Week 2 of high school football is in the books, and now every team in our area has at least one game under their belts.
Here are five things we learned from Week 2 of high school football:
1. WATCH OUT FOR NORTH HALL
The defending champs of Region 6-3A knew they had targets on their backs when region play starts later this season. Those targets just became that much bigger. The Trojans wiped the floor with Wesleyan in their opener Friday night and didn't look like they had missed a step from where they left off last year. A big one with Cherokee Bluff is on deck this week as a top-10 matchup, so if the Trojans find a way to go 2-0, the thought of 10-0 will definitely start to be talked about.
2. JEFFERSON DEFENSE = NASTY
The cross county matchup of Jefferson and Jackson County had everyone in northeast Georgia talking about it. And while the scoreboard may have had some cobwebs on it when the night was through, to our disbelief, it was all because the Jefferson defense kept the Dragons in the game. Multiple times the Panthers had their opportunities, but every single time, the Dragon D stood up to the challenge. In fact, through two games, just a field goal has been scored against them. State runners-up last year...what's in store with a defense this stingy?
3. FLOWERY BRANCH SHOWS THEY CAN SCORE POINTS
A trip to Habersham Central for the Falcons was a coming-out party. All the talk during the week was about the Habersham Central team after they blew out rival Stephens County in Week 1. The Falcons quickly shocked the world when they ran all over the Raider defense on the way to a 31-28 upset over the home team. Brett Sturm and Griffin Harper combined for well over 300 rushing yards by themselves. Michael Perry has a balanced offense and now they have some confidence. Any more momentum built by this team will definitely turn some heads.
4. BUFORD CONTINUES TO SHOW DOMINANCE DEFENSIVELY
Benedictine might be 0-2 now, but they are still a top-10 team for a reason. Buford is just that much better, especially on the defensive side. With the score tied 7-7 after a lightning delay, the Wolves allowed just one late touchdown in the fourth quarter on the way to a 42-14 thrashing of Benedictine on the road. Tyriq Green showed off the offensive explosion he has, while on the defensive side, DJ Hunter kept the secondary's amazing start to 2025 going with an interception early in the third quarter. We all know how good Buford normally is, but this season feels a little different after the first two showings.
5. RIVERSIDE SHOOK THE MONKEY OFF THEIR BACKS
For the first time since 2021, the Eagles got to celebrate a win in their locker room, and they did it in a dominant fashion. JJ Blackwell had three touchdowns as they blew out Cross Keys, 36-6, to start 1-0 for the first time since 2014. The attention now shifts to Thursday night for a Hall County showdown against Lanier Christian Academy. This 7:30 p.m. kickoff has a lot of intrigue now after the Lightning edged out Lakeview in Week 1. We can't wait to see how this one plays out.
