Dawson County wins nail-biter over Chestatee High School 45-42 in Overtime
Sports, Team FYN Sports August 31, 2019
It isn’t very often that you can classify the second game of the season as the “Game of the Year”
However, this is one of those instances.
The Dawson County Tigers faced off against their region opponent the Chestatee High School War Eagles on Friday night. The game didn’t start off the way Dawson wanted it to. On Chestatee’s 3rd play of the game, they heaved the ball to a receiver who tipped it, causing the people to keep moving past the Dawson defense and into the hands of another War Eagle receiver, who ran the ball 73 yards for the score. The play was eerily similar to a play made by different War Eagles against some Bulldogs back in 2013.
After the teams traded 3 and outs, Dawson finally got some offense going, with quarterback #10 Zacchaeus Holtzclaw tossing a 30 yard touchdown to #12 Riley Herndon to even the score at 7 with 6:54 left in the first quarter.
On the following possession, Chestatee moved the ball on some large gains, eventually scoring on a 4 yard scramble by the QB to retake the lead 14-7 a minute and a half later.
Dawson didn’t respond the way they wanted to, as they threw a pick on the following possession on 3rd and 10. However, the defense was able to respond and stop the War Eagles on 4th down to regain possession.
The Tigers were able to get the offense moving again with a few first down passes. Unfortunately, the drive was killed by a bobbled snap for a loss of 6 yards and a high snap that went over Holtzclaw’s head for a loss of 12.
Chestatee’s offense continued to score on big plays. On second down, they fired a slant that went 80 yards for the score. Dawson’s special teams showed signs of life, with #37 Kobe Rea blocking the extra point to hold the lead at 20-7.
Dawson started off the next drive with another bobbled snap, however they turned it around, with #21 Shawn Thomas running in a touchdown from 15 yards out to cut into the deficit.
Chestatee responded by marching the ball down the field in chunks to score 4 minutes later and extend their lead back to 2 possessions.
Dawson was able to keep the ball moving on their next two possessions. Unfortunately, both ended with missed field goals of 40 and 46 yards, to keep the game at 27-14 heading into halftime.
For the second week in a row, Dawson was able to start the second half nicely. The halftime speeches seem to work extra well. On their first play of the second half, #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen took the handoff coming out of the slot and ran it 69 yards for the score.
The energy that wasn’t there in the first half could be felt from the sideline. Despite being kicked around in the first half, Dawson took control of the game, and it was now theirs to lose.
Although Chestatee was able to move the ball, it seemed Dawson’s defense was right there every time. Eventually, Riley Herndon was able to intercept a pass to get the ball back for his offense. Unfortunately they weren’t able to do much with it.
The War Eagles continued to move the ball, and eventually scored on a 20 yard touchdown pass to regain a 2 possession lead.
These Tigers were not ready to quit. The kick return was brought back to the 24 yard line, and the ball was thrown to #8 Hunter Barron for the score.
Dawson’s defense wasn’t done, with #7 Braedon Hubbard taking an interception to the house on the following possession to give Dawson their first lead of the game, 35-34, with 1:33 left in the 3rd quarter.
Yet again, the Tigers showed they still had tons of energy, with Herndon getting his second interception of the game to give Dawson the ball back.
For nearly a full quarter, neither team could even get a first down. With a few minutes remaining, Chestatee finally got the ball moving by converting on a 4th and 1. On the following play, they chucked a 25 yard pass down the field, which was moved even further ahead on a targeting call. On 3rd and 2 from the goal line, they ran the ball in to regain the lead with 1:06 remaining. To extend their lead to 7, Chestatee went for 2. Their quarterback dropped back and threw a short pass, which was batted down by Dawson. Unfortunately, it landed right back in the hands of the quarterback, who ran it around the outside to give the War Eagles a 42-35 lead.
Cool and collected, Dawson drove the ball down the field quickly, with a few long passes, and a 9 yard touchdown pass to Barron to tie the game with 11.8 and head into overtime.
For those who don’t know, GHSA football plays overtime the same way the NCAA does, except offenses start from the 15 instead of the 25 yard line.
Chestatee kept the ball on the ground and got to 3rd and 1 from the 6. Dawson’s defense stepped up again, limiting the offense to less than a yard gain, setting up 4th and inches. The War Eagles elected to go for it, and the defense got to the quarterback in the backfield for a loss to give their offense the ball.
Dawson got to a similar 4th and short situation and chose to kick in the 23 yard game winning field goal by #99 Caleb Bonesteel with a final score of 45-42.
Dawson County’s next game is at West Hall on September 13th.
Dawson County Starts Off Season on High Note with Win over Habersham Central 27-13
Team FYN Sports August 24, 2019
The Dawson County Tigers could not have started their season off any better.
For their first home game of the year, Dawson County celebrated their seniors before the game. So, it was fitting that on the first play of the game, senior Shawn Thomas ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown.
Momentum stayed with the Tigers, as they forced and recovered a fumble, setting them up with great field position to start their drive. Habersham’s defense, however, came out with a lot of energy, with 3 straight stops to end Dawson’s drive. This set up kicker Caleb Bonesteel with an incredible 52-yard kick that went straight through the uprights.
