Dawson Finds the Win Column After a Big Road Win
Dawson County High School, FYNTV, Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports September 5, 2022
On a very rainy Friday night in Gainesville, Dawson stormed into the Brickyard and knocked off the Trojans, 30-13. The umbrellas were out in full force as the rain was coming down throughout the pregame and carried into the first half. But when it was time for football, the Dawson Tigers were ready. Despite some early miscommunications, where a very frustrated Coach Maxwell had to burn two timeouts in the games first 4 minutes, the Tigers dominated on both sides of the ball. Size played a factor in this one as the Tigers dominated the trenches on both sides of the ball as they gained 309 yards on the ground, while holding the Trojans to just 2 rushing yards.
Team Notes
The Tigers were led by Elijah Smith, Matt Bennett, and Kade Moledor as the three combined for 91% of the Dawson offense. Bennett had himself a nice game as he had 100 yards on the ground on 10 carries while also adding two big TDs, one for 39 yards and one to put the game away late in the 4th. Smith led the team in rushing as he had 118 yards on 18 carries while notching a TD and Moledor had 68 yards on 13 attempts and opened the scoring with an early TD run. The defense was very dominant all game and gave the Trojans very little to work with. The only obvious knock on the Tigers is they totaled 113 penalty yards.
North Hall was never in this one as they struggled to do anything against the Tigers defense. Tanner Marsh did connect with Ryals Puryear for a 62-yard scored to end the half and Marsh later connected with Sam Gailey for the other Trojans score. Their defense had nothing go their way as the Tigers ran it all over them. Trey Patterson the junior LB led the defense with 16 tackles while junior Zeke Harris and senior Alston Self had 12 tackles each.
Game Breakdown
It was a very wet day in Gainesville as they rain started around 6:30 and did not stop until halftime. The Tigers had some early communication issues forcing Maxwell to burn the two timeouts early, but after the Trojans Punter shanked his first punt of the game, it was all Tigers. Moledor and Bennett’s touchdowns put the Tigers up 13-0 in the first quarter and the Tigers defense shut down the Trojans. The Trojans were frustrated, and things became a bit chippy. Elijah Smith got his rushing TD in the second quarter and Dominic LeBlanc added a field goal to put Dawson up 23-0. However, after throwing six straight incompletions, North Hall QB Tanner Marsh was able to connect with his WR Ryals Puryear on a beautiful wheel route that went for 62 yards as the Trojans evaded the first half shutout.
The Trojans carried that momentum into the second half as Marsh connected with Gailey for a 17-yard TD pass. North Hall went for two to try and make it a 10-point game but failed to convert and Dawson led 23-13. Unfortunately for North Hall, that’s where the momentum ceased as the Tigers defense persisted and held off anything the Trojans threw their way and in the 4th quarter Matt Bennett was able to find the end zone again to put the game away.
Look Ahead
Dawson County will return home to host the Stephens County Indians (2-1) who are coming a 27-11 victory over Flowery Branch. As for North Hall, they will host the Walnut Grove Warriors (2-0).
Longhorns humbled the Tigers on Friday Night
Dawson County High School, Sports, Team FYN Sports August 29, 2022
After a good performance in week one on both sides of the ball against Jackson County in Week 1, the Tigers never got going against the Longhorns. The first play from scrimmage was a big 80-yard pass TD for the Longhorns and they just never looked back. Every Longhorns score was at least 38 yards and they dominated both in the air and on the ground. The Tigers struggled to get anything going on offense as they managed just 201 yards and were only able to tack on two field goals as they fell in this one 49-6.
Team Notes
The Davis Glass/Dominic LeBlanc connection was the only thing working for the Tigers offense as the two connected for a big 69-yard pass, by far the longest play of the game for Dawson. Leblanc showcased some great footwork in this one, as he finished with 107 yards receiving. The sophomore Glass, however, struggled in this one as he finished just 8/26 for 142 total yards. As for the defense, nothing went right for them as they allowed 512 yards. Will Kurtz did come up with a few big plays for the Dawson defense as he finished with 2 sacks and 3 TFLs.
