After weeks of buildup, the most anticipated matchup in Northeast Georgia comes to fruition next Friday night when undefeated Union County travels to 3rd ranked Rabun County (8-1, 6-0) with the Region 8-AA title on the line.
With both teams drawing Oglethorpe County and Social Circle in consecutive weeks, the de facto region title game was all but guaranteed after the Panthers demolished Banks County on Oct. 12.
All Union and Rabun needed to do was take care of business and that’s exactly what they did.
On Union County’s end, a below-average Social Circle squad was all that stood between the Panthers and a 9-0 record, and over the first 24 minutes Friday, the Redskins’ defense offered very spotty resistance. And that’s being generous.
Junior quarterback Pierson Allison accounted for all five first half touchdowns before getting the hook early in the third quarter as his team cruised to a 42-7 victory on Senior Night.
On the heels of a three-and-out to open the contest, the Union County offense set up shop at the Redskins’ 29 following a short punt and a solid Kanon Hemphill return. After completions to Kyle Morlock and Hemphill, Allison put his team on the board with back-to-back 5-yard keepers — the latter on 2nd-and-goal from the five.
The Panthers would get the ball back at their own 23 and on the first play, Morlock took a tunnel screen from Allison and broke a tackle before outrunning the Social Circle secondary for a 77-yard touchdown — Union’s longest play from scrimmage this season.
Late in the opening quarter, Union County took over after a punt was downed inside the 20. A 9-yard run by Allison brought up 2nd-and-1 from the 26, setting up a deep ball to Sawyer Drake.
With a step on the defensive back, Drake glided under Allison’s pass, never breaking stride down the near sideline for a 76-yard touchdown reception. As the first quarter came to a close, the Panthers were in control at 21-0.
Social Circle turned it over on downs after driving into the Panther red zone, giving the ball back to the quick-strike Union offense at its own 13.
Two runs by Chad Buzzard of 13 and 5 yards were sandwiched around a defensive offsides penalty and a 30-yard catch-and-run by Chayton Schafer. From the Social Circle 35-yard line, Allison and Hemphill hooked up on another scoring strike with 5:41 left before the half.
The Redskins would miss wide left on a field goal attempt from 46 yards with 1:25 remaining in the second. From the 20, Allison immediately went back to Hemphill for 33 yards following an ineligible receiver downfield flag. Just shy of midfield, Union County tacked on another score when Allison hit Cayden Rich over the middle and the junior wide out went untouched into the end zone for a 52-yard reception.
With a region championship up for grabs, the starters opened the third quarter but didn’t finish it. The Panthers would, however, make it a 42-0 game when a Logan Helcher shovel pass to Zion Ross led to a score on 4th-and-goal at the one.
Social Circle broke up the shutout with 5:33 to play when a tunnel screen was picked off, leaving the defender clear sailing on a 75-yard pick-six.
After winning a program-record 11-straight games, the Panthers can now set their sights on another first. At 3rd ranked Rabun County on Friday, Union County will be aiming for its first-ever road win over a top 5 team.
Since the football program’s 1957 inception, the Panthers are 0-19 vs top 5 opponents on the road. Overall they’re 1-30 vs top five teams with the lone victory coming at home vs No. 3 Buford in 1976. Coincidently, the quarterback of that 1976 UCHS team was Steve Drake, whose son Sawyer, is the team’s leading receiver in 2018.
(It would be something if the son’s 2018 team can take the title of “Biggest Win in Program History” away from the father’s 1976 squad.)
For more on Union County’s 42-7 Senior Night victory, complete stats, a look ahead to Rabun County, along with postgame interviews with Brian Allison, Hunter Kelley and Kyle Williams, pick up the upcoming edition of the North Georgia News or visit online at http://www.nganews.com.
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