The quick start by Dawson to get up 10-0 was impressive, but on the 3rd play of the following drive, the Raiders scored on a slant route that went 71 yards for the score.
The Tigers struggled to move the ball once again, with a quick 3 and out. Habersham struck again with another short route that went 47 yards for six, which followed a fake punt resulting in a first down. A missed PAT gave the Raiders a 13-10 lead with 4 minutes left in the first quarter.
Dawson finally gained some momentum on a long drive that got them to the goal line on a long scramble by quarterback Zacchaeus Holtzclaw. However, they were stopped short of a touchdown due to a penalty and a sack. Bonesteel hit another field goal from 32 yards to tie the game early in the second quarter.
For the rest of the half, the teams traded momentum, with neither team getting on the board. Habersham started it off with a long drive that included a 4th down conversion. However, they fumbled the ball away in opposing territory.
Dawson couldn’t get anything going their next drive, and Habersham missed a short field goal on the ensuing possession.
However, the victory was short lived, as Dawson threw an interception on the following play. The defense responded with an interception in the endzone, giving Dawson the ball to run out the half.
The Raiders received the ball to start the second half, but couldn’t get the ball moving, with their drive ending with a drop on 3rd down. The Tigers were able to start the half off nicely, with a 69-yard touchdown run on the first play by Thomas, his second touchdown of the game.
Habersham got a strong drive going, including a 4th down conversion and a flag for a late hit. On 4th and 12, Dawson dropped an interception in the end zone, giving them the ball on the 25.
With the opportunity to really take control of the game, Dawson seized the opportunity.
On a drive that took most of the third quarter, Dawson took command and methodically marched the ball down the field for a touchdown, which was ran in by Holtzclaw.
Down 2 touchdowns, Habersham needed to make some plays, but couldn’t. The following possession, the Raiders had 2 drops, on a quick 3 and out. Dawson then drove the ball down the field, but missed a 42 yard field goal.
Habersham was able to get a drive going, however, they dropped another touchdown pass on 4th down. The following possessions were 3 and outs with no real movement down the field, resulting in a final score of 27-13.
Dawson County plays next Friday at Chestatee High School.
Dawson County Tigers preparing for season at North Forsyth camp
Dawson County High School, Dawson County High School, Sports, Team FYN Sports July 17, 2019
With the regular season only weeks away, high school teams in the North Georgia area know that they have to take every chance they can to get better. That’s exactly what the Dawson County Tigers and several other teams from the North Georgia/metro-Atlanta area are doing this week at the North Forsyth High School contact camp.
The camp started this morning at 9 a.m. and lasted until around noon. Each team had a chance to play in a scrimmage game twice. Teams will return again tomorrow at the same time.
The scrimmage games were played in a format that allowed seven to eight minutes of possession time for each team. After time ran out the teams would change possession. Plays were stopped at first contact with the ball carrier.
The Tigers scrimmaged Southwest DeKalb for the first game. This game was played at a slower pace so the Tigers could rotate players. Junior Varsity and Varsity teams were present for the Tigers, so the rotation schedule allowed playing time for both teams.
An interception caught for the Tigers in their first scrimmage game against Southwest DeKalb High School.
Dawson County scrimmaged Collins Hill in the second game. Although this game was played in the same format as the first, it was played at a faster pace to focus on moving the ball and gaining yardage. Each game lasted an hour and a half.
“We’ve got a very young squad, a lot of these guys are just trying to get their feet wet before we officially kick off next week,” said Sid Maxwell, head coach for the Tigers. “[We’re] Just trying to get another chance to come out and play somebody.”
Maxwell said that this camp is the third contact camp for the Tigers this summer, and they are gearing up for the start of their mandatory practices next week.
Watch the full video interview with Coach Maxwell below, and check out pictures from the camp on Team FYN Sports Facebook page!
TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week- #6 Jaden Gibson
Dawson County High School, Player of the Week, Team FYN Sports October 26, 2019
In a dominant showing by the Dawson County Tigers, freshman wide receiver Jaden Gibson shined with 2 long receiving touchdowns. Gibson had a 50 yard touchdown reception to give them the early lead. He also had a 46 yard touchdown reception to give them a 28-7 lead in the second quarter. Gibson had well over 100 receiving yards, had a short run, and had a good kick return to put the offense in good position to start the second half. Jaden Gibson is the Dawson County Player of the Week!
Dawson County Player of the Week Sponsors!
Dawson County Defends Their Home Turf, Defeats East Hall 52-34
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 5, 2019
Considering last year Dawson County came to their field and won 64-0, East Hall had some added motivation for this game.
And they showed it on the first drive.
After 2 false starts, the Spartans launched the ball down the field twice, resulting in a 35-yard reception and a 59-yard touchdown less than 2 minutes into the game. Dawson wasn’t just going to roll over on their field, as they blocked the PAT kick to keep the score at 6-0.