As for the Longhorns, everything seemed to go their way on Friday night. They outgained the Tigers by 311 yards, finishing with 326 yards in the air and 186 on the ground. Their defense was stellar as they forced six 3 and outs and never let Dawson get any momentum. They won the game in the trenches on both sides as the offensive line created some big holes while their defensive line was constantly in the backfield and held the Tigers to just 52 rushing yards. Neither Maxpreps nor Hudl had individual stats posted for Fannin County.
Game Breakdown
As mentioned, the first game of scrimmage for the Longhorns was a big 80-yard pass and after forcing a 3 and out and getting great field position thanks to a botched punt, they immediately tacked on another touchdown with a big 45-yard touchdown. The Tigers had no answer as they managed only 3 first downs in the first half with one of them attributed to a pass interference call by the refs. The big pass from Glass to Leblanc gave a little spark to the Tigers as Leblanc evaded defender after defender, breaking three tackles on the play. However, they were held to just three points. Lambert kept their foot on the gas as they notched three more big touchdowns in the second quarter, highlighted by another big 73-yard pass play, and the Longhorns took a 35-3 lead into the half.
The second half featured the same result for both teams as Lambert picked up a 77-yard TD run, and an 87-yard TD pass and the Tigers managed to add another 3 points in garbage time. We had a running clock as we started the 4th quarter and we got to see backup QB Walker Massey come in for a drive, though he fumbled the ball away.
Look Ahead
As we look ahead to next week the Dawson County Tigers will travel to North Hall to take on the 0-1 Trojans, who are coming off a Bye. The Trojans fell 35-14 to White County in Week 1, despite outgaining the Warriors by 157 yards. This will be a big test for the young Tigers QB, Davis Glass, as we await to see how he responds in the upcoming road game following this last road blowout. As for Lambert, they will look to keep the momentum going into this Friday night as they host the Mountain View Bears (1-1).
Dawson Co. defeats Lumpkin Co. 14-9 to win season series
DCHS Baseball, Sports, TeamFYNSports April 23, 2021
The Dawson Co. Tigers defeated the Lumpkin Co. Indians 14-9 on Friday night in Dawsonville. The Tigers scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and senior Nick Mullinax got the save in the top of the seventh inning.
Carter Turkett went 3-5, hitting a double and scoring two runs.
Brandon Kramer hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the first inning.
Brandon Kramer batted 2-4, including a 3-run homer in the bottom of the first and a double.
Kincade Weaver went 2-5 with a double and two RBIs.
Luke Mulberry batted 3-3 with a 2-run home run and a 2-run RBI triple.
Dawson Co. ends their season with a 12-15 record and a 6-12 record in Region 7-3A, which is good for fifth place in the region.
Dawson Co. tops Gilmer on senior night
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports April 16, 2021
The Dawson Co. Tigers defeated the Gilmer Bobcats 1-0 on Friday night in Dawsonville.
Senior Wiley Dennis attempting to score a goal for the Tigers.
Junior Erick Sanchez scored the lone goal of the game with 11:48 left in the game, allowing Dawson Co. to get their first region win of the season.
The Tigers’ season ends at 2-14-1, with a 1-5 record in Region 7-3A.
Dawson Co. defeats Gilmer 16-5
DCHS Baseball, Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports April 7, 2021
The Dawson Co. Tigers defeated the Gilmer Bobcats 16-5 on Wednesday night in Dawsonville. Nick Mullinax’s 3-run home run in the bottom of the fifth ended the game early. After defeating Gilmer on Monday, Dawson Co. now leads the current series 2-0.
Jacob Poss pitched four innings, striking out five batters and allowing only two hits.
Mullinax went 3-3 with 2 home runs and 2 RBIs.
Kolton Rucker batted 4-4 with a home run and 2 RBIs.
Kinkade Weaver went 2-3 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs.
Jacob Poss pitched four innings, striking out five batters and allowing only two hits.
The teams face off again on Thursday for game three of the series at Gilmer high school at 5:55 p.m.
