Here’s a look at five things we learned from Week 5 of high school football...
1. Region 7-AAA is wide open
This Friday’s slate of games showed us that just anything can and will happen in this region this season. The defending champ -- West Hall -- was knocked off by a team under a new head coach that did not make the playoffs last season in Dawson County; Franklin County edged Banks County 14-7 in a battle of two teams that were preseason favorites in 7-AAA; and East Hall, which entered the night winless, blitzed a then-2-2 Lumpkin County 48-14 (Fannin County was off). With one of the preseason favorites (West Hall), and last year’s No. 2 seed (Lumpkin), already a game behind, it would appear that everything is there for the taking -- for any team. No squad is out of the running, and if Friday is any indication, just about everyone has a legit shot at making a run in 2015. Keep your seatbelts fastened!
2. Another judgment night on tap for a handful of squads
Last week brought us plenty of tasty showdowns, and this coming Friday is no different, with two match-ups worthy of marquee status. Jefferson travels to Elbert County in a battle of Class AAA top 10s and Region 8-AAA hopefuls. Meanwhile, Gainesville, undefeated in 8-AAAAA, will travel to face a Salem squad stinging from last week’s overtime loss to Winder-Barrow -- the Seminoles first region setback of the campaign. Meanwhile, there is a whole host of intriguing contests in the aforementioned 7-AAA. Also in 8-AAAAA, Flowery Branch will travel to Winder-Barrow in what could be an elimination game between the Falcons and Bulldoggs. Both have two region losses on their records, and with four teams above them in the standings (Lanier and Gainesville each undefeated, and Salem and Loganville each have one region loss), the loser will find itself in a very tough spot for getting back into the playoff race.
3. Young East Hall learning on the go -- impressively so
Before the season started, Vikings coach Bryan Gray told everyone that his squad would face a learning curve but that it also had plenty of athleticism and talent. The last two weeks have shown the rest of northeast Georgia that that is indeed the case. East Hall so nearly knocked off Jackson County two weeks ago, falling in overtime, and the Vikings ran away from Lumpkin County last Friday. A few experienced standouts led the way, as Jiel Vargas rushed for 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns and added 50 yards receiving. But others, like quarterback Austin Parker, who had 200 yards passing and four touchdowns, flashed their big-time ability for the first time. Yes, East Hall started 0-3, but, as they showed on Friday, they are still very much a force to be reckoned with in that wide-open 7-AAA.
4. Winder-Barrow offense is way more than a one-man show
There is no doubt that Cece Green is a difference-maker, the kind of running back any team would love to have. And when the senior standout went down with a knee injury for a Bulldoggs team searching for a key region win, it looked as if Winder could be in trouble. Instead, Winder responded with perhaps its best team performance of the season -- especially on offense, where the Bulldoggs put up 35 points to hand Salem its first loss of the season. The Winder offensive line and sophomore quarterback Brock Landis stepped up in a huge way. Landis threw for one touchdown and ran for three others, including the game-winner in overtime -- all behind an offensive line that helped rout a Seminoles defense that had allowed just 23 points in four previous games combined.
5. Mill Creek defense setting things up nicely for Hawks’ run
The Hawks knew their defense would be their bedrock this season, and so far that is indeed proving the case. With each win, Mill Creek sets a new school record for consecutive victories to start a season, but perhaps most impressive is what the Hawks did on Friday. North Gwinnett’s offenses have terrorized Region 7-AAAAAA for the past several years. This past Friday, however, it was the Bulldogs getting hung out to dry, as Mill Creek pitched a shutout. It was the first time North Gwinnett was shut out in a contest since losing to Camden County in the 2009 Class AAAAA championship. There are some big games left to play -- including season-ending tussles with high-powered Norcross and Peachtree Ridge teams -- but the Hawks have to like how their defense is setting things up for the stretch run.
WEEK 5 AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCORES, SEPT. 25
Alpharetta 48, Habersham Central 20
Clarke Central 16, Apalachee 0
Commerce 27, Athens Christian 14
Dawson County 17, West Hall 0
East Hall 48, Lumpkin County 14
Flowery Branch 25, Cedar Shoals 13
Franklin County 14, Banks County 7
Gainesville 28, Heritage, Conyers 0
George Walton Academy 24, Towns County 0
Jefferson 24, Jackson County 7
Johnson 31, Riverside Military 7
Lakeview Academy 8, Providence Christian 7
Lambert 42, North Forsyth 14
Lanier 21, Loganville 6
Mill Creek 28, North Gwinnett 0
North Oconee 37, Chestatee 15
Oconee County 49, East Jackson 0
Stephens County 14, North Hall 13
Union County 42, Social Circle 21
Winder-Barrow 35, Salem 34 OT
WEEK 6 AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, OCT. 2
Chestatee at Buford
Dawson County at East Hall
Fannin County at Banks County
Flowery Branch at Winder-Barrow
Gainesville at Salem
Jefferson at Elbert County
Lakeview Academy at Hebron Christian
Loganville at Apalachee
Lumpkin County at Franklin County
Meadowcreek at Mill Creek
Monroe Area at Stephens County
Morgan County at East Jackson
North Gwinnett at Norcross
North Hall at North Oconee
Oconee County at Jackson County
Oglethorpe County at Union County
Prince Avenue Christian at Commerce
Social Circle at Rabun County
Strong Rock Christian at Riverside Military
Towns County at Athens Academy
White County at Madison County
http://accesswdun.com/article/2015/9/338542/5-things-what-we-learned-from-week-5-of-high-school-football