Dawson has multiple return men who have returned kicks for scores this year, and the Spartans obviously didn’t want to allow that, as every kickoff was a squib kick. These resulted in great field position for the Tigers, but prevented any type of long return.
Starting their drive from their own 34, the Tigers methodically drove the ball down the field with a number of short throws and runs. After about 5 minutes, Dawson had to settle for a 26-yard field goal to cut deficit to 3.
#10 Zacchaeus Holtzclaw readies his offense
The Tigers’ defense got back on track, forcing a 3 and out. They moved the ball down the field with multiple runs and a big first down catch by #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen. Just before the end of the first quarter, #15 Isaiah Grindle pounded in a touchdown from 8 yards out to give Dawson a 10-6 lead.
Already having 3 interceptions on the season, #12 Riley Herndon added to his total on the second play of the next drive to give his offense the ball back.
Unfortunately, his offense couldn’t keep the momentum up as they went 3 and out.
East Hall got back on track in the air with a few short first downs, followed by a long heave to get the Spartans inside the 10-yard line. After a facemask call on the Tigers, East Hall ran in the 1-yard score. Since the PAT was blocked earlier, they tried to get the points back by going for 2, but failed to convert, holding their lead at only 2 points.
After another squib kick, Dawson started their drive at their own 46. Following a 1-yard run, Sonnichsen caught a screen pass and dashed past the defense 53 yards for his first score of the game.
The Vikings got their next drive started off right with a quick first down, but #7 Braedon Hubbard forced their second turnover of the game with an interception.
This time, the Tigers were able to capitalize off of the turnover. After multiple first downs, #21 Shawn Thomas took the direct snap and ran in the 2-yard touchdown to give Dawson the 24-12 lead with about 4 minutes to go.
On third down of their next drive, East Hall felt the pressure from the Dawson defensive line, as their quarterback slipped and fell for a huge loss, forcing a punt that went to the 43-yard line.
#1 Dakohta Sonnichsen catches a 26-yard touchdown pass
Thomas got a quick first down on a screen, but it was Sonnichsen who scored on a 26-yard touchdown reception to give Dawson the 31-12 lead.
Getting the ball back with about 10 seconds left, Dawson elected to allow #99 Caleb Bonesteel to attempt a 67-yard field goal. Attempting a kick 3 yards longer than the NFL record of 64-yards, the confidence in Bonesteel from the coaching staff speaks volumes about his ability.
The kick fell short, giving the Vikings the ball back. They tried to run out the clock, but Herndon didn’t want to end the half without getting one more big hit in to give the Tigers momentum going into the locker room.
Starting the half from the 44, #10 Zacchaeus Holtzclaw delivered a quick screen to Sonnichsen who ran it 56 yards for the touchdown. Unfortunately, it was called back by a personal foul, and the Tigers ended up going 3 and out.
After a first down by East Hall, the Dawson defense came back to life with an 80-yard pick 6 by Herndon, his second takeaway of the game.
The Vikings decided to put in a new quarterback, who fumbled the first snap, but made up for it quickly by delivering a 61-yard strike for a touchdown. East Hall went for 2 and converted on a fade to the back left corner of the endzone that was tipped by the defense but caught by the receiver as he hit the ground.
Although it seemed East Hall gained momentum, the Tigers turned the tables back in their favor, as #6 Jaden Gibson returned the squib quick for a touchdown to make their lead to 45-20 halfway through the third.
On the ensuing possession, the Vikings drove the ball down the field with multiple first downs, only to have the drive ended by a fumble that was recovered by #30 D.J. Mitchell.
However, Dawson went 3 and out quickly, as they seemed to slow the tempo down a little bit.
#15 Isaiah Grindle gets ready to receive the kickoff
East Hall on the other hand kept up the pace. After multiple first downs, they ran in the score from 2 yards out. They weren’t able to convert on the 2-point attempt this time, as the score remained 45-26.
Dawson kept the ball on the ground, and this time it paid off. After multiple first down runs by Gibson and Grindle, Grindle took it to the house from 11 yards out to make the score 52-26 in favor of the Tigers.
The Vikings responded quickly on a 68-yard touchdown pass and a 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 52-34 with less than 7 minutes to go.
The Tigers run game stayed strong, as they were able to run out the clock from this point on with some well-timed first downs to give them the victory.
Dawson County will play host to GAC next Friday as they look to move to 6-1 on the season.
TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week- #12 Riley Herndon
Player of the Week, Team FYN Sports October 12, 2019
In Friday nights’ game, Herndon appeared to be everywhere defensively for the Tigers. Early in the second quarter, he blocked an extra point attempt. He had a long reception and converted a 4th down fake punt on the same drive. He also increased his region leading interception total to 7 with a pick in the 4th quarter.
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Dawson County Falls to Denmark High School in Back and Forth Affair
Sports, Team FYN Sports September 21, 2019
Denmark High School may only be in their second year as a school, but you wouldn’t know it from watching their football team.
Dawson County knew they would have their work cut out for them, as the Danes of Denmark have multiple players committed to Power 5 conference schools.
