Newspaper Page Text
2B Saturday, November 3, 2018
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
SPORTS
NO. 6 GEORGIA AT NO. 11 KENTUCKY
Bulldogs facing tough
road test in Lexington
Associated Press
Sixth-ranked Georgia
is used to playing on the
national stage. No. 11 Ken
tucky not so much.
But the Wildcats must deal
with the sudden spotlight
of playing the program’s
most important game in a
generation.
The Southeastern Confer
ence’s Eastern Division title
is on the line in Saturday’s
Top 25 nationally televised
matchup between Georgia
(7-1, 5-1 SEC, No. 6 CFP)
and Kentucky (7-1, 5-1, No.
9 CFP). It’s the schools’ first
meeting since 2007 with both
teams ranked.
In Lexington, discussion
of Kentucky’s most signifi
cant football game since the
1970s has almost overshad
owed buzz about the sec
ond-ranked Wildcats men’s
basketball team’s upcom
ing opener Tuesday against
hated rival Duke. Kentucky
football coach Mark Stoops
likes being part of the con
versation but said earlier
this week he wouldn’t dis
cuss the potential impact
with players.
“I probably need to calm
them down,” the coach
joked.
Not that Stoops needed to
remind his players of what’s
on the line.
“We know what’s at
stake,” junior linebacker
Kash Daniel said. “We know
what’s riding on this game,
and obviously it is a motivat
ing factor. With big games
like this it’s important to
go into it thinking it’s just
a normal game, because
if you try to overdo it,
Georgia at
Kentucky
When: 3:30 p.m. today
Where: Lexington,
Kentucky
TV: CBS
mistakes happen.”
But he added, “this is obvi
ously the biggest game I’ve
ever played in.”
Off to their best start since
1977, the Wildcats are rid
ing the momentum of an
improbable 15-14 win at
Missouri that has put them
on the brink of their first
division title. They held the
Tigers without a first down
in the second half and enter
with the nation’s top scor
ing defense (13.0 points per
game) along with the SEC’s
No. 2 unit overall (295.3
yards).
GA TECH VS.
NORTH CAROLINA
Surging Jackets
seeking to keep
up momentum
Georgia Tech hopes it’s
finally found its groove.
North Carolina has been
close — but that’s not good
enough for the Tar Heels.
The surging Yellow Jack
ets visit the Tar Heels on
Saturday looking to move
closer to bowl eligibility and
keep alive their longshot
hopes in their topsy-turvy
division race.
Georgia Tech (4-4, 2-3
Atlantic Coast Conference)
has won three of four to
move back to .500 after a 1-3
start that put some pressure
the Yellow Jackets. Their
famed triple-option offense
ran all over Virginia Tech
last week, rolling up 465
yards rushing in a 49-28 rout
of the Hokies.
“We’ve got a lot to play
for,” coach Paul Johnson
said. “We’re still alive in the
conference. We’re trying
to play to get bowl eligible.
There’s a ton to play for. ”
For North Carolina (1-6,
1-4), there’s no more mar
gin of error. In order to
earn bowl eligibility for the
first time since 2016, the
Tar Heels must win their
remaining four games —
then find a replacement for
the game with UCF that was
canceled because of Hur
ricane Michael, and win
that one, too. They’ve been
close lately, but haven’t
been able to close out a vic
tory in more than a month.
Since their 37-point loss at
Miami, they’ve lost twice by
three points apiece — once
in overtime at Syracuse,
another when Virginia Tech
scored the winning touch
down with 19 seconds left
following a critical fumble.
Coach Larry Fedora
acknowledged that there’s
“plenty of frustration.
“We talk about it as a
team. We talk about how
close we are and the differ
ence between winning and
losing and what we need to
do,” Fedora said. “Nobody’s
happy with what’s going on.
Everybody’s searching, and
everybody’s looking at me.
