One old rivalry and one new rivalry should highlight Week 5 of the high school football season Friday night.
North Hall and White will renew one of the longest-running feuds in northeast Georgia when they meet for the 47th time at The Brickyard. The series is deadlocked at 23 wins apiece and both teams come in looking to build momentum as they prepare for all-important region play.
Meanwhile, at City Park Stadium, Gainesville will entertain Jefferson in a new rivalry between the two traditional powerhouse programs. It is just their fourth-ever meeting, all since 2016, with the Dragons having won all three of the previous showdowns. But both teams come into this one fresh off big wins and two weeks of rest.
Buford will play host to Class 7A Newton, the Wolves’ second of three of Class 7A teams on their schedule in 2019. They already knocked off defending 7A state champion Milton two weeks ago. However, the Rams are a perfect 3-0 and Buford cannot get caught looking at next week’s anticipated showdown with Archer.
And Region 8-2A will open its playoff journey this week with a full slate of games. Rabun County, Union County, and Banks County all will get their region schedules underway at home. The Wildcats will take on Putnam County; the Panthers will play Monticello, and the Leopards will play host to Social Circle.
For a look at all of the weekend's contests involving area teams, simply scroll down. And be sure to check back with AccessWDUN's Friday Game Night throughout Friday and Saturday night for score updates and game stories and video highlights. You can also check for scores and highlights on our Twitter feed: @FridayGameNight
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FOR Sept. 20
(Games listed in alphabetical order of visiting team)
COMMERCE at PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Providence Stadium, Lilburn
-- COMMERCE (2-1, 0-0 Region 8-A Division B): Off last week; lost 40-20 to Hart County two weeks ago
-- PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN (1-2, 0-1 Region 8-A Division A): Lost 49-3 to No. 4-ranked Prince Avenue Christian last week
-- NOTABLE: Commerce leads series 5-0. The Tigers won 56-0 in 2018 in Commerce. ... This has been about as lopsided of a series as you can get as Commerce has dominated the Storm. The Tigers have outscored Providence 268-10 in the five meetings, all since 2014, and are working on a streak of four consecutive shutouts. ... This is a Region 8-A crossover game and will not factor in the final subregion standings for determining the seeding for the year-end crossover games.
DENMARK at DAWSON COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Tiger Stadium, Dawsonville
-- RADIO: www.northgeorgiasportslink.com
-- DENMARK (2-0, 0-0 Region 7-4A): Game vs. Forsyth central last week was canceled; defeated North Springs 63-0 two weeks ago
-- DAWSON COUNTY (3-0, 0-0 Region 7-3A): Defeated West Hall 34-0 last week
-- NOTABLE: Dawson County leads series 1-0. The Tigers won 38-21 in Alpharetta in 2018. ... Both teams come in undefeated and rolling. The Danes have yet to surrender a point in their first two games. They should get a challenge from a Dawson County offense that is picking up steam. The Tigers are averaging 35.3 ppg in the early going. ... But the key matchup will surely be the Danes high-powered offense, led by former Buford QB Aaron McLaughlin (Auburn-commit) and a plethora of playmakers led by Sr. WR Ze’Vian Capers (Auburn-commit). The Tigers defense has allowed 55 points (18.3 ppg) but is coming off its shutout of West Hall, their first shutout win since beating East Hall 64-0 nearly a year ago. ... Dawson County has been tough at home winning 11 straight at Tiger Stadium since the mid-2017 season.
EAST JACKSON at MADISON COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Red Raider Stadium, Danielsville
-- EAST JACKSON (3-0, 0-0 Region 8-3A): Defeated Banks County 38-0 last week
-- MADISON COUNTY (2-2, 0-0 Region 8-4A): Lost 32-9 to Hart County last week
-- NOTABLE: Madison County leads series 1-0. The Red Raiders won 55-0 in 2018. ... The Eagles are riding their best start since 2009 and have looked solid on both sides of the ball early. Defensively they have been nearly impenetrable allowing just 10 total points over their last 10 quarters. They scored a pair of defensive TDs in last week’s win. ... The Red Raiders will offer East Jackson its toughest test so far in the Cameron Pettus-era. Madison County has a pair of wins over Region 8-6A teams and played a good Cedar Shoals team into the fourth quarter. Madison County has yielded just 22 ppg on defense. The Eagles are averaging 31 ppg on offense.
