood finished with 6 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown and 2-point conversion for Habersham.
Davis finished with 142 yards on 23 carries to lead Franklin County.
