Tigers fall to Oconee Co. in second round of state playoffs
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports December 5, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers lost to the Oconee Co. Warriors 42-7 in the second of the 3A football state playoffs. Sophomore Jaden Gibson scored the lone touchdown for the Tigers on a 37-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Jaden Gibson makes a move against an Oconee Co. defender.
Dawson Co. turned the ball over three times in the loss. On the other hand, the Warriors consistently moved the ball down the field with ease. They scored 21 points in the first half and led 21-0 at halftime.
Oconee Co. added three more touchdowns in the second half as they ended the Tigers’ season at 6-6. Dawson Co. finished 4-2 in Region 7-3A and advanced to the second round of the 3A state playoffs for the third consecutive year.
Dawson Co. falls to North Hall 34-21 on the road
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports November 21, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers lost to the North Hall Trojans 34-21 on Friday night in Gainesville. Junior Zach Holtzclaw threw for two touchdowns and ran one more in, but the team struggled to stop the Trojans’ run game all night.
Senior Caleb Bonesteel kicking a field goal for the Tigers.
North Hall received the opening kickoff and quickly got their offense rolling. They drove the ball down the field in three minutes entirely on the ground to score a touchdown and take a 7-0 lead. The Tigers’ offense wasn’t quite as hot out of the gates, and their drive ended quickly with a three and out. Dawson Co. was able to get the ball back and drive down the field after forcing a three and out of their own. Senior Isaiah Grindle had multiple first down runs to set the Tigers up with great field position. However, senior Caleb Bonesteel’s 30-yard field goal attempt was blocked and recovered by the Trojans. North Hall used two big runs to score their second touchdown of the game and take a 14-0 lead.
Trying to get momentum back, the Tigers had a strong drive to go down the field. Not wanting to settle for a field goal, Dawson Co. attempted to keep their drive going on 4th down, but came up short. The Trojans built off this momentum and kept the ground game going. They marched down the field and scored their third touchdown of the game. They missed the extra point, which held their lead to 20-0. With all momentum on the Trojans’ side, they fumbled a punt attempt, which allowed the Tigers to start a late 2nd quarter drive up from the red zone. They took advantage of the field position, as Holtzclaw found sophomore Jaden Gibson for a 22-yard touchdown. Dawson Co. trailed 20-7 at halftime.
Senior Joey Glover recovering a fumble for the Tigers.
Halfway through the 3rd quarter, North Hall took a 27-7 lead with another touchdown run. The Tigers were able to respond again, as Holtzclaw found senior Tyler Lane for a 23-yard touchdown. Dawson Co. continued to have good drives, but they all ended early because of turnovers. North Hall scored the next points of the game on a touchdown run with two minutes left in the game. The Tigers’ offense finally came alive as Holtzclaw found Gibson on a short route. Before he could be tackled, Gibson lateraled the ball to Lane, who ran the ball all the way to the three yard line. This set up a touchdown run from Holtzclaw. Momentum continued to swing in favor of Dawson Co. as they recovered the onside kick. However, the comeback attempt came up short due to a fumble by the Tigers.
Dawson Co. finishes the regular season with a 5-5 overall record and a 4-2 region record. They finished as the third seed in the region, which means they will be on the road next Friday night for the first round of the Georgia AAA playoffs.
Dawson Co. falls to Cherokee Bluff 28-27 for first region loss
Sports, Team FYN Sports November 6, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers fell to the Cherokee Bluff Bears 28-27 on Friday night in Dawsonville. The Bears blocked senior Caleb Bonesteel’s field goal late in the 4th quarter, which allowed Cherokee Bluff to run out the clock and win the game.
Senior Caleb Bonesteel kicking a field goal for the Tigers.
