MT. AIRY — Just three games into the season, White County football is proving just what a difference a change can make.
Under new head coach Tim Cokely, the Warriors moved to 3-0 for the first time since 2013 on Friday night, tripling last season's win total while fending off Habersham Central 24-21 in Mt. Airy.
White County leaned on a stellar offensive performance from Kaleb Crane -- 20 carries, 128 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns -- and a gritty defense that bent but refused to break in the final minutes.
Trailing for much of the contest, the Raiders (1-1) forced their way back into the contest in the fourth quarter via touchdown runs from Baylor Hinshaw and A.J. Curry to pull within a field goal. But the Warriors defense held firm on the final sequence of the contest, forcing an incompletion from Curry to seal the victory.
Habersham out-gained White County 349-246 and ran 30 more offensive plays, but the Warriors also sacked Curry six times and picked off one pass to help offset the difference.
White County finished with 217 yards rushing, including 75 on 11 carries for Bailey Anderson. Meanwhile, quarterback J Ben Haynes went 5 of 6 for 29 yards. And while Crane's touchdowns got the Warriors rolling, as they built a 21-7 third quarter lead, it was Brett Bardenwerper's that made the final difference, as his 33-yard kick gave the visitors their only points of the fourth quarter.
Curry completed 19 of 31 passes for 235 yards -- eight of the completions goingto Jim Barnett for 79 yards. Hinshaw added 94 yards rushing on 19 carries, as the Raiders put up 114 yards on the ground.
Habersham will look to bounce back next week at Franklin County.
White County, meanwhile, will face perhaps its toughest task of the young season next week when it plays host to Rabun County.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/9/577038/white-county-fends-off-habersham-central-to-move-to-3-0