Dawson Co. falls to Salem in state tournament
Dawson Co. Basketball, Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports, Tigers Basketball February 26, 2021
The Dawson Co. Tigers lost to the Salem Seminoles 64-41 in the second round of the 3A state tournament
Sophomore Jaden Gibson drives the lane.
on Friday night in Dawsonville. Dawson Co. was plagued by shooting woes, as they only hit three 3-pointers in the contest.
Senior Joakeim Celestin finished as the Tiger in double figures, scoring 10 points in the game. Senior Max Tierney was a point away from a double-double, finishing with nine points and 12 rebounds.
Only down 17-11 late in the first quarter, Dawson Co. allowed Salem to go on a 13-0 run that extended into the second quarter.
The Tigers fought back and cut it to 10 in the third quarter, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Dawson Co. finishes the season with a 22-8 record and as Region 7-3A champions.
Tigers run past North Hall for region victory
Dawson Co. Basketball, Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports, Tigers Basketball January 29, 2021
The Dawson Co. Tigers defeated the North Hall Trojans 67-50 on Friday night in Dawsonville. Dawson Co. created plenty of easy scores for themselves as they recorded 18 steals as a team.
Senior Jake Craft scored 15 points for the Tigers.
The Tigers were led by senior Joakeim Celestin, who scored 24 points and recorded 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Sophomore Jaden Gibson scored 15 points and had 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals. Senior Jake Craft scored 15 points and recorded 4 steals.
The Tigers travel to play at Cherokee Bluff high school on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Craft’s 45 leads Tigers to win over Lumpkin Co.
Dawson Co. Basketball, Sports, Team FYN Sports, Tigers Basketball January 19, 2021
The Dawson Co. Tigers defeated the Lumpkin Co. Indians 96-73 on Tuesday night in Dawsonville. The teams combined for 29 three pointers in the game, with the Tigers hitting 16 of them.
Senior Joakeim Celestin looking to make a play against Lumpkin Co.
Dawson Co. had plenty of players have a big night for them. Senior Jake Craft was the star, scoring 45 points and hitting 7 threes. Senior Joakeim Celestin had 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Senior Max Tierney recorded a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Sophomore Jaden Gibson recorded 17 assists, which was 3 assists shy of the Dawson Co. record.
For the Indians, junior Jones Harris led them in scoring with 26 points. Senior Chandler Pulley scored 23 points and hit 7 three pointers. Senior Gus Faulkner also had double digits with 15 points.
Gibson recorded 12 of his 17 assists in the first quarter, helping the Tigers to a 29-20 lead. Celestin scored 17 of his 25 points in the first.
Leading 68-53 at the end of the third, Dawson Co. scored 28 points to seal the game in the 4th.
The Tigers host the Pickens Dragons this Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Dawson Co. dominates second half in win over Lumpkin Co.
Dawson Co. Basketball, Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports, Tigers Basketball December 11, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers defeated the Lumpkin Co. Indians 80-34 on Friday night in Dahlonega. The Tigers outscored the Indians 42-7 in the second half to take complete control of the game. Dawson Co. had four players score in double digits. Jake Craft had 18 points, Tyler Lane had 14 points, Max Tierney had 13 points, and Ty Whitmire scored 10 points.
Senior Max Tierney rises up for the dunk on Friday night.
The Tigers shot the ball well throughout the game, and their offense was hard to stop. They forced a lot of turnovers and created easy shots for themselves. They led 38-27 at halftime.
Their defense dominated the second half as they only allowed the Indians to score seven points. The Tigers’ offense remained potent, and they quickly ran away with the game to win 80-34.
Dawson Co.’s next game will be Tuesday as they host the Gilmer Bobcats at 7:30 p.m.
Dawson Co. advances to second round of 3A state playoffs
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports November 28, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers advanced to the second round of the 3A state playoffs with a 45-31 road victory over the Adairsville Tigers. Junior Conley Dyer had a big game with two rushing touchdowns to help lead his team to victory. Junior quarterback Zach Holtzclaw also had a nice outing, finishing with two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.
Junior Zach Holtzclaw finding an open receiver from the pocket.