Cherokee Bluff received the ball to begin the game. Both teams opened the game with a three and out, as the defenses stood strong. On the Bears second possession, sophomore Kade Moledor intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown to get the Tigers the first points of the game. After getting another stop, Dawson Co. drove the ball down the field to set up a 20-yard field goal. However, a roughing the kicker penalty was called on the kick, which set up the Tigers with a first and goal from the 1-yard line. Unfortunately, the Bears forced a fumble that they recovered in the end zone for a touchback. Cherokee Bluff built off the momentum by driving the ball down the field and scoring on a 43-yard touchdown with 7.7 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Before the quarter ended, senior Isaiah Grindle returned the kickoff for a touchdown to give Dawson Co. a 14-7 lead to end the first quarter.
After neither team scored on their first possession of the quarter, Cherokee Bluff scored on an 80-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14. On the next possession, junior Zach Holtzclaw found sophomore Jaden Gibson for a 63-yard reception that brought them to the goal line. Cherokee Bluff’s defense stepped up and held the Tigers to an 18-yard field goal to give them a 17-14 lead. After forcing a three and out, Dawson Co. drove down the field again to set up a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give them a 20-14 halftime lead.
Sophomore Jaden Gibson making a play against a Cherokee Bluff defender.
The Tigers didn’t score on their first possession of the second half, but Cherokee Bluff had a long drive that set up an 11-yard touchdown run to give them their first lead of the game. The Tigers responded quickly with a 63-yard run by Grindle that set up a 14-yard touchdown run by junior Conley Dyer. Both teams didn’t score on their next possession, but the Bears scored on a 79-yard touchdown run with a little over 10 minutes remaining in the game. Dawson Co. was able to drive the ball down the field, which set up a 38-yard field goal attempt by Bonesteel. Cherokee Bluff blocked the kick which allowed them to run out the clock. The Bears converted on three first downs that allowed them to win the game 28-27.
Dawson Co.’s next game is next Friday when they travel to play at Lumpkin Co. high school.
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 Flowery Branch 45-42
Dawson County High School, Sports, Team FYN Sports September 12, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers lost to the Flowery Branch Falcons 45-42 on Friday night in Dawsonville. The Tigers played well in a back and forth affair, but couldn’t get the job done in the end. They had strong performances from a number of players, including junior quarterback #10 Zach Holtzclaw, who threw for five touchdowns.
Junior #10 Zach Holtzclaw, who threw for 5 touchdowns in the game.
The Falcons struck first by scoring a touchdown on their first drive. Dawson Co. struck back quickly on a touchdown reception by #88 Tyler Lane in the back of the endzone. After getting a stop, the Tigers scored again seven seconds into the second quarter on an 11-yard touchdown reception by sophomore Jaden Gibson. Flowery Branch hit a field goal on the ensuing drive to make the score 13-10. Senior Isaiah Grindle extended the Tigers’ lead to 20-10 halfway through the second quarter on a screen pass that turned into a 47-yard touchdown. Flowery Branch finished off the first half strong by scoring two touchdown to take a 24-20 lead into halftime.
Dawson Co. started off the second half strong. After stopping the Falcons on their first drive, Holtzclaw found #26 Tray Cohen for a 28 yard touchdown to give the Tigers the lead. On the next drive, Gibson intercepted a pass to get the ball back for Dawson Co. One play later, Gibson had a 47-yard reception to set the Tigers up with a 1st and goal from the 3-yard line. Grindle ran in the touchdown on the following play. Flowery Branch marched down the field and scored quickly on the next possession. Dawson Co. had a good drive going on the following possession. Senior Dakohta Sonnichsen had a 58-yard touchdown that was called back due to a penalty. The Falcons scored on back to back long drives as they led 45-34 with 6:05 remaining in the game.
Sophomore #6 Jaden Gibson jumping to catch a pass.