I’m the leader of this team,
and .. I’m responsible for
giving them answers. ”
Associated Press
Football/NFL
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
East
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
New England
6
2
0
.750
239
185
Miami
4
4
0
.500
174
219
N.Y. Jets
3
5
0
.375
192
200
Buffalo
2
6 0
South
.250
87
200
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Houston
5
3
0
.625
197
167
Tennessee
3
4
0
.429
106
127
Jacksonville
3
5
0
.375
134
170
Indianapolis
3
5 0
North
.375
231
213
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Pittsburgh
4
2
1
.643
204
172
Cincinnati
5
3
0
.625
221
237
Baltimore
4
4
0
.500
197
137
Cleveland
2
5 1
West
.313
169
210
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Kansas City
7
1
0
.875
290
205
L.A. Chargers
5
2
0
.714
195
163
Denver
3
5
0
.375
188
194
Oakland
1
7
0
.125
141
252
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
East
W
L T
Pet
PF
PA
Washington
5
2 0
.714
146
134
Philadelphia
4
4 0
.500
178
156
Dallas
3
4 0
.429
140
123
N.Y. Giants
1
7 0
South
.125
150
205
W
L T
Pet
PF
PA
New Orleans
6
1 0
.857
234
183
Carolina
5
2 0
.714
178
152
Atlanta
3
4 0
.429
190
212
Tampa Bay
3
4 0
North
.429
201
233
W
L T
Pet
PF
PA
Chicago
4
3 0
.571
194
144
Minnesota
4
3 1
.563
197
195
Green Bay
3
3 1
.500
175
173
Detroit
3
4 0
West
.429
171
186
W
L T
Pet
PF
PA
L.A. Rams
8
0 0
1.000 264
155
Seattle
4
3 0
.571
171
131
Arizona
2
6 0
.250
110
199
San Francisco 2 7 0 .222
Thursday’s Games
San Francisco 34, Oakland 3
207
239
Sunday’s Games
N.Y. Jets at Miami, 1 p.m.
Atlanta at Washington, 1 p.m.
Detroit at Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Kansas City at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Carolina, 1 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Chicago at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
L.A. Chargers at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
Houston at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
L.A. Rams at New Orleans, 4:25 p.m.
Green Bay at New England, 8:20 p.m.
Open: Indianapolis, Arizona, N.Y. Giants,
Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Cincinnati
Monday’s Games
Tennessee at Dallas, 8:15 p.m.
Football/college
Today’s games
EAST
Air Force (3-5) at Army (6-2), Noon
Columbia (4-3) at Harvard (3-4), Noon
Robert Morris (1-6) at Sacred Heart (5-3),
Noon
Bryant (5-3) at St. Francis (Pa.) (3-5), Noon
Valparaiso (1-7) at Marist (4-4), Noon
Duquesne (5-3) at Wagner (2-6), Noon
Holy Cross (2-6) at Lafayette (3-5), 12:30 p.m.
Bucknell (1-7) at Lehigh (1-7), 12:30 p.m.
Colgate (7-0) at Fordham (1-7), 1 p.m.
Charleston Southern (3-4) at Monmouth (NJ)
(6-2), 1 p.m.
Hampton (4-3) at NY Maritime (6-2), 1 p.m.
James Madison (6-2) at New Hampshire
(2-6), 1 p.m.
Dartmouth (7-0) at Princeton (7-0), 1 p.m.
Brown (1-6) at Yale (4-3), 1 p.m.
Delaware (6-2) at Albany (NY) (2-6), 3:30 p.m.
Liberty (4-3) at UMass (3-6), 3:30 p.m.
Maine (5-3) at Towson (6-2), 4 p.m.
SOUTH
Texas A&M (5-3) at Auburn (5-3), Noon
Louisville (2-6) at Clemson (8-0), Noon
Memphis (4-4) at East Carolina (2-5), Noon
Butler (3-5) at Jacksonville (1-6), Noon
Michigan St. (5-3) at Maryland (5-3), Noon
South Carolina (4-3) at Mississippi (5-3),
Noon
Syracuse (6-2) at Wake Forest (4-4), Noon
Georgia Tech (4-4) at North Carolina (1-6),
12:15 p.m.
