Here's a look at five things we learned from week three of the high school football season...
1. West Hall has quietly pieced together a very impressive start
The Spartans gave Gainesville a big scare in their season opener but ultimately fell, 20-10 -- all West Hall has done since then is win. The Spartans have ripped off three straight victories and done so in impressive fashion, allowing just 14 points combined while piling up impressive rushing yardage behind a number of backs. Tyrese Osborne has been the spark -- as he showed again in this week's 41-0 beat down of Jackson County, sprinting his way to four touchdowns, as West Hall rushed for 285 yards as a team. Perhaps most impressive, however, has been that defense. West Hall stonewalled Jackson County to the tune of 124 total yards for the Panthers. Only longtime rival Johnson has scored on the Spartans since that season opener -- and only one of those touchdowns came with the game still in the balance. Since then it has been two straight shutouts for a team that has been building confidence for its region schedule. The task will get MUCH tougher this week, as defending Region 7-AAA champ Dawson County pays a visit to "The Hot Gates" in Oakwood. The Tigers have just one contest under their belts after their season opener was abandoned due to weather, but West Hall must expect Dawson County's spread attack and quarterback Coey Watson to present their biggest challenge since the opener vs. the Red Elephants.
2. Habersham Central adds another positive to its big turnaround, proves it can win without Babers
We have already chronicled the turnraround underway in Mt. Airy, but Friday's second comeback win in as many games added yet another factor to the Raiders' rise. Not only did they hold off Franklin County inside the final minute after the Lions moved to first-and-goal from the 6-yard line in a 21-14 win -- proving their defensive mettle -- offensively Habersham showed it can also be successful without its most talented player. Senior running back Michael Babers left the game with a lower leg injury, and quarterback Cole Wilbanks had to step in an fill the void. The senior signal caller passed for 207 yards and two scores, as well as running for a touchdown, to help the Raiders move to 3-0 and equal the program's win total from the last four seasons combined in the process. It has to be heartening for coaches and players to be part of and witness to a team that not only has ability but heart and desire enough to see contests like Friday's through after experiencing so little previous varsity success. And, by the way, coaches were hopeful that Babers' condition is not serious: "I think he's gonna be fine; he sprained his ankle a little bit," Habersham coach Benji Harrison said. "He wanted to play, he wanted to go back in. We just felt it's too early in the season to risk that with him. We've got other guys that's earned their right to step up and make plays, and we just felt like with those two we could do that. Again, I just didn't want to risk it with Mike, because it's too early in the season. He needs to be healthy because we need him for the long haul."
3. Fisher quite comfortable being the man for Wildcats
Prior to the 2014 season Rabun County football coaches smiled to themselves and quietly talked of big things to come from a young quarterback on the roster named Bailey Fisher. The rest of northeast Georgia began to see what they were talking about last season when, as a sophomore, he rolled up almost 4,000 yards of total offense and 46 touchdowns, facilitating and becoming a key cog in Rabun's spread attack. This season, however, Fisher faced a new reality, as the Wildcats looked to him not only for big plays but for ownership of the offense. The Wildcats graduated a number of key offensive players, including Charlie Woerner -- already starting at the University of Georgia -- meaning that it was time for Fisher to become the hub of it all. And he has responded -- just ask White County. The signal caller roasted the Warriors for 370 yards passing and six touchdowns while also running for another score to account for all seven of the Wildcats visits to the end zone in a 49-7 victory. Coach Lee Shaw has coached some incredible quarterbacks in his years, including his own sons Jaybo and Connor, who both went on to stellar collegiate careers (while Connor, hampered by injury, is still battling for an NFL career). Is Fisher of that class? His performances certainly don't deny it.
4. East Jackson finally has positive momentum
Nothing has come easy for the Eagles -- not since the program's inception in 2007. East Jackson produced its lone winning season in 2009 (10-2), and it has been all down hill since then, with just nine victories in six campaigns combined. But, finally, things are looking up for a team in Commerce other than the Tigers -- who are also dominant (but that is not a surprise). What is surprising is that the Eagles now find themselves looking at a two-game win streak for the first time since 2011. Sitting at 2-1 East Jackson could equal its win total from the last three seasons with one more win. Granted, the road gets WAY tougher this weekend as the Eagles travel south to take on 2015 Class AAAAA runner-up Glynn Academy. Regardless of that outcome, however, coach Christian Hunnciutt has already generated more positive momentum in his first season than East Jackson has experienced in some time.
5. Brenton King is a true weapon
We don't write about placekickers a lot here in 5 things. It's not because we have that "kickers (followed by an eyeroll)" mentality. It's more simply because there are few high school placekickers that catch the eye. But that is most definitely NOT the case at Mill Creek, where senior placekicker Brenton King has developed into one of the most impressice players we have ever seen at the position. For example look no further than Friday night, as the Hawk booted a school record 56-yard field goal, and video of the kick showed that it would have been good from 60. It's almost to the point that any time Mill Creek crosses midfield it has a legitimate scoring threat. In fact, King's performances have us wondering if it might be a good idea for Kirby Smart to make the short drive to Hoschton on a Friday night. From what we've seen, King would be an upgrade over what the Bulldogs have shown so far in the kicking game.
WEEK 3 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES, Sept. 9
Chestatee 47, Fannin County 30
Commerce 42, Lakeview Academy 7
Discovery 27, Apalachee 10
East Hall 47, Johnson 21
East Jackson 28, Oglethorpe County 14
George Walton Academy 28, Riverside Military Academy 0
Habersham Central 21, Franklin County 14
Madison County 27, Lumpkin County 7
Mill Creek 31, Archer 10
Norcross 38, North Gwinnett 24
North Hall 16, Pickens 8
Northside-Warner Robins 38, Lanier 7
Prince Avenue Christian 47, Towns County 13
Rabun County 49, White County 7
Stephens County 41, Flowery Branch 7
West Hall 41, Jackson County 0
Union County 45, Andrews (N.C.) 20
WEEK 4 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, Sept. 16
Chestatee at Lumpkin County
Dawson County at West Hall
Fannin County at Andrews, N.C.
Habersham Central at Stephens County
Jackson County at East Hall
Jefferson at Flowery Branch
Jeff Davis (Montgomery, Ala.) at Buford
Lambert at Lanier
Loganville at Winder-Barrow
North Hall at White County
Pickens at North Forsyth
Riverside Military Academy at Towns County
Union County at Banks County
Walnut Grove at Apalachee
Sept. 17
East Jackson at Glynn Academy (Glynn County Stadium), 1 p.m.