FANNIN COUNTY at CHESTATEE
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: War Eagle Stadium, Gainesville
-- RADIO: 94.5 FM The Lake
-- FANNIN COUNTY (2-1, 0-0 Region 7-3A): Lost 33-14 to Union County last week
-- CHESTATEE (1-2, 0-0 Region 7-4A): Defeated East Hall 34-26 last week
-- NOTABLE: Chestatee leads series 4-3. The War Eagles won 45-42 in 2018 in Blue Ridge. ... Chestatee has won the last four meetings going back to 2005. The last Rebels win in the series came in 2004. ... Fannin ran into a Union offense that is clicking allowing more points (33) than it had in its first two games (23). Chestatee, which is averaging 30 ppg, should offer another challenge for the Rebels. War Eagles’ QB Christian Charles had over 300 all-purpose yards and RB Hunter Chambers had 192 yards rushing last week against East Hall. ... Fannin County is looking for its first 3-1 start since 2011.
GEORGE WALTON ACADEMY at TOWNS COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Frank McClure Stadium, Hiawassee
-- GEORGE WALTON ACADEMY (2-1, 0-0 Region 8-A Division A): Lost 28-21 to Hebron Christian last week
-- TOWNS COUNTY (0-3, 0-0 Region 8-A Division B): Off last week; lost 60-7 to Union County two weeks ago
-- NOTABLE: George Walton leads series 5-0. The Bulldogs won 41-7 in 2018 in Monroe. ... Similar to the Commerce-Providence matchup, this is a series that has been dominated by the Bulldogs. They have outscored the Indians 151-48 in the series, but only with one shutout. ... Towns County is still getting acclimated to new systems under Jason Roquemore and the Indians have had one of the tougher opening schedules in northeast Georgia. They have struggled on offense managing just 19 points with the defense allowing the second-most points in Class A (151) in the early going. ... This also is a Region 8-A crossover game and will not factor in the final subregion standings for determining the seeding for the year-end crossover games.
JEFFERSON at GAINESVILLE
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: City Park Stadium, Gainesville
-- RADIO: WDUN AM 550
-- JEFFERSON (1-1, 0-0 Region 8-3A): Game vs. Southside (S.C.) was canceled last week
-- GAINESVILLE (2-1, 0-0 Region 8-6A): Off last week; defeated Lambert 55-7 two weeks ago
-- NOTABLE: Jefferson leads series 3-0. The Dragons won 42-10 in 2018 in Jefferson. ... Gainesville is looking for its first 3-1 start since 2015. Jefferson has a history of strong starts. The Dragons have not started a season 1-2 since 2007. ... The Red Elephants biggest improvement in the early going is on the offensive side. They’ve scored 89 points (29.6 ppg) in their first three games after scoring just 145 (13.1 ppg) in all of 2018. ... Jefferson has yielded just 14 ppg in the early going on defense. ... The Dragons offense looks more explosive than in 2018 with the addition of So. Malaki Starks. More than a half-dozen players already have scored TDs in their option attack. ... The Gainesville defense also has been markedly improved. Over the stretch of teams in 2018, they allowed 82 points (27.3 ppg) while the Red Elephants have surrendered just 49 points (16.3 ppg) in 2019
JOHNSON at CROSS KEYS
-- WHEN: 5:15 p.m.
-- WHERE: Adams Stadium, Atlanta (off N. Druid Hills)
-- JOHNSON (2-2, 0-0 Region 8-5A): Lost 32-24 to Riverside Military Academy last week
-- CROSS KEYS (0-4, non-region schedule): Lost 69-0 to Callaway last week
-- NOTABLE: Johnson leads series 4-0. The Knights won 58-0 in 2018. ... Cross Keys has lost 24 straight games going back to the 2015 season. They have been outscored 250-6 so far in 2019. The Indians’ only points came in a 53-6 loss to Berkmar. ... The Indians couldn’t come at a better time for the Knights, who have lost two straight since breaking a long losing streak to West Hall. The Johnson defense, which is undersized, has given up 29 ppg but also succumbed to a Riverside comeback last week after the offense had battled back from an early deficit. ... Except for a turnover-filled loss to Cherokee Bluff (7 points) the offense has averaged 28.6 in its other three contests.
