For a number of area teams, Week 4 of the high school football season proved a case of go big or go home -- as 13 games were decided by three touchdowns or more. But the few close calls proved thrilling indeed.
Jackson County edged out East Hall 34-28 in overtime after trailing by as many as two touchdowns early in the contest. The victory gave the Panthers their third win of the campaign and proved an extraordinary fight back after last week's loss to Rabun County.
Meanwhile, the rumble in Blue Ridge provided fans with quite a spectacle, as Union County fended off Fannin County for a 37-31 victory, as the Panthers' Joseph Mancuso picked off pass on defense and then ran for a 61-yard touchdown on the very next play from the quarterback position to help seal the win.
Elsewhere, Gainesville blanked Apalachee 48-0, allowing just 16 yards to the Wildcats. Lanier also stuffed Cedar Shoals 35-0 to stay at the front of Region 8-AAAAA race, along with the Red Elephants and Loganville -- which held off Winder-Barrow 27-20 and gave the Bulldoggs their second straight region setback. Flowery Branch also stoned Heritage, Conyers 45-14 to get back in the 8-AAAAA hunt.
In the lone Region 8-AAAA contest of the night, Buford ran over White County 49-3, while fellow 8-AAAA squad North Hall suffered a 42-3 setback in a non-region battle with Carrollton at The Brickyard.
Mill Creek also dominated Duluth 41-0 to move to 4-0 for the first time in school history, while next week's Region 7-AAAAAA foe North Gwinnett stumbled at Collins Hill 52-23.
Lumpkin County also ripped off its second straight win in style, hammering Our Lady of Mercy 40-14, while fellow Region 7-AAA team West Hall fell to North Oconee 27-7. Rabun County also blitzed Riverside Military in Region 8-AA play, 42-0.
Commerce couldn't bounce back from last week's Jefferson loss with a win, falling in a defensive Region 8-A battle at Athens Academy, 14-7.
For a complete look at tonight's area scores simply scroll down and look inside at our Friday Game Night page for game stories, video highlights and an in-depth look at all of the night's contests.
WEEK 4 AREA FOOTBALL SCORES, SEPT. 18
Athens Academy 14, Commerce 7
Buford 49, White County 3
Carrollton 42, North Hall 3
Collins Hill 52, North Gwinnett 23
Flowery Branch 45, Heritage, Conyers 14
Franklin County 56, East Jackson 21
Gainesville 48, Apalachee 0
Hebron Christian 35, Towns County 0
Jackson County 34, East Hall 28 OT
Lanier 35, Cedar Shoals 0
Loganville 27, Winder-Barrow 20
Lumpkin County 40, Our Lady of Mercy 14
Mill Creek 41, Duluth 0
North Oconee 27, West Hall 7
Pickens 24, Johnson 14
Rabun County 42, Riverside Military 0
South Forsyth 35, North Forsyth 3
Union County 37, Fannin County 31
West Forsyth 54, Habersham Central 20
