GAINESVILLE — So far in 2019, betting on how many grains of sand are on a beach may have been easier than trying to predict which Gainesville team would show up on any given Friday night.
A roller coaster ride over the first five weeks, which ended in a 2-3 record and some head-scratching moments, had many Gainesville fans reaching for motion-sickness bags. But if Friday’s convincing, if not somewhat surprising, 48-21 thumping of Habersham Central by the Red Elephants at City Park Stadium is any indication of what may be to follow, it may be safe to buckle back in.
The Red Elephants piled up a season-high 512 yards, including 382 on the ground, and held the Raiders to just one sustained scoring drive in capturing a huge Region 8-6A victory. The win kept Gainesville (3-4, 1-1 Region 6-A) alive for a possible upper-tier finish. The loss for Habersham (2-4, 0-2) now puts the Raiders in a precarious playoff position.
Even Gainesville coach Heath Webb found negatives hard to come by.
“We just played and executed really well the entire game. It reminded me of our first game (against Mary Person),” Webb said. “That may have been our best offensive game of the season. The difference was we finished drives.”
It was a needed victory for the Red Elephants after a brutal three-game gauntlet against ranked teams Jefferson, Flowery Branch, and top-rated Dacula.
“What I thought was impressive was that this group survived those three games and never got down on themselves,” Webb said. “I think playing teams of that caliber has made them better. Just really, really proud of their effort.”
JD Brooks scored five times on just eight carries for 72 yards to pace the ground attack. Dez Brown had 90 yards and a touchdown and Gionni Williams added 91 yards and a score as well. Williams also had perhaps his best night throwing, completing 5-of-7 passes for 130 yards. Lenny Chatman had three catches for 49 yards.
The Raiders managed 385 yards of offense but turnovers again helped snuff out potential scoring drives. The biggest came in the first quarter. Trailing just 7-0, the raiders drove the field with what looked to be a quick answer. But Gainesville's Quez Borders intercepted a Ryte Woodruff pass and returned it to the Habersham Central 5-yard line.
The Red Elephants score one play later for a 14-0 lead and Habersham never got closer than seven points the rest of the way. Jackson Clouatre scored on a 5-yard TD run to pull the Raiders within 14-7 but Gainesville would go on a 24-7 spurt into the fourth quarter for a 48-14 lead.
Woodruff finished 20-of-35 passing for 249 yards with leading receiver Joshua Pickett pulling in 9 catches for 120 yards and 1 touchdown. Austin Wood had 3 catches for 77 yards and a score. Clouatre, who was averaging close to 100 yards a game, was held to just 38 yards on 14 carries.