MONTICELLO at UNION COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Mike Colwell Memorial Stadium, Blairsville
-- MONTICELLO (0-3, 0-0 Region 8-2A): Lost 28-21 to North Cobb Christian last week
-- UNION COUNTY (3-0, 0-0 Region 8-2A): Defeated Fannin County 33-14 last week
-- NOTABLE: Monticello leads series 2-1. Union County won 38-22 in 2018 in the first meeting between the two schools since 1995. ... It is the Region 8-2A opener for both teams and both are coming off playoff runs. The Panthers are off to another good start outscoring their first three opponents 142-29. The 142 points leads all of Class 2A. ... Panthers’ QB Pierson Allison already has over 600 yards and 8 TDs passing but its the run game that is flourishing so far. Four RBs -- Jonah Daniel (408), Allison (129), Sloan Sutton (113), Cayleb Rogers (112) -- have over 100 yards each. Union is averaging 276 yards rushing a game with 12 rushing TDs so far. ... The Hurricanes have played one of the toughest non-region schedules as their first three opponents -- Mount de Sales, Bowden, and North Cobb Christian -- are 8-0 combined. Expect the Hurricanes to run the ball behind Jaylon Mitchell, who is averaging over 100 yards a game. ... The Union defense has 3 INTS and 3 sacks in its first three games.
NEWTON at BUFORD
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Tom Riden Stadium, Buford
-- NEWTON (3-0, 0-0 Region 8-7A): Defeated Arabia Mountain 20-6 last week
-- BUFORD (3-0, 0-0 Region 8-5A): Ranked No. 1 in Class 5A; defeated Life Christian Academy (Va.) 33-22 last week
-- NOTABLE: Buford leads series 1-0. The Wolves won 54-27 in 2018. ... This is the second of three games against Class 7A teams in 2018 for the Wolves. Buford already took down defending Class 7A state champion Milton two weeks ago. The key will be not looking past the Rams with powerhouse Archer waiting next week. ... Buford is showing plenty of meddle in close games so far outlasting Milton by three points and holding off a Life Christian charge in the second half. ... Newton is 3-0 for the second time in three seasons. The Rams have dominated their first three opponents giving up just 13 total points while piling up 107 points (35.6 ppg). However, that group is just 2-9 overall combined. ... Buford is looking for its first 4-0 start since 2014, the last time the Wolves won a state title.
PUTNAM COUNTY at RABUN COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Frank Snyder Stadium, Tiger
-- PUTNAM COUNTY (1-2, 0-0 Region 8-2A): Defeated Greene County 43-35 last week
-- RABUN COUNTY (3-0, 0-0 Region 8-2A): Defeated Class 4A Stephens County 44-7 last week
-- NOTABLE: Rabun County leads series 3-0. The Wildcats won 42-20 in Eatonton in 2018. ... The Wildcats put together one of their more impressive wins in recent memory in the blowout of the Indians, who suffered their worst defeat since 2015 in a 42-0 loss to Buford. ... It should be a favorable matchup for Rabun County. The Wildcats are averaging 38.6 ppg while the War Eagles have allowed 130 points (43.3 ppg) the 7th-most in 2A so far. ... So. QB Gunner Stockton already has over 1,100 combined yards (731 passing, 403 rushing) with 12 combined TDs. ... Rabun County has won 12 straight and is 40-2 in the regular season going back to the 2015 season.
