The pattern set last week continued throughout much of northeast Georgia prep football on Friday, as a number of lopsided finals were punctutated by a handful of dogfights during "Week 1" in GHSA play.
The closest games belonged to two Region 8-6A programs, as Habersham Central held on for a 42-35 win at Madison County, while a much-improved Gainesville watched a late lead slip away in a 24-21 defeat to North Forsyth.
The buzzer-beaters were few and far between, however, as Buford, Commerce, Dawson County, North Hall, Union County, West Hall and White County each won big.
(NOTE: Scroll down for a complete list of area scores, and visit our Friday Game Night page for game stories, video and scores from throughout the area.)
Also notching victories Friday were Riverside Military and Rabun County. The Eagles put up 224 yards in a 27-3 win over Kings Ridge, while Rabun County dominated for much of the contest, leading by as much 38-7 in the third quarter before watching North Murray fight back to pull within 52-42.
Meanwhile, Cherokee Bluff, Banks County and Lakeview Academy also dropped contests.
Buford gave up an early touchdown only to crush Jonesboro 58-7 behind 156 first half yards and 3 scores from Derrian Brown.
Commerce, meanwhile, rolled up 291 yards, including four touchdowns for quarterback Nate Ray in a 38-0 shutout of Athens Christian.
Dawson County also raced to a 37-0 first quarter lead en route to a 58-0 defeat of Chestatee to move to 2-0.
North Hall also pulled away from Jackson County over the course of the second half, moving to 2-0 in comfortable fashion 35-0.
Union County used three first half rushing touchdowns from Chad Buzzards to build a cushion and rolled to a 35-6 win over East Hall in its season opener.
West Hall notched its sixth straight "Battle of Oakwood" crown, rolling to a 34-0 first half lead to bounce back from a Week Zero defeat in a 41-8 win over Johnson.
And White County turned a 7-0 first half lead over Lumpkin County into a 33-0 lead by the third quarter before finally claiming a 40-7 victory.
FRIDAY'S HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES FOR AREA TEAMS
Buford 58, Jonesboro 7
Commerce 38, Athens Christian 0
Denmark 43, Cherokee Bluff 0
Dawson County 59, Chestatee 0
Franklin County 17, Banks County 0
Habersham Central 45, Madison County 35
North Forsyth 24, Gainesville 21
North Hall 35, Jackson County 0
Rabun County 52, North Murray 42
Riverside Military 27, Kings Ridge 3
Strong Rock Christian 33, Lakeview Academy 21
Union County 35, East Hall 6
White County 40, Lumpkin County 7
West Hall 41, Johnson 8
