5 things: What we learned from Week 2 of high school football

Here's a look at five things we learned from Week 2 of the high school football season...<br /> <br /> <b>1. Malcolm Mitchell is Banks County's X-factor</b><br /> <br /> Prior to the season, Leopards coach Biff Parson noted Malcolm Mitchell as a leader for a Banks County team itching to shed a two-plus season losing streak. On Friday, Mitchell showed the rest of northeast Georgia why. The Leopards' versatile standout starred in every phase of the game, snagging a long touchdown reception, returning a kickoff for a touchdown and flipping the field late with two big punt returns. Mitchell's play helped lead Banks County to a 28-24 defeat of Johnson and halt a 14-game losing skid that stretched back to 2012. Mitchell served notice to Region 7-AAA defenses in the win -- as well as leading by an example that Parson loved. "He hardly came off the field," Parson said of Mitchell after the win. Georgia Bulldogs fans wish their own Malcolm Mitchell (who has been plagued by injuries for two seasons) could be so effective.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>2. Lanier -- and Ashton Barnes -- is already making a splash in Region 8-AAAAA</b><br /> <br /> Weeks ago Chris Griffin and Bruce Miller warned that the rest of Region 8-AAAAA would do well to keep an eye on newcomer Lanier. On Friday, the Flowery Branch and Gainesville coaches were proven prophetic by the Longhorns, who traveled to Athens and took out 8-AAAAA and playoff stalwart Clarke Central 35-20 -- in its first game inside the region. Lanier was an up-and-coming program a season ago in Class AAAA and made the jump to Class AAAAA with plenty of talent already on board. Even the loss of head coach Billy Wells -- who left in the summer to become athletic director at North Hall -- couldn't keep Lanier from an impressive 2-0 start to the season. The Longhorns feature stout lines of scrimmage and an emerging star in running back Ashton Barnes. The junior torched the Gladiators for 241 yards rushing on eight carries on Friday, helping to show that there could be yet another big program in a small area that already includes powers Buford and North Gwinnett. The outcome also set up a tantalizing showdown with established 8-AAAAA power Flowery Branch this week.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>3. Joseph Mancuso has taken big strides</b><br /> <br /> Union County coach Brian Allison said that quarterback Joseph Mancuso spent the summer working on his accuracy, and while he still has room to improve, Mancuso's offseason efforts paid off on Friday, as he tossed four touchdown passes and had 315 yards passing in a 28-7 win over Lumpkin County. The Panthers defense also proved clutch, pouncing on some key Indians turnovers, but Mancuso's touchdowns proved just as big. Should the junior continue his progress he could have Region 8-AA defenses on their heels.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>4. David Curry is a "hidden" gem for Wolves</b><br /> <br /> How can a Virginia-bound recruit from a family of incredible athletic talent fly under the radar? Only by playing on a team as full of stars as Buford. And when we say "hidden" we only mean to the public at large. Certainly Wolves coaches and players know how key the senior is to their team. He may not be a star running back or rack up sack after sack, but the defensive back/receiver is always around the ball on defense. And his work on special teams is perhaps even more impressive. Anyone watching the showdown with McEachern on Friday got a firsthand look. Trailing 20-19 late in the contest, Curry dropped a Buford punt inside the McEachern 10-yard line. The resulting possession forced the Indians to punt from the shadow of their own goalpost -- a kick that Curry gathered and returned to the McEachern 12. Those two punts played as big a role in Buford's comeback 27-20 victory as the Wolves late touchdown and their even later defensive stand.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>5. Jefferson's offense has plenty of dazzle as well</b><br /> <br /> Last week on five things we described how Jefferson's pro-style offense was going old-school and playing power football. This week the Region 8-AAA power showed they can still sling it with the best of them as well. The Dragons pass attack torched North Hall for 263 yards and three touchdowns -- all in the first half -- as Jefferson built a 35-6 lead on North Hall in an eventual 48-8 win. Evan Shirreffs looked like a quarterback itching for a chance to unleash his arm and his receivers' legs, drilling passes both long and short -- a 70-yard TD strike to TJ Skelton was especially beautiful. Skelton finished with three pass receptions for 140 yards and 3 TDs. It wasn't a perfect game for Jefferson, but, as the Dragons showed, they have an offense that teams around Class AAA would do well to take notice of.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>AREA FOOTBALL SCORES, Sept. 5</b><br /> Banks County 28, Johnson 24<br /> Buford 27, McEachern 20<br /> Chattahoochee 20, North Forsyth 17<br /> Commerce 36, Hebron Christian 14 <br /> Dacula 28, Mill Creek 21<br /> Elbert County 35, Stephens County 33<br /> Fannin County 55, Murray County 0<br /> Gilmer 23, Dawson County 0<br /> Jefferson 48, North Hall 8<br /> Lanier 35, Clarke Central 20<br /> Mt. Pisgah 27, Rabun County 9<br /> North Gwinnett 28, Hillgrove 21<br /> Northview 41, Habersham Central 0<br /> Pickens 38, East Hall 10 <br /> St. Francis 45, Lakeview Academy 14 <br /> Union County 28, Lumpkin County 7<br /> West Hall 31, Chestatee 0<br /> White County 34, Jackson County 26<br /> Winder-Barrow 26, Apalachee 20<br /> <br /> <b>WEEK 3 PREP FOOTBALL SCHEDULE, Sept. 12</b><br /> Andrews (N.C.) at Union County<br /> Apalachee at Salem<br /> Armuchee at Fannin County<br /> Blue Ridge (S.C.) at Stephens County<br /> Chestatee at Pepperell<br /> Commerce at Jefferson<br /> Dawson County at Heritage, Catoosa<br /> East Jackson at Banks County<br /> Flowery Branch at Lanier<br /> Jackson County at Rabun County<br /> Johnson at Lumpkin County<br /> Lakeview Academy at Towns County<br /> North Hall at West Hall<br /> Northview at North Forsyth<br /> Pace Academy at White County<br /> Riverside Military at Hapeville Charter<br /> South Forsyth at Habersham Central<br /> Winder-Barrow at Gainesville

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