ELLIJAY — Dawson County had the game in the bag before halftime.
The Tigers (3-3. 2-0 Region 7-3A) rolled up 416 total yards of offense and led 38-14 at the half to pace their blowout 51-21 win over Gilmer (2-4, 0-3 Region 7-3A) on the road Friday.
Dawson County mixed its rushing and passing game well, scoring three times through the air and three on the ground.
Zach Holtzclaw was 15-of-20 for 234 yards and three scores to three different receivers. Bailey Dameron was his top target hauling in eight catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. It was Dameron's six straight 100-plus yard game.
Jackson Grindle led the rushing attack with six carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns.
By the end of the first quarter, the Tigers were in control, 24-7. Conley Dyer, who finished with 39 yards and touchdown, found paydirt first for the Tigers on a two-yard run early in the opening quarter. The Tigers followed the score with a Holtzclaw 31-yard touchdown pass to Braeden Hubbard, a 35-yard Dominic Leblanc field goal, and a 49-yard Grindle run.
In the second quarter, the Bobcats finally found the endzone on a Seth Darling 12-yard pass to Blake Reece with 9:02 to go. That was the closest Gilmer could get to the Tigers in the game.
Dawson County reeled off 28 straight points, including a 26-yard Holtzclaw pass to Leblanc, a 39-yard pass to Dameron, a Grindle 19-yard run, and an Alex Stewart seven-yard run.
Darling was the Bobcats' top performance with nine carries for 87 yards and a touchdown.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2021/10/1045490/football-big-first-half-propels-dawson-county-past-gilmer-51-21