The more things change, the more they stay the same:<br />
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Buford still has its own steel curtain on defense, and North Gwinnett's offense is still explosive.<br />
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Both teams played to memorable performances on Saturday in their respective 2014 prep football season openers. <br />
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The trio of games brought to a close an intriguing opening weekend that also featured Friday battles amongst area squads.<br />
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Friday's action, featuring a victory for Jefferson and setbacks for East Jackson, Johnson, Lumpkin County and Rabun County only served as the warm-up from some more eye-catching battles on Saturday -- none perhaps more so than North Gwinnett's shootout defeat of Class AAAAAA preseason No. 1 McEachern. The Bulldogs pulled out a 52-49 defeat of the Indians in the final game of the 2014 Corky Kell Classic -- a game in which no lead was safe until the final whistle.<br />
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As impressive as the North Gwinnett offense was Buford's defense was just as incredible, as the Wolves prevailed in a slugfest with reigning Florida Class AAA champions Trinity Christian Academy 17-0 at Tom Riden Stadium.<br />
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Georgia's own reigning Class AAA champs stuffed the Conquerors, allowing just 72 total yards en route to victory. Read more about the contest -- and all of the weekend's games on our <a href="http://www.accessnorthga.com/fridaygamenight"><b>Friday Game Night</b></a> page. Inside you'll find in-depth stories from Buford and McEachern.<br />
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We will cover prep football from around northeast Georgia on <b>Friday Game Night</b> every day this season, so keep it bookmarked -- after all this was just the start of things.<br />
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<b>SATURDAY'S PREP FOOTBALL SCORES, Aug. 23</b><br />
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Buford 17, Trinity Christian (Fla.) 0<br />
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Colquitt County 31, Mill Creek 14 (at McEachern)<br />
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North Gwinnett 52, McEachern 49<br />
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<b>FRIDAY'S PREP FOOTBALL SCORES, Aug, 22</b><br />
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Hebron Christian 35, East Jackson 15<br />
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Jefferson 50, Rabun County 14<br />
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Madison County 31, Johnson 3<br />
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Model 15, Lumpkin County 8

Buford's Jordan Perlotte celebrates during the Wolves' win over Trinity Christian Academy on Friday in Buford. / photo: David McGregor
http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/8/278655
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