If the Tigers were intimidated by the talent of their opponent, they definitely didn’t show it.
Dawson opened up the game by kicking the ball off to Denmark and forcing a 3 and out. Dawson muffed the punt, but held onto it, only to have a 3 and out of their own.
Denmark got the ball back and drove down the field to the red zone. However, following a timeout, the Tigers held the Danes on the line of scrimmage to force the turnovers on downs.
#10 Zacchaeus Holtzclaw started the drive off with a strike to #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen that resulted in a 30 yard gain for Dawson. Following a few more first down runs, #12 Riley Herndon ran the ball in from 13 yards out to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 3:43 left in the first quarter.
Considering Denmark had beaten their previous opponents by a total score of 104-0, this was a huge start for the Tigers.
The following drives didn’t have much excitement, as the teams exchanged 3 and outs. The following drive for the Danes was cut short by an interception from #20 Tripp Caine. However, the Tigers eventually had to punt.
Denmark drove the ball down the field off of big plays that eventually resulted in a touchdown run to tie the game at 7 with 5:57 left in the half.
Dawson proved they have matured as a team as they responded with a long kick return by #15 Isaiah Grindle to get them down to the 2 yard line.
Unfortunately, a number of penalties set them back to the 27 yard line, and the drive resulted in a 44 yard field goal by #99 Caleb Bonesteel to give the Tigers the lead back with 3:26 left in the second.
Denmark’s stars showed off their talent, as they scored in less than 2 minutes on an incredible 55-yard touchdown pass to give them a 14-10 lead back with 1:46 remaining.
A few short runs by Dawson ended the half with the score neck and neck.
Dawson started off the half with a 3 and out, but was able to get some momentum back on an interception by #12 Riley Herndon. After a few first downs, they did have to punt again.
The Danes marched the ball methodically down the field, and started the 4th quarter with excellent field position. Dawson’s defense came up big, and held them to a field goal to keep it at a one possession game.
Following another 3 and out by the Tigers, both defenses started to get tired and it showed.
Denmark launched another long pass down the field and then ran the ball in to extend their lead to 24-10 with 7:31 remaining.
After multiple long passes, Holtzclaw delivered a 20 yard touchdown pass to #11 Joey Toal to make it 24-17.
The Danes responded with a 71 yard touchdown bomb about a minute later.
The Tigers didn’t back down, as Holtzclaw delivered another touchdown less than a minute later, this time to #4 Brody Howell.
Following an onside kick, the Danes wasted no time, scoring on a 51 yard touchdown 19 seconds later.
Holtzclaw got his team rolling again with a first down, but the defense came alive and recorded back to back sacks. On third and long, Holtzclaw heaved up a long pass, but it was intercepted, allowing the Danes to run out the clock.
The Tigers will return to action next Friday as they look to get back on track at Lumpkin County High School.
Dawson County Tigers Defeat Westminster 27-3, Advance to Second Round
Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports November 16, 2019
With rainy weather throughout the day, it wasn’t ideal conditions for a first round game of the state playoffs. The Tigers, however, were not fazed.
Despite the poor weather, Dawson County was focused on the task at hand, and it showed in their play.
The Tigers received the ball to open the game, but had to punt quickly after a holding call on first down.
Dawson County Offense heads to the line.
Westminster had good field position to start their drive. However, #12 Riley Herndon intercepted the ball on third down and returned it to the opposite side of the field.
After a couple of first downs, the Tigers scored the first points of the game on a 32-yard field goal by #99 Caleb Bonesteel.
The Wildcats next drive was a long one. They got multiple first downs on both passes and rushes. They eventually settled for a 45-yard field goal to tie the game at 3 nearing the end of the first.
The teams traded 3 and outs on their next drives. On their next drive, the Tigers got multiple first downs to advance the ball. This included a pass to #8 Hunter Barron and a run by #10 Zach Holtzclaw. Unfortunately, Holtzclaw threw an interception that was returned past midfield.
After the Wildcats converted on 4th down, #20 Tripp Caine came up big for the Tigers with an interception to give his team the ball back.
Dawson County moved the ball down the field, but the Wildcat defense forced a 4th down. On the punt attempt, Riley Herndon faked it and threw the ball to #6 Jaden Gibson for a first down. However, it was called back on a flag for an ineligible receiver down field.
Westminster started from the 25, but fumbled the ball on a pitch on the first play. #2 Max Moon recovered it for the Tigers and took it down to the goal line. #15 Isaiah Grindle punched in the touchdown from 2 yards out, allowing the Tigers to take a 10-3 lead into the half.
The Wildcats opened the half with a 3 and out. On the punt, the punter bobbled the snap, resulting in a bad punt that gave the Tigers great field position.
Dawson County had to settle for a 39 yard field goal after a quick 3 and out.
#21 Shawn Thomas shoves a Westminster defender to the ground.
Westminster drove the ball down the field on multiple first downs, but had to settle for a 51 yard field goal. The Wildcats faked the attempt, but they were quickly stopped, giving Dawson County the ball back.