Chattanooga (6-2) at Furman (3-4), 1 p.m.
Florida A&M (6-2) at Howard (3-4), 1 p.m.
Norfolk St. (3-4) at NC A&T (6-2), 1 p.m.
Morehead St. (3-5) at Stetson (6-1), 1 p.m.
Rhode Island (5-3) at Elon (5-2), 1:30 p.m.
Presbyterian (2-5) at Gardner-Webb (2-6),
1:30 p.m.
Tusculum (5-3) atVMI (0-8), 1:30 p.m.
Savannah St. (2-5) at Delaware St. (1-7),
2 p.m.
Texas St. (2-6) at Georgia St. (2-6), 2 p.m.
UT Martin (1-7) at Jacksonville St. (6-2),
2 p.m.
Campbell (5-3) at Kennesaw St. (7-1), 2 p.m.
Edward Waters (4-4) at NC Central (3-4),
2 p.m.
Shorter (0-9) at North Alabama (5-3), 2:30
p.m.
Murray St. (4-4) at Tennessee Tech (0-8),
2:30 p.m.
Texas Southern (2-6) at Alabama St. (2-5),
3 p.m.
MVSU (1-6) at Grambling St. (4-4), 3 p.m.
Prairie View (3-5) at Jackson St. (3-4), 3 p.m.
Georgia Southern (7-1) at Louisiana-Monroe
(4-4), 3 p.m.
ETSU (7-2) at Mercer (4-4), 3 p.m.
Villanova (3-5) at Richmond (3-5), 3 p.m.
Wofford (6-2) at Samford (4-4), 3 p.m.
Marshall (5-2) at Southern Miss. (3-4), 3 p.m.
Georgia (7-1) at Kentucky (7-1), 3:30 p.m.
Florida St. (4-4) at NC State (5-2), 3:30 p.m.
McNeese St. (6-2) at SE Louisiana (3-6),
3:30 p.m.
Tulane (3-5) at South Florida (7-1), 3:30 p.m.
Louisiana-Lafayette (4-5) at Troy (6-2), 3:30
p.m.
The Citadel (2-5) at W. Carolina (3-5), 3:30
p.m.
Boston College (6-2) at Virginia Tech (4-3),
3:45 p.m.
Missouri (4-4) at Florida (6-2), 4 p.m.
Bethune-Cookman (4-5) at Morgan St. (2-6),
4 p.m.
Charlotte (4-4) at Tennessee (3-5), 4 p.m.
E. Kentucky (4-4) at Austin Peay (4-4), 5 p.m.
Appalachian St. (5-2) at Coastal Carolina
(5-3), 5 p.m.
Duke (5-3) at Miami (5-3), 7 p.m.
FAU (3-5) at FIU (6-2), 7:30 p.m.
Louisiana Tech (6-2) at Mississippi St. (5-3),
7:30 p.m.
UTSA (3-5) at UAB (7-1), 7:30 p.m.
Alabama (8-0) at LSU (7-1), 8 p.m.
MIDWEST
Cent. Michigan (1-8) at E. Michigan (4-5),
Noon
Iowa St. (4-3) at Kansas (3-5), Noon
Nebraska (2-6) at Ohio St. (7-1), Noon
Rutgers (1-7) at Wisconsin (5-3), Noon
South Dakota (3-5) at Indiana St. (5-3), 1 p.m.
San Diego (6-2) at Drake (5-2), 1:30 p.m.
Illinois St. (5-3) at N. Iowa (4-4), 2 p.m.
W. Illinois (4-4) at S. Illinois (2-6), 2 p.m.
Tennessee St. (3-3) at SE Missouri (6-2),
2 p.m.
Missouri St. (3-4) at S. Dakota St. (4-3),
3 p.m.
Navy (2-6) at Cincinnati (7-1), 3:30 p.m.
Minnesota (4-4) at Illinois (3-5), 3:30 p.m.
