Week 6 notebook: More streaking, good and bad, for NEGa area teams

The start of region play for nearly a half-dozen northeast Georgia area regions is the big story this week. 

But last week saw some area teams break some long losing streaks to rivals, and one team had one of the state’s best streaks in history come to an end as well.

Here is the Notebook for Week 6:

STREAK BUSTING, PART 2

Lumpkin County, Lakeview Academy, Chestatee, and North Forsyth all came into last week’s contests looking to break some ugly streaks.

Lumpkin’s losing streak to GAC is now at 11 after the Spartans rallied for a 19-13 lead in the second half. Chestatee lost its 7th straight to arch-rival North Hall and has now dropped 21 of 23 all-time meetings after a 28-14 loss to the Trojans.

But two other area programs put an end to streaks last week. Lakeview Academy snagged its first-ever win over George Walton and did it in dramatic fashion as the Lions scored with just 6 seconds left in the game for a thrilling 34-31 win over the Bulldogs. It was the Lions' first-ever win over the Bulldogs in nine tries.

North Forsyth also ended a rough stretch against arch-rival South Forsyth last week. The Raiders exploded for 49 points, the most they’ve ever scored against the War Eagles in the series, for a 49-14 victory. They came in having dropped 7 of the last 8 to the War Eagles going back to 2013.

SCORING STREAKS

With Jefferson’s stunning 35-0 loss to North Oconee last week, the Dragons’ long streak of not being shut out came to an end at 160 in a row. According to Todd Holcomb and the Georgia High School Football Historians Association (GHSFHA), Jefferson’s streak was the 16th-longest in state history. Fitzgerald holds the all-time record at 227 set from 2005 to 2021. Colquitt County currently has the longest active streak at 214, which began on Sept. 26, 2008.

So, that prompted us at AccessWDUN Sports to look at all of our area teams to see who has the longest active streaks. As of last week we have nine program’s that currently sport streaks of 20 or more games in a row without being shut out.

Several teams make that list, which would not be surprising. However, some programs have also shown solid consistency.

Topping the list of area teams that have not been shut out in recent years is Gainesville. The Red Elephants ran their streak to 79 straight last week despite the 45-16 loss to No. 1 Carrollton. Their last shutout loss came on Oct. 13, 2017, 28-0 to Dacula.

A MATTER OF RANKING

Also accoring the GHSF Daily, two northeast Georgia teams are in the top three for longest active streaks of being ranked in the top 10 (they use the AJC rankings, which has 14 rankings weeks per season).

Not surprisingly, Buford tops the entire state with 337 consecutive weeks of consecutive ranking, which may go back to the opening week of the 1999 campaign. Cartersville is a distant second, with 142 straight weeks of being ranked.

Third on that list is Rabun County at 133 weeks. The northeast Georgia mountains program was turned into a perennial playoff powerhouse by former coach Lee Shaw. The Wildcats have ranked in the top 10 in their respective classification every week since the opening week of the 2015 season.

APALACHEE SET TO RETURN TO ACTION?

Also according to Holcomb at GHSF Daily, Apalachee may be ready to return to action, though no official timetable has been set in stone.

Holcomb reported on Thursday that the Wildcats hit the practice fields this week for the first time since the school shooting on Sept. 4. 

Friday’s game against Loganville has already been called off, the third game Apalachee officials have canceled so far. They also called off games against Monroe Area and Winder-Barrow immediately following the shooting.

They are scheduled to play Clarke Central in Athens on Sept. 27, and Apalachee coach Mike Hancock told Holcomb they have not ruled out playing but also did not confirm they would return to action.

STATE LEADERS

Heading into Week 5, the northeast Georgia area had one rushing leader and one passing leader in their respective classifications. After several teams had off weeks and others faced some stingy defenses, our area has just one leading any classifications as we approach Week 6.

All stats are according to the comprehensive stats released by Georgia High School Football Daily each Friday of the regular season.

That doesn’t mean we are lacking for other standout players at the halfway point of the season.

Cherokee Bluff’s Brooks Brien still leads Class 3A in passing with 1,032 yards, but he dropped to 16th overall in the state. White County’s Tripp Nix is second in 3A with 971 yards and 24th overall.

Tripp Underwood of Stephens County is second in 2A in passing with 1,171 yards, which puts him seventh overall. Morgan County’s Davis Strickland leads 2A with 1,250 yards. 

Gainesville’s Kharim Hughley moved up two spots to 20th overall with 1,008 yards, which has him fourth in Class 5A. Antwann Hill Jr. of Houston County leads the state and Class 5A with 1,407 yards.

In rushing, Elijah Hayes of  West Hall, who led Class 3A last week, is now second in 3A in rushing with 671 yards. That is good for 11th overall in the state. Bryian Duncan Jr. of Cairo leads 3A with 754 yards.

Tysean Wiggins of Commerce remains second in Class A Division 1 with 643 yards, which puts him 14th overall in the state. Chattooga’s Zayden Cook continues to lead Class A D1 and the entire state with 1,060 yards.

In receiving, two-way player Kaden Thompson of Cherokee Bluff is the only area player in the top 20 with 449 yards, which has him third in Class 3A. Heritage-Ringgold’s Cody Bryan is the 3A leader and is second in the state overall with 644 yards.

Morgan County’s Jaylen Elder leads the state and Class 2A in receiving with 676 yards.