Adairsville received the ball to start the game. They drove the ball down the field but missed a 43-yard field goal to give Dawson Co. good field position for their first drive of the game. The Tigers’ first possession didn’t go well, as they quickly gave the ball back to Adairsville on a fumble. However, Dawson Co.’s defense continued to hold up strong as they forced a turnover on downs to get the ball back. This time, they drove down the field, and Holtzclaw found senior Max Moon for a 7-yard touchdown reception to take a 7-0 lead. Adairsville closed the gap with a field goal, but Dawson Co. drove right back down the field. Early in the second quarter, Holtzclaw ran in a 1-yard touchdown to extend their lead to 14-3.
Dawson Co.’s defense continued to dominate and forced a quick 3-and-out. The offense built off the momentum as Dyer ran in his first touchdown of the game from about 50 yards out. Down 21-3, Adairsville shifted the momentum in their favor. They scored touchdowns on their final three possessions of the half and held Dawson Co. scoreless to take a 24-21 lead into halftime.
Dawson Co. opened up the second half strong. Less than two minutes in, Dyer ran in a 39-yard touchdown to get his team the lead back. As Adairsville was driving the ball back down the field on the ensuing possession, senior Hayden McKinney intercepted a pass to get the ball back for Dawson Co. Holtzclaw found senior Dakohta Sonnichsen for a 75-yard touchdown strike on the next play to take a 35-24 lead over Adairsville. After going 3-and-out the next drive, a bad Adairsville punt set Dawson Co. up with great field position. They capitalized with an 18-yard field goal that gave them a two touchdown lead.
Senior Dakohta Sonnichsen making a move on a defender.
Early in the fourth quarter, Adairsville scored a touchdown and recovered an onside kick right after. Dawson Co.’s defense responded by forcing a quick three-and-out. Down one touchdown and losing momentum, Adairsville attempted to convert on a fake punt attempt. Dawson Co. hit the punter on the fake and jarred the ball lose. Sophomore Cade Adams recovered the fumble and returned it for a touchdown to make the score 45-31. Dawson Co.’s defense came up with one more stop, and the offense ran out the clock to win the game.
Dawson Co. advances to the next round of the state playoffs, where they travel to play a Oconee Co. high school next Friday.
Dawson Co. rolls past Lumpkin Co. 63-3
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports November 13, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers (5-4, 4-1 Region 7-3A) defeated the Lumpkin Co. Indians (0-9, 0-5 Region 7-3A) 63-3 on Friday night in Dahlonega. Junior Zach Holtzclaw threw for three touchdowns in the first half to help the Tigers jump out to a 35-3 halftime lead.
Senior Joey Glover returning a fumble 100 yards for a touchdown.
Lumpkin Co. received the ball and drove down the field to start the game. Sophomore quarterback Cooper Scott found a connection with fellow sophomore wide receiver Caleb Norrell multiple times on the first drive. Dawson Co.’s defense stood tall at the end and held the Indians to a 30-yard field goal by freshman Marcus Remillard that gave Lumpkin Co. a 3-0 lead. The Tigers responded quickly, as Holtzclaw found senior Dakohta Sonnichsen for a 69-yard touchdown pass on their first play. The Indians had another long drive that got them down to the goal line. However, senior Joey Glover poked the ball out on a quarterback sneak and returned it 100 yards to give Dawson Co. a 14-3 lead and swing all momentum in favor of the Tigers.
After a three and out by the Indians, Holtzclaw found senior Tyler Lane for an eight yard touchdown early in the second quarter. The Tigers’ defense continued to stop Lumpkin Co. and the offense continued to score. On their next possession, senior Isaiah Grindle ran in a touchdown from 42 yards out. The Tigers scored their final touchdown of the half on a 34-yard touchdown pass to Sonnichsen, Holtzclaw’s third of the game. The Tigers led 35-3 at halftime.
Lumpkin Co. successfully recovered an onside kick to open the second half, but they couldn’t capitalize on the good field position. Sophomore Jaden Gibson, who was moved to quarterback, found senior Tray Cohen for a nine yard touchdown to open the second half. On their next possession, Gibson took it in himself for a two yard touchdown run.
Junior Zach Holtzclaw finding an open receiver.