Youngstown St. (3-5) at N. Dakota St. (8-0),
3:30 p.m.
Iowa (6-2) at Purdue (4-4), 3:30 p.m.
Penn St. (6-2) at Michigan (7-1), 3:45 p.m.
Notre Dame (8-0) at Northwestern (5-3),
7:15 p.m.
SOUTHWEST
Oklahoma St. (5-3) at Baylor (4-4), Noon
Northwestern St. (3-5) at Abilene Christian
(4-4), 3 p.m.
South Alabama (2-6) at Arkansas St. (4-4),
3 p.m.
Nicholls (5-3) at Houston Baptist (1-7), 3 p.m.
Sam Houston St. (5-3) at Incarnate Word
(4-4), 3 p.m.
Alabama A&M (4-4) at Ark.-Pine Bluff (1-7),
3:30 p.m.
UTEP (0-8) at Rice (1-8), 3:30 p.m.
Kansas St. (3-5) atTCU (3-5), 3:30 p.m.
West Virginia (6-1) at Texas (6-2), 3:30 p.m.
Lamar (4-4) at Cent. Arkansas (5-3), 7 p.m.
Houston (7-1) at SMU (3-5), 7 p.m.
UConn (1-7) at Tulsa (1-7), 7 p.m.
Oklahoma (7-1) at Texas Tech (5-3), 8 p.m.
FAR WEST
Sacramento St. (3-5) at Weber St. (6-2),
2 p.m.
San Jose St. (1-7) at Wyoming (3-6), 2 p.m.
E. Washington (6-2) at N. Colorado (2-7),
2:05 p.m.
Montana (4-4) at S. Utah (1-7), 3 p.m.
Utah (6-2) at Arizona St. (4-4), 4 p.m.
Cal Poly (3-5) at Montana St. (4-4), 4 p.m.
Alcorn St. (7-2) at New Mexico St. (2-7),
4 p.m.
N. Arizona (3-5) at UC Davis (7-1), 4 p.m.
North Dakota (4-4) at Idaho (3-5), 5 p.m.
Idaho St. (5-3) at Portland St. (4-4), 5 p.m.
TODAY ON TV
FOOTBALL
RACING
■ Nebraska vs. Ohio State, noon, Fox
■ Oklahoma State vs. Baylor, noon, Fox Sports 1
■ Memphis vs. East Carolina, noon, ESPNU
■ Michigan State vs. Maryland, noon, ESPN 2
■ Louisville vs. Clemson, noon, ABC
■ Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina, 12:15 p.m.,Raycom
Sports
■ Kansas State vs. TCU, 3:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1
■ Navy vs. Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m., ESPNU
■ Iowa vs. Purdue, 3:30 p.m., ESPN 2
■ West Virginia vs. Texas, 3:30 p.m., Fox
■ Florida State vs. North Carolina State, 3:30 p.m., ABC
■ Georgia vs. Kentucky, 3:30 p.m., CBS
■ Penn State vs. Michigan, 3:45 p.m., ESPN
■ Missouri vs. Florida, 4 p.m., SEC Network
■ Duke vs. Miami, 7 p.m., ESPN 2
■ Houston vs. SMU, 7 p.m., ESPNU
■ Mississippi State vs. Louisiana Tech, 7:30 p.m., SEC
Network
■ Notre Dame vs. Northwestern, 7:15 p.m., ESPN
■ UCLA vs. Oregon, 7:30 p.m., Fox
■ Alabama vs. LSU, 8 p.m., CBS
■ Oklahoma vs. Texas Tech, 8 p.m., ABC
■ San Diego State vs. New Mexico, 10:15 p.m., ESPNU
■ Monster Energy
NASCAR Cup Series:
Fort Worth Practice,
12:30 p.m., CNBC
■ NASCAR XFINITY
Series: Fort Worth
Qualifying, 2:30 p.m.,
CNBC
■ Monster Energy
NASCAR Cup Series:
Fort Worth Final
Practice, 3:30 p.m.,
NBC Sports
■ NASCAR XFINITY
Series: O’Reilly Auto
Parts 300,4:30 p.m.,
NBC Sports
GOLF
■ PGA Tour Golf: Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, 4:30 p.m., Golf Channel
■ LPGA Tour Golf: TOTO Japan Classic, 10:30 p.m., Golf Channel
State scores
Alpharetta 41, Cambridge 21
Appling County 34, Tattnall County 8
Arabia Mountain 37, Lithonia 0
Archer 35, Shiloh 7
Armuchee 35, Dade County 14
Athens Academy 21, Commerce 14
