TIGER — Rabun County shook off a slow start to rally for a 38-17 win over North Murray Friday night at Frank Snyder Stadium.
The Class 2A eighth-ranked Wildcats (2-0) trailed for the first time this season when the Mountaineers’ Ladd McConkey found Gunnar Thomason on a 14-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
The North Murray defense looked in control forcing a pair of Rabun County punts on its first two possessions. But the Wildcats defense gave them the spark they needed.
Brody Jarrard picked off a North Murray pass and returned it 55-yards for a score to pull within 7-6 after North Murray blocked the extra point. On their first possession of the second quarter, the Wildcats took the lead for good.
Sam Adams caught a 24-yard pass from Gunner Stockton and Stockton then connected with Adams again on a 2-point conversion for a 14-7 lead. After the teams traded punts, Rabun County extended its lead to 21-7 just before the half when Hogan Woodard hauled in a 34-yard pass from Stockton for a 28-7 with just 53 seconds left in the half.
The Mountaineers opened the third quarter driving into Rabun County territory and getting a 31-yard field goal from Owen Hannah. The Wildcats answered late in the third quarter when Stockton connected with Jarrard on a 10-yard TD pass for a 28-10 lead.
Edwin Diaz booted a 41-yard field goal to push Rabun’s lead to 31-10 on the first play of the fourth quarter but North Murray answered with a 74-yard touchdown run from Dante Edwards Tidwell midway through the final period.
Stockton capped all the scoring with a 25-yard TD run just over a minute later to crush any comeback thoughts by the Mountaineers.
Rabun County is off next week before traveling to Stephens County in two weeks.