Dawson Co.’s defense continued to dominate, as they continued to force three and outs by the Indians. Sophomore Christian Webb and junior Jackson Grindle each ran in a touchdown to help the Tigers win 63-3.
Dawson Co. travels to play at North Hall high school next week, where they will be fighting for second place in the region.
Dawson Co. defeats West Hall 38-21 on the road
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 30, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers defeated the West Hall Spartans 38-21 on the road on Friday night. Dawson Co. used a balanced attack to defeat the Spartans as five different Tigers scored touchdowns.
Senior Dakohta Sonnichsen evades the defense.
West Hall received possession to begin the game. Neither team was able to score on their first possession. The Tigers defense held up strong and made a huge play on the Spartans’ second possession. They recovered a fumble off of a bad snap at the 2-yard line, which set up a touchdown run by junior quarterback Zach Holtzclaw. West Hall responded with a long drive that resulted in a touchdown of their own that tied the game again. Both teams struggled to move the ball the rest of the first half. Dawson Co. took advantage of good field position after senior Isaiah Grindle returned a punt to the West Hall 22-yard line. Senior Caleb Bonesteel hit a 21-yard field goal to give the Tigers a 10-7 lead at halftime.
Senior Isaiah Grindle returns the punt for the Tigers.
Halfway through the third quarter, senior Dakohta Sonnichsen finally got the offense moving for Dawson Co. He scored on a 57-yard run to give them a 17-7 lead. After a pair of stops, the Tigers scored again. This time, it was junior Conley Dyer that capped off a long drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. The Spartans responded quickly with an 85-yard touchdown pass to cut the Tigers’ lead to 24-14. Dawson Co. matched with a big play of their own, which came on a 68-yard touchdown pass to senior Tyler Lane. West Hall drove down the field and scored another touchdown with 4:03 remaining in the game. The Tigers held strong after and recovered the onside kick attempt. Dyer put the finishing touches on the game with a 33-yard touchdown run to seal the 38-21 victory.
Dawson Co.’s next game will be next Friday as they host undefeated Cherokee Bluff.
Dawson Co. defeats White Co. to open region play
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 10, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers (2-3, 1-0 Region 7-3A) defeated the White Co. Warriors (4-1, 0-1 Region 7-3A) 42-35 on Friday night in Dawsonville. Despite the constant rain throughout the game, neither team struggled to make big plays.
Junior Zach Holtzclaw threw six touchdowns in the game for the Tigers. Receivers Dakohta Sonnichsen and Tyler Lane each connected with Holtzclaw twice for touchdowns.
Tyler Lane catching the first of his two touchdowns.
Both teams got off to slow starts to the game. Dawson Co. received the first possession, but the teams traded a pair of 3 and outs before a bad punt by White Co. gave the Tigers excellent starting field position. They capitalized on it quickly as Holtzclaw found Lane for a 34-yard touchdown to give Dawson Co. the first points of the game late in the first quarter. The teams traded 3 and outs again before senior J Ben Haynes found his receiver for a huge 48-yard gain. However, the Warriors couldn’t move the ball into the endzone and faked a field goal attempt that gave the ball back to Dawson Co.
The Tigers reversed the field quickly on a 74-yard run by Isaiah Grindle. Shortly after, Holtzclaw found junior Conley Dyer for a 21-yard touchdown to extend their lead early in the second quarter. White Co. found life on an 80-yard kick return by Cannon to start the drive in the redzone. However, the Warriors again couldn’t finish the drive with a touchdown as junior Braedon Hubbard intercepted a 4th down pass to get the ball back for the Tigers. Junior Riley Turner got the ball right back for the Warriors by intercepting a pass on the next drive. Cannon used the interception to score a 64-yard touchdown to get the Warriors on the board late in the first half. Dawson Co. was able to strike back quickly on a 63-yard touchdown to Sonnichsen less than a minute later. White Co. finally found life in their offense and continued that momentum. Cannon had another big play on a 32-yard reception that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Haynes that made the halftime score 21-14 in favor of the Tigers.
