It doesn't take long to realize Lumpkin County is chomping at the bit to play a football game. Just ask head coach Heath Webb.
"We've had a lot of preparation time," Webb said. "We're ready to play. We're just at a point where we're ready to go."
Unfortunately, for the Indians, their Week 1 opponent, Riverside Prep, canceled the contest just four days before it was supposed to be played. That cancellation has only fueled the Indians' desire to get on the field against someone other than themselves.
Meanwhile, Union County has already chomped down on a massive 50-12 Week 1 win over rival Fannin County. The Panthers were ready to go last week in their opening win against rival Fannin County where they put up almost 500 yards of offense.
Union head coach Michael Perry said he was pleased with the team's performance in Blue Ridge.
"Our offensive line played outstanding, our running back had a big night and our receivers really blocked well," he said. "Instead of getting 10-yard plays, it turned out to be like 30,40,50 yard plays because of the effort. I was really proud of our defense and our team as a whole last week."
This week it'll be a bit different for the Panthers, who will tee it up at the Burial Grounds in the Gold City for the Battle of Blood Mountain against a solid Lumpkin County team. Game time is set for 8:15 p.m.
"Lumpkin is a great, great football team," Perry said. "We're going to have our hands full, especially with (Cal) Faulkner. He's one of the best players in North Georgia. It's going to be a tall task."
Faulkner is just one of the offensive weapons the Indians will employ on Friday. They'll also look to Mason Sullens to lead the rushing attack behind a seasoned offensive line. Downfield, Harper Davenport will be a main target for Faulkner, and defensively, Will Wood and Dakota Bennett captain a unit that is full of talent.
Regardless of the Indians' talent, Webb knows the Panthers have their share of talented players.
Caiden Tanner returns at quarterback, Braylen Rader, who rushed for 135 yards and four touchdowns last week, will be tough to tackle.
"They've got a good football team," Webb said. "You know, they honestly remind me a lot of us. They had a successful year last year and got a lot of guys coming back. Most of, if not, all of their offensive productions are back, and also have a lot of guys back on defense. So, it kind of looks a lot like us. And obviously, those guys do a great job coaching up there, too. So we know we got our hands full. It's gonna be a great ballgame."
UNION COUNTY at LUMPKIN COUNTY
Records: Panthers (1-0, Region 8-2A); Indians (0-0, Region 7-3A)
Last week: Union County beat Fannin County, 50-12, on the road; Season-opener for Lumpkin County
Where: The Burial Grounds, Dahlonega
Time: 8:15 p.m.
Players to Watch: Union County: QB Caiden Tanner (10-of-18, 167 yards, 1 TD passing; 10-77 rush, 1 TD), Braylen Rader (25-135 rush, 4TDs), Conner Schuknecht (9-92 rush, 1 TD), LB Ethan Lester (13 tkls), DL David Heredia (12 tkls), LB Seth Rutan (12 tkls); Lumpkin County: QB Cal Faulkner, RB Mason Sullens, WR/DB Harper Davenport, LB Will Wood, DE Dakota Bennett
The Statisticals: Union County leads series 24-16-1. Lumpkin County won 28-6 in 2022 in Blairsville. The Panthers' win last week was not that much of a surprise, but the margin of victory was as they shelled the Rebels early and often. They led 28-6 at halftime and 42-6 heading into the fourth quarter and piled up nearly 500 yards, more than 320 on the ground.
What to watch for: The Lumpkin County offense. The Indians will have a new QB in Cal Faulkner and several new receivers but do return an experienced O-line and RB Mason Sullens. But they have yet to play a game after having their opener last week canceled. They’ve had two weeks to work out the bugs since their scrimmage with Banks County. But the Panthers' defense was solid last week as they helped engineer the second-most lopsided win in that series history.
KEYS TO THE GAME
Lumpkin County: We've got to win the line of scrimmage when one scrimmage, don't turn the football over, and take it away on defense," Webb said. "I think if we do that, we get a good chance."
Union County: "We're gonna have to show up in the running game and passing game, and we're gonna have to take advantage of what they give us ... and be patient," Perry said. "On defense, the biggest thing is we have to play our assignments; we can't get to make sure our eyes are in the right place."
