Thursday November 21st, 2024 9:12PM

5 Things: What we learned from Week 3 of high school football

By Walker McCrary Sports Reporter

Crazy to think that we are already a quarter of the way through the regular season of high school football, but here we are with three weeks in the books.

Here are five things we learned from Week 3:

1. COMMERCE WITH DANIELS AT QUARTERBACK, SCARY.

We know Jaiden Daniels can tote the rock. That was not a question. Now we have seen him at quarterback of the triple option attack that the Tigers employ, and boy was it a good sight. The Tigers got into the win column for the first time this season with Daniels rushing for over 100 yards and Tysean Wiggins getting near 200 yards on the ground. Couple that with a defense that didn't allow a single point after halftime to Luella, and this Commerce team looks as if they might be starting a run that will be tough to stop.


2. 8-3A IS ABOUT TO BE A WAR

Listen to this. The six teams that make up Region 8-3A are a combined 12-5, and that's with Oconee County starting the season 0-3, a trend we don't think is going to keep heading in that direction much longer. Cherokee Bluff and East Hall are each 3-0. Jefferson and West Hall have the other two losses with Jefferson falling at Marist and the Spartans falling in their opener to Seckinger. There are only three weeks left before this region starts play against one another, and we can't wait for these games to get here.


3. HABERSHAM CENTRAL AND JACKSON COUNTY REBOUND

The Raiders and Panthers needed wins badly after suffering losses in Week 2, and they got them. Jackson County took down Dacula and the Raiders got past White County. Couple those wins with Clarke Central getting beaten badly by Jefferson, and Region 8-5A looks as if it is back to being anyone's to claim. Habersham Central has a big time matchup at home this week against Cherokee Bluff, and if the Raiders can past that test, they could take an early advantage on paper before region play starts.


4. MAGIC IN THE GOLD CITY?

So Lumpkin County had another dramatic win in Dahlonega Friday night, which gets us thinking...is there something special about playing at the Burial Grounds? Hear me out. A multiple overtime win last year over White County in the regular season, followed up by an overtime win in the playoffs over Oconee County and now a back-and-forth affair against Hart County where the Indian defense, which hadn't stopped the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter, got a big stop with under two minutes to go. That's all happened in the last five games in Dahlonega. The Indians host G.A.C. in two weeks. We will be watching very closely to see if the magic keeps going.


5. STANDOUT PLAYERS STARTING TO EMERGE

A lot of players have had great stat lines over the course of the season, but three players really stood out Friday night that might have been just outside the radar in the preseason. East Hall's Jamarcus Harrison had five touchdowns against Johnson, four of which came through the air. East Jackson's Drew Richardson had two touchdown runs of over 60 yards and two more touchdown passes against Dawson County. Finally, North Forsyth's Darron Parry had four rushing touchdowns on the night. Which players will be next to stand out, or will these three continue to impress? Only time will tell as we head into the second quarter of the regular season.

PREP FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, September 6

Bethlehem Christian at Riverside Prep*
Buford at Roswell
Cherokee Bluff at Habersham Central
Chestatee at East Forsyth
Commerce at Madison County
Dalton at Rabun County
Dawson County at Banks County
Dunwoody at Lumpkin County
East Hall at North Hall
East Jackson at White County
Flowery Branch at Hart County
Greenville (SC) at Towns County
Lakeview Academy at Piedmont Academy
Murray County at Union County*
Stephens County at Jefferson
West Hall at Johnson

(Gainesville, Jackson County, Lanier Christian, and North Forsyth are all off)


SCORES FOR FRIDAY, August 30
Cherokee Bluff 38, North Hall 13
Commerce 24, Luella 14
East Hall 55, Johnson 0
East Jackson 37, Dawson County 10
Fannin County 42, Union County 7
Forsyth Central 10, Flowery Branch 0
Franklin County 9, Banks County 6
Gainesville 41, Westlake 7
Habersham Central 31, White County 28
Jackson County 35, Dacula 28
Jefferson 42, Clarke Central 14
Lakeview Academy 42, Towns County 0
Lumpkin County 28, Hart County 25
North Forsyth 33, Lanier 20
West Hall 31, Chestatee 19

SCORES FOR THURSDAY, August 29
East Forsyth 34, Winder-Barrow 30
Lanier Christian 27, Riverside Prep 0

(Buford and Rabun County were off)



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