Preview: Rabun-Union rivalry going statewide tonight <b>(VIDEO)</b>

BLAIRSVILLE -- Rabun County vs. Union County has always held a special place in northeast Georgia lore -- but the 50th version of the rivalry is going statewide.<br /> <br /> The two mountain communities will take center stage on Friday, as the Wildcats and Panthers play for Region 8-AA supremacy, led by some of the best players in the state, in a game covered by media outlets from over 100 miles away.<br /> <br /> Can you say instant classic? It certainly seems as if the contest is set up that way, and both teams are relishing the thought.<br /> <br /> "It's neat to see Rabun County, Union County, two mountain schools with this kind of publicity going on for programs," Rabun County coach Lee Shaw said. "People are calling this one of the top games in the state -- which is really neat for these two communities -- so it's exciting to go against your rival, and this atmosphere we'll have is going to be pretty unbelievable."<br /> <br /> <b>(NOTE: To watch a video preview of the contest, click "play" in the box to the right.)</b><br /> <br /> Rabun and Union have bred an intense rivalry in a series that dates back to 1958, and the latest players to don the red and white of the Wildcats and purple and white of the Panthers say they would be ready for a battle regardless of records.<br /> <br /> "It's a huge rivalry. It always has been, and it's a game to get ready for, to get pumped up for," Union County senior linebacker/running back Chase Barnett said. <br /> <br /> But this year's version adds a little something extra -- both in the standings and by the players involved.<br /> <br /> "We hate Union County. They hate us. But to build even more fire it's a big region game for (both teams)," Rabun County senior linebacker Tucker Williams said. "They're undefeated in region, so are we. And it's just a big deal if we beat them."<br /> <br /> The Panthers are 7-0 and have flirted with the Class AA top 10 rankings, while the Wildcats are 5-2 (the two defeats coming to Class AAA No. 4 Jefferson and Mt. Pisgah Christian -- a 2013 Class A Private semifinalist). Both are 3-0 in Region 8-AA -- the only undefeated teams left in the region, meaning that a victory on Friday would give the winner the inside track to the 8-AA crown. Rabun County has not won a region championship since 1998, Union County since 1973.<br /> <br /> "This is one of the chances as a high school football player at Union County that you don't get but every so often," Panthers coach Brian Allison said. "So I told our players that we need to make sure we take full advantage of enjoying the situation."<br /> <br /> As they have done all season, fans should enjoy watching Union County quarterback Joseph Mancuso at the helm of the Panthers' spread attack. The junior has bloomed into a star, passing for 1,884 yards (amongst the top five in the state across all classifications), completing 62 percent of his passes for 25 touchdowns against just one interception. Robert Prunier (28 catches, 490 yards, 6 TDs) and Jacob Rogers (27 catches, 548 yards, 10 TDs) and Sam Gilbert (25 catches, 411 yards, 6 TDs) are a dangerous trio of receivers, while Bo Lynch (60 carries, 374 yards, 2 TDs), while Barnett (32 carries, 226 yards, 7 TDs) have helped carry the rushing load -- along with Mancuso (36 carries, 276 yards, 2 TDs).<br /> <br /> "Mancuso is a really great quarterback. He reminds me of Kanler Coker, who played for me at Flowery Branch -- the same mechanics, same style, same build," Shaw said. "He's also got some phenomenal receivers around him, great running backs, good offensive line. They're maybe leading Class AA in points per game (Union is averaging 42.7 points per game). I don't know if you can literally stop them, but you've got to try and figure out a way to slow them down. And I feel like in order to beat them we're going to have to outscore them somehow, someway."<br /> <br /> The Wildcats' spread offense has enough weapons to to light up the scoreboard in its own right, averaging 40.6 points per game since the start of the 8-AA portion of the schedule.<br /> <br /> Junior All-State athlete Charlie Woerner has lived up to expectations, totaling 920 yards of offense (564 rushing, 6 TDs; 356 receiving, 3 TDs), while quarterbacks Collin Grant (544 yards passing, 5 TDs, 4 INTs; 277 yards rushing, 2 TDs) and Bailey Fisher (355 yards passing, 3 TDs, 3 INTs) have each played effective minutes. Alden Wright has also been steady at receiver (22 catches, 185 yards), while Nick Cannon has been downright explosive, averaging 24.9 yards per catch with 199 yards on the season.<br /> <br /> "Obviously the concern is Charlie Woerner. He's a great football player. However, they have some people to go with him," Allison said. "They're strong up front on both sides of the football. Their receiving corps is strong. And they've beat people the same way we've beat people. It's going to be a tough match-up."<br /> <br /> Both teams feel they have been tested by tough competition already -- Rabun County opening with the Dragons and Mt. Pisgah, along with Class AAAAAA Habersham Central and Class AAA Jackson County.<br /> <br /> "We've played part of our schedule for games like this, so we'll be ready and we can go and put everything in the fourth quarter and win the victory," Grant said. "We've got to execute, not make any mistakes, not have any game-changing things that will hurt us."<br /> <br /> After winning at Greene County last week -- after the Tigers had already knocked off defending 8-AA champion Washington-Wilkes -- Union County hopes it can continue to show that it is ready for tough competition.<br /> <br /> "A bunch of people thought that we had not played a hard team yet, and Greene County was a good, fast, athletic team," Barnett said. "We overcame a lot of adversity in that game. And I think it really motivated us."<br /> <br /> Motivation should not be much of an issue this week -- for either squad. In fact, coaches have been careful to note that the result of Friday's game will not define the entire 2014 campaign.<br /> <br /> "This game doesn't make or break the season. So we don't want to build it up so much that it deflates us win or lose," Allison said. "But it's been exciting."<br /> <br /> Indeed, and you can expect fans from throughout the mountains, northeast Georgia -- the entire state -- to keep an eye on that excitement tonight in Blairsville.