Athens Christian 24, Lakeview Academy 21
Bainbridge 44, Thomas County Central 11
Baldwin 31, Cross Creek 0
Bleckley County 33, Southwest Macon 12
Blessed Trinity 42, White County 7
Bowdon 14, King’s Ridge 7
Brantley County 29, Long County 14
Brentwood 45, Thomas Jefferson 13
Brooks County 49, Berrien 0
Brookwood 52, Lakeside-DeKalb 7
Brookwood School 21, Creekside Christian
Academy 3
Buford 45, Clarke Central 3
Cairo 38, Dougherty 8
Calhoun 49, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 0
Calhoun County 24, Baconton 0
Calvary Christian 14, Flint River 7
Camden County 28, Tift County 24
Carrollton 50, Hiram 0
Cartersville 43, Troup County 10
Carver-Columbus 40, Americus Sumter 19
Cedar Shoals 45, Walnut Grove 0
Cedartown 45, Chapel Hill 13
Centennial 38, Northview 28
Charlton County 47, Lanier County 14
Chattahoochee County 50, Stewart County 22
Chattooga 19, Pepperell 7
Cherokee 26, Lassiter 23, OT
Christian Heritage 38, Mt. Pisgah Christian 24
Clinch County 42, Telfair County 9
Colquitt County 40, Lowndes 6
Columbus 34, Northside-Columbus 3
Cook 18, Worth County 7
Coosa 37, Gordon Central 14
Creekside 44, South Paulding 7
Creekview 36, Harrison 35,0T
Crisp County 38, Monroe 8
Dacula 28, Winder-Barrow 21
Dalton 61, Osborne 0
Darlington 22, Whitefield Academy 14
Dawson County 17, North Hall 10,0T
Douglas County 34, Alexander 28
Douglass 60, Clarkston 8
Dublin 28, Washington County 10
Dutchtown 34, Locust Grove 10
Eagle’s Landing 28, Ola 27, OT
East Hall 32, Lumpkin County 31
East Paulding 21, Villa Rica 7
Eastside 42, Hampton 28
Effingham County 12, Richmond Hill 0
Elbert County 41, Banks County 0
First Presbyterian Day 28, Washington-Wilkes
12
Flowery Branch 28, Denmark 19
Forsyth Central 28, Lambert 27,0T
Frederica 49, Bulloch 24
Glynn Academy 42, Bradwell Institute 21
Grayson 35, South Gwinnett 7
Greater Atlanta Christian 37, Fannin County
14
Griffin 28, Riverdale 12
Grovetown 30, Evans 20
Habersham Central 28, Apalachee 21
Hapeville 42, B.E.S.T. Academy 6
Haralson County 55, Murray County 29
Heard County 20, Bremen 7
Heritage School 51, Loganville Christian 0
Heritage-Catoosa 56, Northwest Whitfield 28
Hillgrove 21, North Cobb 14
Holy Innocents’ 54, Our Lady of Mercy 0
Irwin County 48, Turner County 14
Jackson 42, Rutland 0
Jackson County 55, East Jackson 14
Jeff Davis 43, Metter 23
Jefferson County 35, Screven County 21
John Milledge 48, Augusta Prep 7
Kell 41, Woodland Cartersville 18
LaFayette 34, Gilmer 14
LaGrange 16, Shaw 14
Lakeside-Evans 10, Heritage-Conyers 7
Lamar County 26, Temple 23
Lanier 6, Gainesville 2
Lee County 38, Coffee 7
Loganville 27, Johnson-Gainesville 10
Lovett 34, Westminster 28
Maclay, Fla. 63, Pataula Charter 6
Manchester 34, Macon County 13
Marietta 42, Kennesaw Mountain 22
Mary Persons 60, Howard 14
Mays 30, Northgate 29
McEachern 34, North Paulding 27
Memorial Day 60, Robert Toombs 8
Mill Creek 24, Collins Hill 0
Miller County 29, Seminole County 7
