DAWSONVILLE - It was a cat fight to the end as Banks County held on to beat Dawson County 28-21 Friday night in a key Region 8B-AA game.<br>
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Justin Beasley and the Leopards broke a scoreless tie early in the second quarter on a 7-yard touchdown and later added a 28-yard score to run out toa 14-0 lead.<br>
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The Tigers got back in the game with five seconds left in the first half when Austin Lark ran the ball in from the 1 to cut the lead to 14-7 at halftime.<br>
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Banks County looked to blow the game open in the third quarter with 14 unanswered points on two more Beasley touchdown runs to take a 28-7 lead. Beasley finished the game with 36 carriers for 168 yards and 4 touchdowns.<br>
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Dawson's Cameron Parham would lead a Tigers comeback scoring a late third quarter TD to cut the lead in half. Dawson's defense took control in the fourth as Lark and the offense went to work again to cut the Banks lead to 28-21 early in the fourth quarter. The Tigers had two more opportunities in the Leopards Red Zone in the final four minutes but could not capitalize. the Leopards defense sacked Lark twice for negative 30 yards late in the game preserving the victory.<br>
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Banks County coach Blair Armstrong said his defense deserves a lot of credit.<br>
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"Our defense stepped it up," he said. "We have not played a game as together as we did tonight."