The teams traded 3 and outs again nearing the end of the 3rd quarter. The Tigers’ drive started with a long run by Grindle to end the third. #21 Shawn Thomas opened the final quarter with a first down run. He followed it up with a 24 yard touchdown run to give his team a 20-3 lead early in the 4th.
After another Westminster 3 and out, Shawn Thomas lead the Dawson County drive with multiple first down runs. He also ran in a 5 yard touchdown to expand the Tiger lead to 27-3 with less than 5 minutes in the game.
On the ensuing possession, Caine got his second interception of the game. This sealed the Tigers’ spot in the second round of the playoffs.
Dawson County Falls to GACS in Battle for First Place
Business, Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports October 12, 2019
Over the past 3 seasons, the winner of the Dawson County vs GACS game has gone on to win the region.
With both schools sitting at 2-0 in the region, it appeared the stakes of this game were as high as ever.
To start off the game, GACS received the ball for a touchback. The Spartans drove the ball down the field with multiple first downs, eventually scoring on a 9-yard touchdown run to give them a 7-0 lead 3 and a half minutes into the game.
As strong as GACS looked on their first drive, Dawson County looked even stronger. Following 2 short runs, #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen caught a slant pass and weaved through the defense, going 75 yards for the score to tie the game 2 minutes later.
#1 Dakohta Sonnichsen swerves through the defense on his way to a 75-yard touchdown
In response to the big play, the Spartans had a similar drive to their first, gaining multiple first downs on their way to a 3-yard touchdown run with less than a minute left in the first quarter to give them a 14-7 lead.
Trying to keep up with the pace of GACS, the Tigers came out aggressive on their next drive. Unfortunately, the first play was a pass that resulted in an interception, giving the Spartans the ball around midfield.
For a 3rd time, GACS methodically drove the ball down the field for a 16-yard touchdown pass.
To get his team some momentum back, #12 Riley Herndon blocked the extra point attempt, to hold the score at 20-7 with 9:38 left in the half.
On the next possessions, both teams got a few first downs, but had to punt.
On the following possession, the Tigers had a 4th down situation in their own territory. Desperately needing some momentum, Herndon ran the ball and converted a fake punt for the first down.
Getting down to another 4th down nearing the end of the half, Dawson County lined up for a long field goal. They faked it again, but this time the Spartans were ready and prevented the conversion.
#12 Riley Herndon prepares his defense
GACS ran out the clock, heading to halftime with a 20-7 lead.
Dawson County opened up the second half with a few first downs. However, on 4th down, the Tigers faked another punt. This time, Herndon rolled out left and fired the ball to Sonnichsen on the sideline. He hauled in the catch, but didn’t have control, resulting in a turnover on downs.
The defense of the Tigers started rolling, forcing a 3 and out.
On the ensuing possession, Dawson County was able to move the ball down the field, but eventually had to punt after huge losses on 2 sacks.
The Tigers forced another 3 and out to get the ball back for their offense.
On their next drive, #10 Zacchaeus Holtzclaw threw a pass that was tipped and landed in the hands of the Spartans, resulting in his second interception of the game.
Currently leading the region with 6 interceptions, Herndon added to his total with a pick on the next drive.
After moving the ball down the field, the Tigers eventually turned the ball over on downs with an incomplete pass on 4th down.
Trying to seal the game, the Spartans opened their drive with a 30-yard run. However, on a big 3rd down, #30 DJ Mitchell got to the quarterback and brought him down for a big loss and forcing a punt.
#6 Jaden Gibson spins away to avoid the tackle
With one last chance, Dawson County started off the drive with a big return that had some yards tacked on with a facemask call. Unfortunately, Holtzclaw was sacked on 2nd down on a play that he was injured on. Backup QB #17 Keegan Stover came in to try and keep the momentum going, but eventually turned the ball over on downs, allowing the Spartans to run out the game clock.
Coach Maxwell was very proud of the way his guys played and felt they learned and got better.
Dawson County will return to action in 2 weeks as they host Fannin County.
TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week- #15 Isaiah Grindle
Player of the Week, Team FYN Sports September 28, 2019
Isaiah Grindle was all over the field for the Tigers, racking up yards in bunches. Grindle had 2 touchdown rushes from 11 and 34-yards out to go along with a 23-yard touchdown reception. Add in his other first down rushes and his long punt return, Grindle had well over 100 all-purpose yards to help lead his Dawson county Tigers’ to victory.
Dawson Tigers defeat Pickens Dragons 16-10 in pre-season spring scrimmage
Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports May 18, 2019
The Dawson County Tigers came out on top over the Pickens County Dragons 16-10 in a pre-season spring scrimmage on Friday night.
The first half of the game was a display of the defensive strength of both teams with the score tied at 0-0 going into the half. The Tigers had a couple of high points offensively, with an interception by Hunter Barron in the first quarter and a turnover in the second quarter after a Dragons fumble.
Toward the beginning of the game, Tigers starting quarterback Max Moon stepped out of play due to a head injury, and
Will Whalen celebrates the first touchdown of the night with teammate
Keegan Stover finished out the rest of the game.