Milton 49, North Forsyth 23
Monroe Area 43, Franklin County 19
Monticello 36, Social Circle 28
Morgan County 35, Hart County 34
Mount Vernon 21, Strong Rock Christian 3
Mount de Sales 38, Hancock Central 18
Mountain View 48, Duluth 0
Mt. Zion-Carrollton 20, Fellowship Christian
School 7
Newnan 28, East Coweta 16
Norcross 42, Meadowcreek 10
North Cobb Christian 28, Mt. Paran Christian
10
North Murray 23, Sonoraville 0
North Springs 49, Lithia Springs 27
Northeast-Macon 47, East Laurens 16
Northside-Warner Robins 41, Houston County
6
Oconee County 41, Madison County 20
Parkview 49, Central Gwinnett 14
Paulding County 17, Cass 14
Peach County 28, Westside-Macon 12
Peachtree Ridge 41, Discovery 21
Pebblebrook 38, Wheeler 35
Pelham 34, Mitchell County 13
Perry 38, West Laurens 27
Pierce County 29, Liberty County 26
Pike County 38, Kendrick 0
Prince Avenue Christian 48, Riverside Military
Academy 27
Putnam County 13, Oglethorpe County 10
Rabun County 56, Union County 28
Ridgeland 37, Southeast Whitfield 21
Ringgold 42, Coahulla Creek 6
Rockdale County 35, Newton 34, 0T
Rockmart 61, Model 6
Roswell 34, Etowah 10
Sandy Creek 45, Central-Carrollton 0
Sequoyah 17, Allatoona 0
South Atlanta 43, KIPP Atlanta 10
Spencer 35, Jordan 8
Sprayberry 44, River Ridge 6
Starr’s Mill 27, Fayette County 0
Stockbridge 17, Jones County 10
Stratford 17, Aquinas 14
Swainsboro 21, Toombs County 20
Taylor County 42, Pacelli Catholic 7
Terrell Academy 55, Southwest Georgia
Academy 48
Thomasville 56, Early County 3
Thomson 20, Richmond Academy 14
Tiftarea 28, Southland 13
Towns County 20, Providence Christian 17
Trinity Christian-Dublin 23, Bethlehem
Christian Academy 16
Trion 40, Pinecrest 13
Upson-Lee 50, Spalding 23
Valwood 28, Deerfield-Windsor 14
Vidalia 42, Bacon County 13
Walker 19, Georgia Military 14
Walton 30, Woodstock 7
Warner Robins 28, Veterans 0
Wayne County 28, Ware County 21
Wesleyan 17, Trinity Christian-Sharpsburg 10
West Forsyth 24, South Forsyth 14
West Hall 62, Chestatee 19
Westlake 55, Campbell 38
Woodward Academy 45, Luella 6
Associated Press
FALCONS
■ Continued from 1B
ends just shy of a first-ever
state playoff berth.
“The heart of this football
team is really strong,” Den
mark coach Terry Crowder
said. “We (showed) that all
year and played like that all
year.”
It certainly showed.
The Danes, who broke the
scoreless tie with 21-play
scoring drive to open the
game, had to battle back
after falling behind 28-7
at the start of the second
half. The Danes got a pair
of touchdown drives in
the third and fourth quar
ters, starting with a 7-yard
rushing score from Devin
Ducille, who spun off a Fal
cons defender in the back-
field and dashed across the
plain at the 4:06 mark of
the third period. A missed
32-yard field goal by the Fal
cons minutes later berthed
the Danes’ final scoring
drive, which ended with
a Ze’Vian Capers 35-yard
catch-and-run touchdown
off the shovel pass nine
plays later.
