A massive upset in Region 8-6A, a couple of down-to-the-wire finishes and a statement win by Gainesville highlighted Week 9 of the high school football season.
Here are five things we learned:
1. Despite big offensive numbers, defenses are still winning games
There are some offensive units and players putting up some wild numbers around the area and the state this year. Don't use that as an excuse to forget the defenses though. Friday night was a prime example as several area defenses delivered their teams key region wins. Gainesville's was perhaps the most impressive of the bunch, holding a high-flying South Forsyth offense that had averaged more than 46 points per game entering the contest to just 14. Habersham Central's defense grabbed five interceptions and held a talented Lanier team to less than 250 yards as the Raiders finally beat the Longhorns for a massive win at Raider Stadium. Flowery Branch's defense made a late goal-line stand to hold off Cedar Shoals. Or maybe if you like defense you could take a look at Cherokee Bluff, who has powered to a 7-0 start on the strength of a defense allowing less than 5 points per game on the season. Lakeview Academy has seen one of its most successful seasons in school history this year under new head coach Lee Shaw, but it hasn't been Shaw's patented high-powered offense that's led the Lions, it's been a defense allowing just 17 points per game. Offense matters more than it ever has in high school football, but defense can still mean just as much.
2. Gainesville has proven its worth in 6-7A, now ready for more
Gainesville's first season in Class 7A has gone off without much of a hitch. The Red Elephants have already made themselves an unfriendly guest in the Forsyth County-laden Region 6-7A, now leading the region with a 3-0 start (5-2 overall). Friday's win was the most impressive yet as they held off a South Forsyth team that was expected to be one of the top contenders for the region championship. Instead, they're looking up the standings sitting two games back of Gainesville. A region championship now seems well within reach, something Gainesville hasn't done since DeShaun Watson last wore red and black in 2013. There are still more challenges to come and West Forsyth, Denmark and North Forsyth will certainly be no slouches. The end of the regular season will be a difficult one, as will any postseason draw the Red Elephants potentially get, as Class 7A traditionally presents a ruthless playoff bracket. Gainesville looks up to the task, behind a defense that just turned in its best performance of the year against the War Eagles and a running game led by quarterback Gianni Williams and running back Naim Cheeks that's been a nightmare for every team they've played this year. As head coach Heath Webb well knows, however, Gainesville cannot afford to look beyond a massive matchup with West Forsyth at City Park this week.
3. The Bluff has already been built into a playoff program
Tommy Jones took over Hall County's newest football program in 2018 with hopes of building it into a playoff contender. That didn't take long at all. In just their third year as a school, Cherokee Bluff has clinched its first ever playoff appearance, and it hasn't backed its way in. It's stormed the castle gates with a 7-0 start (3-0 Region 7-3A), winning those seven games by an average margin of 35 points per game. After going 3-17 in their first two seasons, the young talent has finally matured and gained the experience necessary to compete. While the addition of Riverside Military transfer Shad Dabney certainly provided a boost, the bulk of the Bears' success has been home grown, as third-year starters Jayquan Smith and Charles Tolbert have led a dominant ground game behind a veteran offensive line anchored by the likes of Mateo Guevara. While the offense has been great, averaging over 40 points per game, the Cherokee Bluff defense has been the real star, allowing just 4.5 points per game. Now with a playoff berth sealed up, the Bears will have a chance to compete for a region championship with their toughest slate of games coming up in the last three weeks. The first will be a huge showdown with high-flying Dawson County on the road this Friday. It's time to find out how ready for primetime this young Cherokee Bluff program really is.
4. Holtzclaw can throw, but Dawson County can run too
Speaking of Dawson County, the Tigers spent Friday night tuning up their offense for that matchup with Cherokee Bluff next week. It's been well-documented this year that quarterback Zach Holtzclaw and the passing attack is one of the best in the state and no one has really slowed it down since a season-opening loss at Cass. Against West Hall Friday however, Dawson County started to show signs of a running game that provide a complementary threat. They racked up more than 320 yards on the ground, with four players rushing for more than 50 yards. The effort was led by running back Isaiah Grindle, who ran for 104 yards. A versatile offense is the toughest to defend, and it seems like the Tigers are starting to become just that. They'll need every bit of it as they prepare for a late-season push for the Region 7-3A championship that will see this week's showdown against Cherokee Bluff and a season-ending matchup with a North Hall team that is improving with each passing week. Dawson County is improving too, though, and their offense will be no fun for any defense to try to contain.
5. Flowery Branch keeps finding ways to win
Flowery Branch's 2020 season has certainly not lacked excitement. The Falcons once again found themselves in a battle to the wire at Cedar Shoals Friday night and once again they came out on top, this time thanks to a late stand from their defense. It's been a season full of late-season dramatics for Flowery Branch. The season opener against St. Pius saw them fall down big before rallying in the fourth quarter to cut it to a one score game twice before ultimately losing by 10. Then came a Week 2 shootout at Dawson County that they survived 45-42. It looked like they would finally have a comfortable win when they led Gainesville by two touchdowns late in the 3rd quarter, but the Red Elephants rallied to take the lead with two minutes to play before the Falcons engineered a comeback drive of their own to win 29-22. A blowout win at Hiram and a 40-10 loss to Jefferson relaxed nerves a bit before a double-overtime nail-biting win over North Oconee two weeks ago and then the Cedar Shoals win Friday night. Winning programs find ways to win these types of games and that's exactly what the Falcons have done. They appear well on their way to another successful season, even if it ends up turning head coach Ben Hall's hair gray in the process.