Another interception by the Tigers in the third quarter was soon followed by a touchdown by Will Whalen to put the first points of the night on board.
The Dragons immediately answered with a touchdown of their own by Devin Hand to tie up the game 7-7.
A field goal from the Tigers Caleb Bonesteel gave a lead of 10-7, while an interception by Nic Baloga followed by a touchdown from Tripp Caine gave them the extra edge to win.
A final field goal from the Dragons pushed the final score to 16-10.
Tigers head coach Sid Maxwell said of plans for the rest of pre-season, “Just trying to get better…we’re not worried about who wins or loses.”
Dawson County Picks Up 52-10 Win Over Cherokee Bluff
Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports November 2, 2019
Coming off a huge win last week over Fannin County, the Dawson County Tigers were looking to maintain their momentum heading to the playoffs.
Playing on the road, they did just that.
Cherokee Bluff received the ball to start the game. The Dawson County defense forced a punt that was caught by #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen for a fair catch. The very next play, Sonnichsen caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from #10 Zach Holtzclaw.
The bears were able to move the ball down the field due to multiple penalties by the Tigers. However, they only managed to get a field goal to make the game 7-3 with 5 minutes remaining in the first.
#21 Shawn Thomas returned the kickoff to the 46 yard line to give Dawson County great field position. They capitalized by throwing a 30 yard pass to Sonnichsen before Holtzclaw kept it himself to run in the touchdown from 12 yards out.
On third down of the following possession, #30 D.J. Mitchell had a huge sack to force a punt that went to midfield. Thomas started the drive off with a first down run. Unfortunately, they had to settle for 3 points on a 46 yard field goal from #99 Caleb Bonesteel.
Cherokee Bluff started their next drive from the 6 yard line after a mishap from the return team. After not being able to move the ball, they had to punt quickly. The bears’ punt was a short one to the 35 yard line that was returned 10 yards by Thomas to the 25.
The next play, Holtzclaw fired a 25 yard touchdown strike to #6 Jaden Gibson to make the score 24-3 early in the second.
Cherokee Bluff threw an interception on third down of the next drive, but it was reversed due to a pass interference call. The Tigers were able to force a punt that allowed them to start their next drive from their own 10.
Thomas started the drive with a first down run and followed that with a 79 yard touchdown run.
The teams traded 3 and outs on their next 2 drives to end the first half.
Thomas started off the second half by returning the kickoff to the 30 yard line. He followed that up with a 37 yard run and a 13 yard reception. Sonnichsen ended the drive with a 29 yard touchdown reception to give them a 38-3 lead.
The bears were able to get some momentum with a long return. They were also able to convert on a 4th down, but failed to convert on another 4th down.
Thomas stayed hot with a 30 yard run and another first down run to start the drive. Sonnichsen also had a first down reception before Holtzclaw ran in another score after bobbling the snap.
After another three and out by the bears, #31 Nic Baloga had a first down run, a 61 yard run, and finally punched it in for the touchdown.
Cherokee Bluff got their only touchdown of the game on the back of multiple long runs at the end of the game.
Dawson County ran out the clock to take the 52-9 victory.
The Tigers play next week at North Hall in their final game of the regular season.
Dawson County Defeats Fannin County 51-7, Clinches Playoff Spot
Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports October 26, 2019
In a battle of 5-2 teams, the matchup between Dawson County and Fannin County was set up to be a good one. On paper, these were two evenly matched teams.
However, with a playoff birth on the line, Dawson County rose to the occasion.
2 Dawson County receivers line up before the play.
Fannin received the ball to start the game, but couldn’t get much going, resulting in a quick 3 and out.
Despite a major injury against GAC 2 weeks ago, #10 Zach Holtzclaw was able to make start tonight, and he looked sharp.
Holtzclaw lead his offense down the field throwing multiple first down passes, including a long pass to Player of the Week #6 Jaden Gibson on third and long. On 4th and goal from the 2 yard line, Hotlzclaw kept the ball and ran in a touchdown to give the Tigers the early lead.
The next possession was the only lapse for the Tigers defense. On second down, the Rebels running back bounced off of the offensive line to the outside, running the ball 78 yards down to the 1 yard line. The next play, another Fannin running back pounded it in to tie the game about a minute later.
The Tigers weren’t fazed by the long score, responding with their own long touchdown. Holtzclaw fired a 50 yard touchdown to Gibson to regain the lead a minute later.
The refs talked to Dawson County and Fannin County.
Dawson County’s defense got back on track the next possession, forcing a 3 and out by the Rebels.
After the punt was returned to midfield, Holtzclaw launched a 40 yard pass to #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen. This set up a 7 yard touchdown run by #21 Shawn Thomas, making the score 21-7 late in the first quarter.
Fannin County’s offense was able to get the ball moving down the field, including a 4th down conversion. However, after a big sack on 3rd down, Dawson County got a stop on 4th down to get the ball back in their own territory.
