It’s still just the third week of the 2022 high school football season, which means early hype could still be too early to embrace or dismiss. But it also means some early trends could be taking form.
Here’s what we think we do know for the Northeast Georgia-area teams covered by AccessWDUN after Week 2 last week.
Buford is as powerful as ever. The 2-0 and No. 1-ranked Wolves hammered their second straight out-of-state opponent -- Mallard Creek (NC), 56-7 -- last week. The offense is averaging 47 points/game while the defense has allowed just 14 points. They will get their first in-state test this week playing host to No. 4 North Cobb. The two teams split a pair of meetings over the past two seasons.
The preseason hype surrounding Gainesville may be justified. The Red Elephants (2-0) are off to their best start since 2009 behind a tenacious defense and an offense that is doing just enough in the early going. The special teams also has been solid, getting a blocked field goal for a touchdown in last week’s 30-7 win over Mountain View. They will go for their first 3-0 start since 2009 as well tonight on the road against Monroe Area.
Buford and Gainesville are part of just six area teams -- Flowery Branch, Lanier Christian, Lumpkin County, and Rabun County being the others -- to open the season 2-0. All five face tough tests to try and stay unbeaten. Lanier Christian is off this week.
Branch heads to Toccoa and The Reservation to take on a Stephens County team that is deep and talented...but coming off a tough 14-7 loss to Rabun County last week. The Indians (1-1) have allowed just 17 total points. But the Falcons rushing attack has been stout, averaging over 200 yards/game behind Myles Ivey and Malik Dryden.
Lumpkin County is looking for its first 3-0 start since 2003 but will have to get by a Franklin County squad that beat them 20-6 last season. However, the Lions (0-2) have struggled so far in 2022 allowing the third-most points in Class 3A (77, 38.5 ppg). Lumpkin County is fourth in Class 3A in scoring (44.5 points/game).
Rabun County plays host to Adairsville in a battle of ranked teams and high-powered offenses. The Wildcats were held in check last week but are still averaging 31.5 ppg while the Tigers had five touchdown plays of 68-yards or longer in a win over Cherokee Bluff last week. The scoreboard could be lighting up in Tiger.
ON THE REBOUND: Region 8-6A rebounded from a tough opening week (1-6 overall) where they went a collective 4-3 in Week 2. The four area teams in the AccessWDUN coverage area -- Gainesville, Habersham Central, Jackson County, North Forsyth -- own all five wins and are 5-3 combined. The other three teams -- Apalachee, Lanier, and Shiloh -- are 0-6 combined so far.
1-ON-1: Last week saw one of the best one-on-one matchups in the state in senior Rabun County receiver Jaden Gibson (Georgia Southern-commit) going against Stephens County junior cornerback Jasec Smith. Gibson snagged 7 catches in the game but Smith held him to just 38 yards and had three pass breakups as well.
GETTING PHYSICAL: Johnson may have a current 24-game losing streak but the Knights are starting to show they are on the way back to respectability. Johnson played physical and held West Hall to just 9 points after three quarters last week. However, the offense fumbled twice in the fourth quarter leading to 14 Spartans points in a 23-7 loss. The Knights also missed a field goal. It may just be a matter of time before Coach William Harrell and his staff have them talking winning streaks instead of losing streaks.
HOPING TO NOT MAKE HISTORY: As just mentioned, Johnson is riding a 24-game losing skid going back to the 2019 season. If the Knights lose to East Hall tonight, it will set a new record for longest losing streak in program history. It would also tie the longest such streak in Hall County history. The county record is 25 straight held by Riverside Military Academy from 1996-1998.
RECORDS WATCH: Rabun County’s Gibson continues to close in on the state’s all-time receiving record although his pace was considerably slowed last week. After an 8-catch, 273-yard performance for the Wildcats in the opener, he was held to just 38 yards in a defensive battle against Stephens County last week. The senior now sits at 3,485 career yards and 34 career TDs. He is still 992 yards behind Stan Rome’s record of 4,477 yards set from 1971 to 1973.