White Co. picked up right where they left off to start the second half. Senior Cooper Turner had a 38-yard reception that set up a 33-yard touchdown run by junior Silas Mulligan. The Warrior defense built off the touchdown as senior Jesse Moose intercepted a pass to get White Co. the ball back. With Haynes going down on the ensuing drive, Stancil stepped in and delivered the Warriors their first lead of the game on a 12-yard touchdown run. Dawson Co. fought back on the next drive, as Holtzclaw got the ball to his playmakers before eventually finding Lane for his second touchdown of the game. The Tigers’ defense stepped up this time as they set their offense up with great field position after a fake punt by White Co. Holtzclaw found Sonnichsen quickly for a 42-yard touchdown to get Dawson Co. the lead back late in the 3rd quarter.
The Tigers celebrating Conley Dyer’s touchdown.
Mulligan started off the next Warriors’ drive with a 28-yard run to swing the momentum back to the Warriors. Stancil built off of the big play with a 19-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 35 early in the fourth quarter. Grindle returned the kickoff to midfield, but the Tigers couldn’t capitalize on the field position. They attempted a fake punt of their own, but a fumble gave White Co. excellent field position for their next drive. Mulligan powered his way through the Tigers’ defense to get his team down to the goal line. However, Dawson Co. was able to recover a fumble on the 3-yard line to swing the momentum back in their favor. The Tigers struggled to move the ball to begin the drive. Holtzclaw made two huge throws on third down. The first was a 17-yard pass to Sonnichsen to get his team some breathing room. The next was a pass to sophomore Jaden Gibson that turned into a 77-yard touchdown for the Tigers to give them the 42-35 lead with less than four minutes remaining in the game. White Co. reached deep into their back of tricks on the next drive. A double reverse set up a long run by Cannon to get White Co. past midfield. The Tiger defense stepped up one last time. After a sack on third down, Gibson sealed the game with an interception to get Dawson Co. possession of the ball and the victory.
Dawson Co. returns to action in two weeks as they host Gilmer high school at 7:30 p.m.
Dawson Co. falls to South Forsyth 63-49 in thriller
Sports, Team FYN Sports September 19, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers lost on Friday night to the South Forsyth War Eagles in Dawsonville. The Tigers showed plenty of heart playing against a 7A school. Despite being down three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, Dawson Co. fought back and had an opportunity to tie the game in the closing seconds. Jaden Gibson had an incredible game as he had four receiving touchdowns and made plenty of plays on defense.
The Tigers celebrating Tyler Lane’s touchdown.
The first quarter was filled with big plays for both teams. After a 3 and out from the War Eagles, the Tigers had a strong drive. However, Caleb Bonesteel’s field goal attempt to give Dawson Co. the first points of the game was blocked by South Forsyth. The War Eagles took advantage of the special teams play and scored the first touchdown of the game after a few big plays. A little over a minute later, the Tigers had a big play of their own. Junior Zach Holtzclaw connected with Tyler Lane on a 51-yard touchdown to tie the game at seven. On the ensuing drive, South Forsyth used a 70-yard pass to set up a 20-yard touchdown that allowed them to regain the lead. 14 seconds later, and the game was tied again after Isaiah Grindle returned the kickoff for a touchdown that was capped off by a mean stiff arm. The big plays didn’t stop there, as the War Eagles scored on their first play of the next drive on an 84-yard touchdown as they led 21-14 at the end of the first quarter.
The result of a stiff arm by Isaiah Grindle that capped off a kickoff return for a touchdown.
The second quarter didn’t start off well for the Tigers. A South Forsyth punt that pinned the Tigers at their own 1-yard line resulted in a safety for the War Eagles to put them up 23-14. The Tiger defense held up strong and forced a punt, this time pinning them at their own 5-yard line. After three plays, the Tigers had a 4th and one from their own 14. They tried to run the ball up the middle, but they weren’t able to convert. However, the defense held up strong once again, holding the War Eagles to a field goal. Attempting to gain all momentum, South Forsyth tried an onside kick that Dawson Co. recovered. The excellent field position helped set up a 10-yard touchdown reception by Gibson. The Tigers trailed 26-21 at halftime.