Holtzclaw kept his offense firing on all cylinders, delivering a long pass to #8 Hunter Barron followed by a 46 yard touchdown pass to Gibson, his second of the night.
The Tigers’ defense stifled the Rebels again, forcing another 3 and out.
#15 Isaiah Grindle runs the ball for Dawson County.
On the following drive, Holtzclaw threw a quick screen to Shawn Thomas for a first down. The next play, #15 Isaiah Grindle ran 51 yards for a touchdown to extend the lead to 35-7 late in the second quarter.
Fannin moved the ball down the field well on the next possession, getting into Dawson territory. However, they weren’t able to capitalize, as they failed to convert on 4th down again, ending the half.
Dawson County started the second half on a good note, with a return to midfield by Gibson. Holtzclaw kept the momentum going by throwing for 2 first downs before delivering a 21 yard touchdown pass to Barron.
After a first down by Fannin, the Tigers killed the momentum of the Rebels with a big sack on third down, forcing a punt to give the ball back to Dawson.
#12 Riley Herndon started the drive with a 57 yard reception on a pass from Holtzclaw. Dakohta Sonnichsen followed that up with a 10 yard touchdown reception, to give Dawson a 48-7 lead with 6 minutes left in the third, after #99 Caleb Bonesteel had a rare miss on an extra point.
After another 3 and out by Fannin, the Tigers drove the ball down the field to set up a 33 yard field goal by Bonesteel to extend the lead to 51-7.
With a running clock, the game finished out quickly after possessions by both teams.
Dawson County travels to play at Cherokee Bluff next Friday, looking to make their record 7-2.
Dawson County Runs Past Lumpkin County 45-0
Team FYN Sports September 28, 2019
Coming off a tough home loss to Denmark, Dawson County knew they had to make a statement at Lumpkin.
And they did just that.
The Tigers opened the game with a kick return by #21 Shawn Thomas to the Indians 21-yard line to start them out strong. Dawson’s offense couldn’t get much going, and had to settle for a 36-yard field goal by #99 Caleb Bonesteel to give them the early 3-0 lead.
From this moment on, it was all Tigers.
3 Tigers get ready to play defense against Lumpkin County
Following a 3 and out by Lumpkin, the Indians skied a punt that only travelled about 10 yards forward to around the 30. The ball landed right on the sideline, but not out of bounds. One Indian and one Tiger met at the ball, but neither of them touched it. #12 Riley Herndon swooped in, grabbed the ball, spun out, and returned it for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 10-0 lead less than 3 minutes into the game.
On the next possession, #20 Tripp Caine intercepted a pass on third down to get the ball back for the Tigers. After a first down, #10 Zacchaeus Holtzclaw fired a 9-yard touchdown to #8 Hunter Barron to extend their lead by a touchdown less than 2 minutes later.
With the game starting to get out of reach, Lumpkin knew they had to make a move. Getting down to 4th and 1 on their own 30, the Indians decided to go for it. Dawson stopped them in their tracks and forced a loss, simultaneously killing any momentum Lumpkin had.
It took 3 rushes on the following possession for #15 Isaiah Grindle to take it to the house on an 11-yard score to make it a 24-0 game less than 7 minutes into the game.
#15 Isaiah Grindle rushes against Lumpkin County
Following a 3 and out by the Indians, Grindle ran in another touchdown, this time from 34 yards out to extend their lead to 31-0 less than a minute into the second quarter.
Lumpkin again couldn’t get anything going with another 3 and out the next possession. Dawson kept their momentum going with a 40 yard reception by #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen to set up a 23-yard touchdown reception for Grindle, giving him 3 on the game and the Tigers a 38-0 lead heading into the half.
The second half went by fast, as it was a running clock due to the sizeable lead.
Lumpkin started out the second half with another 3 and out. Dawson scored their final touchdown of the game on freshman #17 Keegan Stover’s first career pass attempt. On 4th down, Stover hit #39 Tucker Caine on a 36-yard touchdown to give them a 45-0 lead with 5 minutes left in the third.
2 Tigers look to their coach for the play call
Following the teams trading multiple 3 and outs, the Tigers were able to kneel the ball and run out the clock.
The Tigers play host to East Hall next Friday as they look to move to 5-1 on the season.
Pre-season football interview with Dawson County Tigers head coach Sid Maxwell
Dawson County High School, Dawson County High School, Sports, Team FYN Sports July 24, 2019
Sid Maxwell is going into his fourth season as head coach for the Dawson County Tigers, and in those four years he has helped to create a successful program that reaches beyond the high school team and into the feeder programs. His philosophy? Three words: trust, care and commitment.
“It’s just a system that young men know that whatever we do we’re going to try to make them a better athlete,” said Coach Maxwell. “They also know I’m never gonna ask them to do anything that doesn’t have a purpose.”
The Tigers went 10-2 in their season last year, but Coach Maxwell knows how the keep the guys humble. Especially for seniors who may be stepping up for their final season.
“Some people…you put that crown on their head and they feel like they’re better than everyone else because you made them a leader. When they raise their head up, what happens to their crown? It falls off.” said Coach Maxwell. “So the guys we anoint going into this season are going to be the ones that keep the crown on their head.”
