For many teams around the state, including northeast Georgia, Friday and Saturday night will be the end of their 2020 football season. But that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to play for.
The regular season rushing, passing, and receiving titles for the state and classifications will be determined this weekend. And the northeast Georgia area has several players still making a run at the top spots.
Seven area players lead their respective classifications in one of the three categories.
Rabun County and junior quarterback Gunner Stockton have completed their regular season as the Region 8-2A champs. Stockton climbed into the fourth spot in the state with 2,365 yards and will probably finish as Class 2A's top passer. He leads Dade County's Makinley Everett (1,993 yards) by nearly 400 yards. Dawson County's Zach Holtzclaw is ninth overall with 2,165 yards and will likely finish as Class 3A leading passer. He leads Greg Huggs of East Jackson (1,547 yads), who is in second in Class 3A. The Tigers close out the regular season against North Hall on Friday and East Jackson plays Stephens County. And Flowery Branch junior quarterback David Renard was 10th overall coming into this week and won the 4A title after finishing with 2,345 yards. East Hall's Clete Cooper was in second with 2,118 yards after the Vikings took on Flowery Branch on Thursday. Holden Geriner of Benedictine (1,694 yards) was a distant third more 600 yards behind Renard and 400 yards behind Cooper.
Senior Rabun County wide receiver Adriel Clark led the state heading into last week but will finish second overall and won the Class 2A title with 1,144 yards. He finished behind Travis Hunter of Collins Hill (1,219 yards). He nipped Tayshaun Shipp of Worth County (1,109 yards) by 35 yards for the classification title. Connor Larson reclaimed the Class 4A lead in receiving sitting at 787 yards, good for 15th overall, coming into Thursday night's game with East Hall. And West Hall senior receiver Rodrigo Lopez was 16th overall with 777 yards but still led Class 3A and has a chance to build on it and climb the ladder as the Spartans close out their season against Lumpkin County.
North Hall's Clark Howell was held to his lowest total in more than a month last week (78 yards) in a big showdown with Cherokee Bluff. But the senior running back still leads Class 3A with 1,338 yards, is eighth overall, and has a more than a 200-yard lead over second place Cameron Garnett (1,121 yards) of Harlem in the classification.
Habersham Central senior quarterback Joshua Pickett, however, jumped five spots into sixth place overall (1,359 yards) after a huge game against Central Gwinnett on Tuesday and is in second in Class 6A. The Raiders take on Shiloh on Saturday and he has a chance to continue to climb the ladder but it's doubtful he could get any higher than fourth overall. He trailed state-leader Malyk Walker of Washington County (1,867 yards) the Class 2A leader, by more than 500 yards and Washington County plays on Friday. Second place Narada Levett of Central (Carrollton), the Class 4A leader, has 1,622 yards and their regular season is complete. River Ridge's Amehre Morrison, the Class 6A leader, is third with 1,480 yards and they play as well. Ashaud Roberson of Richmond Hill is fourth (1,407 yards) and they have finished their regular season.
(Stats courtesy of Georgia High School Football Daily.)