The Dawson Co. offense struggled again to open the second half. On their first drive, Holtzclaw threw a pick six. After scoring on a 2-point conversion, the War Eagles led 34-21. The Tigers couldn’t get anything going on the following drive, but South Forsyth had another strong drive that finished with a rushing touchdown. After another 2-point conversion, they led 42-21 halfway through the third quarter. Dawson Co. still didn’t give up and had a strong drive and Gibson scored his second touchdown on a 30-yard reception.
A few Tigers teaming up to tackle a South Forsyth player.
The War Eagle offense stayed hot. They scored another touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to take a 49-28 lead. Yet again, Dawson Co. had an answer. After another strong drive, Gibson had an 18-yard touchdown reception to make the score 49-35. The Tigers couldn’t recover the onside kick, but Dakohta Sonnichsen was able to recover a fumble to get his team the ball back. Sophomore Nic Baloga scored on a 14-yard touchdown run to make it a one possession game. South Forsyth was able to cut a lot of time off the clock before they scored their next touchdown. They ran in a 2-yard touchdown with 2:32 remaining in the final quarter. The Tigers turned the ball over on downs the following possession, but they were able to force a quick 3-and-out to get the ball back. They drove down the field quickly and found Gibson for his fourth and final touchdown of the game on a 16-yard reception that made the score 56-49 with 1:14 remaining. The onside kick attempt by Bonesteel had a perfect bounce that allowed Sonnichsen to recover the ball at the Dawson Co. 40-yard line. They marched down the field quickly, and got down to the 2-yard line with 30 seconds remaining. On a pass attempt to the endzone, the ball was intercepted by the War Eagles and returned for a touchdown that sealed the game. The final score was 63-49.
The Tigers play again next Friday as they travel to play at Northview high school in Johns Creek.
Dawson Co. falls to Cherokee Bluff 12-7
DCHS Baseball, Sports, Team FYN Sports March 12, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers (9-4, 1-4 Region 7-3A) lost to the Cherokee Bluff Bears (9-4, 4-1 Region 7-3A) 12-7 on Wednesday night at Dawson Co. The Tigers gained an early lead, but allowed nine runs between the third and fourth innings in the loss. Senior Hudson Sapp batted 2 for 4 with an RBI in the fifth inning.
Mauricio Hernandez up-to-bat in the second inning.
After surrendering one run in the top of the first inning, the Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the inning. They also scored one more in the second to take a 4-1 lead. Sophomore Nick Mullinax, the starting pitcher for Dawson Co., had an RBI in the first to help build the lead.
Starting pitcher Nick Mullinax throwing a strike.
The Tigers cycled through multiple pitchers in the third and fourth innings as they surrendered nine runs to trail 10-4 heading into the fifth inning.
Dawson Co. fought back hard in the fifth. After scoring two runs, Sapp had his RBI with the bases loaded to cut the Bears’ lead to only 10-7. However, Cherokee Bluff scored one run in the sixth and one run in the seventh to win the game 12-7.
The Tigers and Bears play again on Friday at Cherokee Bluff at 5:55 p.m.
Dawson Co. defeats Gordon Central, moves to 4-0
DCHS Baseball, Sports, Team FYN Sports February 20, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers defeated the Gordon Central Warriors 11-0 on Wednesday night at home to remain undefeated. Starting pitcher Kristian Kelley had eight strikeouts and held the Warriors to one hit while playing all five innings.
Dawson Co.’s Andrew Buet player up to bat.
The Tigers scored in the first inning after #13 TJ Allen tagged up after a fly-out. Before he scored, he hit a double and stole third base.
Dawson Co. scored three times in the third inning, as Gordon Central had three errors. The first two runs came on sacrifice flies, while the third came on an RBI double after an error.
Dawson Co. pitcher Kristian Kelley before throwing a strike.
The Tigers scored another two runs in the fourth inning to take a 6-0 lead over the Warriors.
Dawson Co. finished the game with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. The final four runs came on a walk-off grand slam from Hudson Sapp, who is committed to play for Ole Miss next season.
The Tigers’ next game will be Saturday, as they host Coosa high school at noon.