Dawson County Tigers fans and high school football fans alike can watch the full interview below!
Dawson County Loses Nail-Biter to North Hall 40-37
Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports November 9, 2019
If you didn’t know going into the game that there was extra motivation for the teams, you could certainly feel it when you walked in.
On North Hall’s senior night, they played host to Dawson County. The winner would claim the 2-seed for the region in the state tournament and get to host their first playoff game.
To open the game, #21 Shawn Thomas returned the ball for the Tigers to midfield. After multiple first down runs, #10 Zach Holtzclaw fired a 28 yard touchdown to #12 Riley Herndon, giving Dawson the early 7-0 lead.
The Trojans responded by marching the ball down the field quickly. They scored on a 42 yard touchdown run to tie the game less than 4 minutes in.
#12 Riley Herndon playing defense for the Tigers.
Holtzclaw kept their offense moving by hitting #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen for a 43 yard pass. He followed that by finding Sonnichsen again for a 19 yard touchdown to regain the lead.
North Hall kept the offense moving with a couple first downs, but eventually had to punt and downed the ball at the 2 yard line.
The Tigers got a first down, but couldn’t get much more and had to punt themselves. The defense held strong and forced a 3 and out, but the punt was bobbled after the fair catch. The Trojans recovered the ball with the great field position.
Dawson’s defense held the Trojans in check by forcing another 3 and out, thanks to a big tackle for loss by Herndon. Herndon wasn’t done as he blocked North Hall’s field goal attempt. However, the Trojans were able to down the ball at the 1 yard line, giving the Tigers poor field position yet again.
Unfortunately, Dawson wasn’t able to move the ball this time, resulting in a safety. The defense forced a quick 3 and out, preventing North Hall from capitalizing on the turnover.
On the ensuing possession, Holtzclaw hit Sonnichsen with a 39 yard pass to cross midfield. The victory was short lived, however, as Holtzclaw’s next pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Halfway through the second quarter, North Hall led 16-14.
The Trojans’ defense kept the momentum going by sacking Holtzclaw for a big loss. The Tigers were able to turn the momentum back in their favor after Thomas caught a screen pass and ran 34 yards for a first down. A few first down passes later, Sonnichsen ran in a 5 yard touchdown to get the lead back.
After a first down, the aggressive Trojans attempted to convert on 4th and short. The Dawson County defense stifled them, forcing a loss and getting the ball back.
#6 Jaden Gibson lining up before the snap.
With three false starts to open the drive, the Tigers couldn’t get the ball moving and punted the ball to the 32. The very next play, North Hall ran the ball 68 yards for the touchdown, making it a 23-21 game with less than a minute left. Dawson County kneeled the clock out and took the small deficit into the half.
North Hall opened the half aggressively with multiple first down runs, eventually scoring on a 41 yard rush less than 4 minutes into the half.
The Tigers responded with multiple first down passes. When they got to a 4th down, they faked the punt, and Herndon hit Sonnichsen for the first down. Hotlzclaw found Sonnichsen for a 23 yard pass that was nearly intercepted on the next play. After a first down run by Thomas, the Trojans defense stepped up in a big way. They prevented a touchdown for 3 straight plays at the goal line. Being forced to kick a 2 yard field goal, the Tigers faked it again. This time, Herndon’s pass was intercepted at the 1 yard line.
Dawson County couldn’t return the favor and force a safety. After a 16 yard pass to get away from the goal line, the Trojans ended the third quarter with another first down run. The first play of the 4th quarter was a 40 yard touchdown pass to make the score 37-21 in favor of North Hall.
The Tigers weren’t going to give up easily. #15 Isaiah Grindle opened the drive with a 30 yard run. Holtzclaw found receivers #8 Hunter Barron and #6 Jaden Gibson on back to back plays for first downs. Grindle eventually ran it in from 4 yards out, and Sonnichsen ran in the 2 point conversion to make it a 1 possession game.
The Trojans were able to waste a lot of time on their next possession. They converted consecutive 3rd downs on a 34 yard pass and a 16 yard run. They also got first downs from a face mask and another solid run. By the time they kicked the 29 yard field goal, there was only 2:07 left in the game. The possession took 8 minutes and 20 seconds and gave North Hall a 2 possession lead.
North Hall attempted to recover the short kickoff, but the Tigers were able to maintain possession after the ball was fumbled around a few times.
The next play, Holtzclaw hit Sonnichsen for a 70 yard touchdown and ran in the 2 point conversion himself to make the score 40-37 with 1:47 left.
Multiple Tigers declaring the fumble is in their possession.
On the biggest play of the game, the Tigers attempted an onside kick. The ball bounced off the hands of the North Hall hands team and landed in a pile of players. Unfortunately, the Trojans were quick to bounce on it and recovered the onside kick.
With the game in their hands, the Trojans needed a first down. That came on a 35 yard run on second down. They eventually ran out the clock and secured the 40-37 win. The Trojans will have home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.