SOCIAL CIRCLE at BANKS COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Leopards Stadium, Homer
-- SOCIAL CIRCLE (1-1, 0-0 Region 8-2A): Off last week; defeated Cross Keys 64-0 two weeks ago
-- BANKS COUNTY (1-2, 0-0 Region 8-2A): Lost 38-0 to East Jackson last week
-- NOTABLE: Banks County leads series 18-5. The Leopards won 32-10 in Social Circle in 2018. ... Banks County has won 5 straight over the Redskins since the series resumed in 2010. The last Social Circle win came in 1995. ... Despite the lopsided loss, the Leopards defense put in another good effort, except for one or two plays, allowing just 10 points on drives. The offense fumbled five times, including two that were turned into touchdowns and another that gave East Jackson a short field. A long TD run on the first playback from a long lightning delay gave East Jackson 28 points as a result of turnovers or delays. ... The Banks offense is still struggling to find its way scoring just 15 points so far, 4th fewest in Class 2A. ... The 64 points by the Redskins offense was the most since scoring 67 in a win over Glascock County in 1996. However, Cross Keys has lost 24 straight games.
STEPHENS COUNTY at HABERSHAM CENTRAL
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Raider Stadium, Mt. Airy
-- STEPHENS COUNTY (1-3, 0-0 Region 8-4A): Lost 44-7 to Rabun County last week
-- HABERSHAM CENTRAL (1-2, 0-0 Region 8-6A): Off last week; defeated White County 42-28 two weeks ago
-- NOTABLE: Stephens County leads series 30-11-1. Stephens County won 41-28 in 2018 in Toccoa. The Indians have won 14 straight in the series. The last Habersham win came in 1996 in Mt. Airy. ... The Raiders have been close the last two seasons to breaking the long losing streak. They dropped a 49-46 decision in 2017 with a late Stephens County score and let a 28-7 lead slip away in the second half last season. ... The Indians have lost three straight for the first time since 2009. They have one of the toughest schedules in the state with eight playoff teams from 2018 and are in the midst of seven straight games against that group. ... The Raiders’ rebuilt offense finally got untracked against White County and face a Stephens defense that is yielding 35 ppg so far, including allowing 93 in its last two games. ... Habersham is allowing 27 ppg, which is slightly ahead of last year’s 30.8 ppg. The Indians offense has struggled during the losing streak averaging just 13 ppg.
THE KING’S ACADEMY at LANIER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Gainesville Middle School, Gainesville
-- THE KING’S ACADEMY (3-1, GA Class GAPPS 11): Defeated Central Christian 58-0 last week
-- LANIER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (2-2, GA Class GAPPS 11): Defeated Fullington Academy 28-20 last week
-- NOTABLE: First-ever meeting between the two schools. ... A young Lightning team is beginning to click having won two straight after an 0-2 start. Defense has been the key. In their two losses, they allowed 70 points (35 ppg). In their two wins, they have yielded just 33 points (16.5 ppg). The offense is also coming around. They scored just 32 points (16 ppg) in their first two games but have averaged 32 ppg the last two weeks. ... The Knights have won three straight and been dominant in the process. They outscored their three opponents 144-20 with a pair of shutouts.
WHITE COUNTY at NORTH HALL
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: The Brickyard, Gainesville
-- RADIO: WDUN 102.9 FM
-- WHITE COUNTY (2-1, 0-0 Region 7-4A): Defeated Pickens 27-20 last week
-- NORTH HALL (2-1, 0-0 Region 7-3A): Off last week; lost 24-7 to Class 7A Cherokee
-- NOTABLE: Series is tied 23-23. North Hall won 27-20 in 2018. After North Hall won 16 straight from 1988 to 2008 the two teams have split the last 10 meetings. ... White County has won 3 of the last 4 meetings at The Brickyard. The Warriors also are 5-7 on the road in coach Tim Cokely’s 2-plus seasons but they have lost 5 of their last 6 road games overall. ... The Trojans are 8-2 in their last 10 games at home but one of those losses was to the Warriors in 2017. ... The key battle should be North Hall’s defense, which is yielding just 7.0 ppg vs. the Warriors offense, which is churning out 34.6 ppg on the season. ... Injuries have slowed the Trojans offense, which is averaging a pedestrian 19.0 pgg, far below the 42.0 ppg they averaged in 2018. White County has allowed 22.6 ppg on defense.
