5 things: What we learned from Week 4 of high school football

Here's a look at five things we learned from Week 4 of the high school football season...<br /> <br /> <b>1. Gainesville is in for a huge region test this Friday</b><br /> <br /> The Red Elephants showed that they are very much back in the swing of things in their past two wins -- lopsided defeats of Winder-Barrow and Apalachee -- this week comes perhaps their first huge region test. Heritage, Conyers blindsided Flowery Branch 35-16 last week and showed that it has the make-up to play with any team in the region. Gainesville's defense will need to be at its best against an impressive Patriots quarterback in David Turner, who came up with three huge scores against the Falcons. Gainesville will also have to be careful with the ball. Heritage made the most of five turnovers from Flowery Branch. Red Elephants QB Mikey Gonzalez has been very impressive in that regard -- while showing that he is more than just a game manager in each of the last two wins. He will need to do so again on Friday at City Park.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>2. This Commerce team is developing a flair for the dramatic</b><br /> <br /> In Week 1 it was Tigers defensive back J'varius Wood coming up with a win-saving interception in the end zone, as Commerce held off Banks County. That was just the appetizer, however, as the Tigers showed this Friday against Athens Academy. This time it was KJ Jones with the takeaway -- a 90-yard pick-6 -- to help gain some breathing room, before Commerce's defense held the Spartans out of the end zone as time expired -- on the 1-yard line. Wins don't get much closer, and it has to be both maddening and comforting for Tigers coaches to know that their charges can win the close one. <br /> <br /> <br /> <b>3. Webb truly has Winder-Barrow on the rebound</b><br /> <br /> Coach Heath Webb said his biggest goal this season -- his first in charge of the Bulldoggs -- was to change the culture of the program. Wins like Friday's not only help do that but also show that the turnaround is already in progress. Winder took out Loganville for the first time since 2003 and the first time ever in Winder with a domineering, 46-7 performance. The Bulldoggs have a bedrock to begin their turnaround, and his name is Cece Green. The running back proved tough in last week's loss to Gainesville and was explosive in Friday's victory -- 123 yards rushing and three total touchdowns. If he can continue to run like he did the past two weeks, that turnaround will be that much closer to completion. The Bulldoggs will get a huge test this Friday against a 3-1 Salem that edged out Clarke Central 19-17 this past weekend.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>4. Mancuso vying for top QB honors in area</b><br /> <br /> We knew it would happen. A ton of talented quarterbacks graduated from last year's area teams, leaving a void at the position -- and some faces have stepped up to fill those holes. Players like Evan Shirreffs (Jefferson), Mikey Gonzalez (Gainesville) and Jacob Lewis (Jackson County) are each making their mark. But few have had an impact on their team like Union County's Joseph Mancuso. The junior put up four touchdown passes in a win over Lumpkin County on Sept. 5. A week later, he put up four in the first half of a defeat of Andrews, N.C. This weekend he put up five scoring passes in a defeat of Fannin County. His play has been a key in helping the Panthers to their best start since 2008 and will be huge going forward, as Union County begins play in Region 8-AA.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>5. Jackson County not short on self-belief</b><br /> <br /> The Panthers could have easily allowed the doubts to start creeping in after an 0-3 start, but coach Benji Harrison said it has never been an issues for his Jackson County program -- and it showed this week. The Panthers battled through a tough first quarter before exploding for 24 second quarter points in an eventual 31-6 victory over East Hall to get into the win column. A team that doubted itself would have stuttered after the Vikings put up the kind of fight they did in the first quarter. Jackson County wasn't about to let the game get away, however. That kind of attitude could prove huge, as the Panthers begin Region 8-AAA play -- starting this week against crosstown rival Jefferson.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>AREA PREP FOOTBALL SCORES, SEPT. 19</b><br /> Banks County 24, North Cobb Christian 8<br /> Buford 42, White County 10<br /> Carrollton 46, North Hall 10<br /> Commerce 27, Athens Academy 20<br /> Franklin County 27, East Jackson 7<br /> Gainesville 48, Apalachee 7<br /> Heritage-Conyers 35, Flowery Branch 16<br /> Jackson County 31, East Hall 6<br /> Lanier 21, Cedar Shoals 7<br /> Mill Creek 42, Duluth 0<br /> North Gwinnett 42, Collins Hill 24<br /> North Oconee 28, West Hall 10<br /> Our Lady of Mercy 42, Lumpkin County 35<br /> Pickens 49, Johnson 6<br /> Rabun County 24, Riverside Military Academy 3<br /> South Forsyth 55, North Forsyth 3<br /> Union County 35, Fannin County 8<br /> West Forsyth 56, Habersham Central 35<br /> Winder-Barrow 46, Loganville 7<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>WEEK 5 AREA PREP FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, Sept. 26</b><br /> Chestatee at North Oconee<br /> Clarke Central at Apalachee<br /> Commerce at Athens Christian<br /> Flowery Branch at Cedar Shoals<br /> Franklin County at Banks County<br /> Habersham Central at Alpharetta<br /> Heritage, Conyers at Gainesville<br /> Jefferson at Jackson County<br /> Johnson at Riverside Military<br /> Lambert at North Forsyth<br /> Lanier at Loganville<br /> Lumpkin County at East Hall<br /> North Gwinnett at Mill Creek<br /> North Hall at Stephens County<br /> Oconee County at East Jackson<br /> Providence Christian at Lakeview Academy<br /> Social Circle at Union County<br /> Towns County at George Walton<br /> West Hall at Dawson County<br /> Winder-Barrow at Salem

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