But quarterback Ben
Whitlock’s pass attempt on
the two-point conversion
to follow was broken up by
defensive back D.J. Brown,
keeping it a two-score mar
gin for the remainder.
Capers finished with
10 catches and 110 yards
for the Danes. Their
quarterback Whitlock had
221 passing yards and a pair
of touchdowns on 21 of 44
attempts.
The Danes (5-5,2-4), while
giving the hosts quite the
scare in the final two quar
ters, still showed signs of a
young program against a
Falcons squad that knew
how to bring the pressure
inside the box. The Fal
cons came up with three
takeaways as Chase Dial-
Watson and Jerzee Allentini
each intercepted Whitlock.
However, Flowery Branch
dropped two pick-six
chances in the second half.
Defensive end Cody
Inman had a pivotal sack
— one of five for the Fal
con defense Friday — to
back the Danes well behind
the chains on their second-
to-last drive in the fourth
quarter, then fell on a Danes
fumble to award Flowery
Branch possession with 2:14
to play. Falcons fullback
Allentini was able to move
the chains twice on gaines
of 11 and 10 yards to put the
game away.
The Falcons overcame a
lackluster start in the first
half to build a 21-7 halftime
lead.
Flowery Branch flipped
the momentum with a
blocked punt on Denmark’s
second offensive drive, dur
ing which they punched in
the big special teams play
with an Aidenn Lorenz
scoop-and-score to tie the
contest at 7-all with 54 sec
onds left in the opening
period. An Allentini 1-yard
touchdown plunge and Eli
jah Gainey 7-yard touch
down pass to Connor Larson
on a rollout on back-to-back
scoring drives extended the
Falcons’ lead to 21-7 with
3:03 left in the half.
Senior running back Zar-
ian Brawner, who rattled
off gains of 11 and 17 yards
to setup Gainey for his lone
scoring strike, left the game
with a foot ailment after that
and finished with 72 yards
rushing on 12 carries.
Dial-Watson stretched the
margin to open the second
half for Flowery Branch. He
carried three times for 65
yards — including a 55-yard
scamper and nine-yard
touchdown — to make it 28-7
with 11:10 left in the period.
Flowery Branch was oth
erwise slow out the gates as
the Danes took their turn
in milking some clock on
the game’s opening drive.
Denmark ate up over seven
minutes of the game clock
during a 21 play, 73 yard
drive, extended by the first
of three Falcons encroach
ment penalties in the half
and one defensive pass inter
ference on a third-and-long.
Whitlock was a big part
of turning the long march
into points, as he hooked up
with wideout Capers four
times for 38 yards before
finding Teddy Davenport,
who managed to get one
foot in-bounds in the back of
the end zone for a 7-0 Danes
lead with 4:49 left in the first
period.
NORTH
■ Continued from 1B
downs — and the offense
started to show signs of life
as well.
A 55-yard rush from JT
Fair set the team up for their
first score of the night — a
chip-shot field goal to draw
within four points at 7-3.
Then, midway through
the fourth quarter, a Mat
thew Gunter sack forced
the Tigers to punt from deep
inside their own territory,
setting up North Hall with
excellent field position.
“It’s really encourag
ing, knowing (he’s a) young
player, and knowing he’s
playing not just for him, but
for the team,” Seavey said of
Gunter’s sack, one of three
he had on the night.
A facemask penalty on
the ensuing drive brought
the Trojans into striking
distance, and a 21-yard pass
from Seavey to Jackson put
North Hall on top for the
first time on the night.
“Obviously character is
revealed when things are
tough, and our kids played
hard in the second half,”
Bishop said. “They were
able to come back.”
But North Hall could not
hang on to its narrow lead.
After forcing a three-
and-out following Jackson’s
touchdown and having a
chance to run the clock out,
the Trojans netted 1 yard
lost over three plays, forcing
them to give the ball right
back to the Tigers.
Dawson County took full
advantage of the oppor
tunity, returning the punt
all the way down to North
Hall’s 13.
And while the Tigers
could not punch the ball into
the end zone to end the game
in regulation, kicker Caleb
Bonesteel was perfect on his
field goal attempt to end reg
ulation to send the contest
to overtime, where Dawson
County managed to pull off
the victory.
With the loss, North Hall
finishes third in Region 7-3A,
meaning they will open the
postseason on the road. But
according to the Trojans —
coaches and players — the
venue of the team’s play
off matchup is not going to
make a difference in the
outcome.
“I’m completely confi
dent in our team,” Seavey
said. “I’m just ready to see
how far we can go in the
playoffs.”
SCORES
■ Continued from 1B
start the second half.
Kylan Curry had a pair
of touchdowns for East
Hall (3-7, 2-4), one of those
passing. With the loss, the
Vikings’ season is finished.
LANIER 6, GAINES
VILLE 2: The Red Elel-
phants allowed the go-ahead
score with less than three
minutes remaining on Fri
day in Sugar Hill. With the
loss, Gainesville (2-8, 2-3
Region 8-6A) will go into the
playoffs as the No. 4 seed.
The Red Elephants’ play
off opponent is still to be
determined.
PRINCE AVENUE 48
CHRISTIAN, RIVERSIDE
MILITARY ACADEMY
27: Camron Dabney scored
a touchdown for Riverside
Military Academy on Friday
in Gainesville. With the loss
the Eagles (5-5, 4-2 Region
8-A) are in the playoffs and
will face a team to be deter
mine in the Class A private
schools state tournament.
Jordan Battles, Isaac Teas-
ley and Khalid Duke each
scored once for the Eagles.
Race lineup
Friday’s qualifying; race
Sunday
At Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, Texas
(Car number in parentheses)
1. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford,
200.505 mph
2. (14) Clint Bowyer, Ford,
200.230
3. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford,
199.941
4. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford,
199.778
5. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford,
199.527
6. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota,
199.255
7. (41) Kurt Busch, Ford,
199.225
8. (22) Joey Logano, Ford,
199.086
9. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet,
199.071
10. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota,
198.705
11. (21) Paul Menard, Ford,
197.954
12. (20) Erik Jones, Toyota,
197.853
13. (78) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota,
197.962
14. (31) Ryan Newman,
Chevrolet, 197.925
15. (6) Trevor Bayne, Ford,
197.715
16. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet,
197.686
17. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr.,
Ford, 197.592
18. (88) Alex Bowman,
Chevrolet, 197.542
19. (19) Daniel Suarez, Toyota,
197.397
20. (1) Jamie McMurray,
Chevrolet, 197.383
21. (37) Chris Buescher,
Chevrolet, 197.087
22. (42) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet,
196.815
23. (48) Jimmie Johnson,
Chevrolet, 196.728
24. (13) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet,
196.514
25. (47) AJ Allmendinger,
Chevrolet, 196.007
26. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet,
195.327
27. (38) David Ragan, Ford,
195.221
28. (95) Regan Smith, Chevrolet,
194.749
29. (34) Michael McDowell,
Ford, 194.475
30. (43) Bubba Wallace,
Chevrolet, 194.398
31. (32) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford,
192.404
32. (00) Landon Cassill,
Chevrolet, 191.843
33. (15) Ross Chastain,
Chevrolet, 191.299
34. (96) Parker Kligerman,
Toyota, 191.110
35. (23) JJ Yeley, Toyota,
190.268
36. (99) Kyle Weatherman,
Chevrolet, 189.221
37. (72) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet,
188.824
38. (7) Reed Sorenson,
Chevrolet, 187.598
39. (51) Joey Gase, Ford,
183.076
40. (97) David Starr, Toyota,
181.305
Associated Press