Three minutes later, Holtzclaw found #8 Nic Baloga for a 16-yard touchdown, which was Holtzclaw’s 5th of the game. Gibson ran in the 2-point conversion, which made the score 45-42 in favor of Flowery Branch. After a failed onside kick attempt, the Falcons drove the ball down to the goal line. However, the Tigers continued to fight. They stopped Flowery branch on 4th down at the 1-yard line. Dawson Co. was able to make a few positive plays, but couldn’t manage to drive the ball down the field to score, as they fell 45-42.
Dawson Co. plays again at home next Friday as they host South Forsyth at 7:30 p.m.
TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week- #20 Tripp Caine
Dawson County High School, Player of the Week, Team FYN Sports November 16, 2019
Playing on the road in the state playoffs, Dawson County needed their players to step up and make big plays. Tripp Caine did just that. With the game tied at 3, Caine picked the ball off to prevent the score and give his team good field position. He also had another interception late in the 4th quarter to seal the win. He deflected another pass and had multiple tackles to help lead his team to victory.
Dawson County Player of the Week Sponsors!
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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Sports talk Thursday with Lauren Hunter-Football is coming
Sports August 2, 2019
We’ve been talking about it all summer. I’ve covered more camps than I can count. Young athletes have been out as early as January lifting and preparing for it. Finally on Wednesday I felt it.
Football season is coming.
Wednesday morning bright and early found me on the football field of Fannin County High School covering the last day of their youth football camp. Now as I said a few sentences earlier I’ve been out all summer covering football camps, but this was the first time it really clicked with me that we are only a few weeks away. And I won’t lie, a lot of it had to do with the weather.
Being at the Fannin County youth camp on Wednesday in some cooler air made me realize just how close we are to football season!
There was a slight breeze and I dare to say chill on Wednesday that I hadn’t felt all summer. Granted it was early in the morning and I’m so used to summer heat that even the slightest temperature drop can make me reach for my jacket. But this time, surrounded by young athletes who are the future of their program, it all started to set in.
It’s hard to imagine Friday Night Lights when it’s 90 degrees in Georgia in the middle of July. When I think of football I think of all the late Friday afternoons when I was in high school and the trees were ablaze with the bright orange and reds of fall. I think of the UGA games I’ve gone to where it’s been so cold part of the reason I was standing was not so much to cheer than to try and keep warm.
I will admit, football season has kind of snuck up on me this year. Earlier in the summer, Team FYN Sports was in baseball mode covering the local youth tournaments. I was in baseball mode keeping up with the Braves. But this is the South, and not just the South but SEC stronghold too. So of course even though baseball comes to the forefront, football stays simmering on the back burner at all times. That’s another reason why when I felt that cooler air on Wednesday, I was so easily able to slip back into football mode.
Local high schools start back as early as the week after next, with scrimmages coming the week after and then regular season the week after that. It’s crazy to think how time flies, and for teams that have been out practicing all summer, they realize that this is where the rubber meets the road.
I remember the first story I did for Team FYN Sports involving football was earlier this summer when Dawson County scrimmaged Pickens in a spring game. It took me a moment to realize when I got to the Dawson County field to realize that were weren’t in August, and this being in May we still had another three full months to go. But you couldn’t have told that to either of the two sides that night.
The mommas of the Dawson County Tigers formed a tunnel for the players to run through at their spring game like it was a regular season game.
The Dawson County mommas circled up for pre-game prayer, and lined up to form a tunnel for their sons to run through onto the field. Both home and away stands had a decent amount of fans to fill them. Both schools even brought their marching bands, and Pickens brought their cheerleaders. This energy is what I try to convey to everyone when I say that sports, and especially football, create a community rivaled by few other events.
Each time I’ve gone to a camp, or scrimmage, or even just a practice in this community, I’ve seldom been the only one there who is not a part of the team. Parents will come by to see their sons, or even just community members will drop by to get a look at the team before they run out for the first game. There’s something else special about following a team from the ground up, a season from the beginning to end. I know I’m not the only one that feels that way, and it makes my job all the much more enjoyable.
Over the last couple of weeks BKP and I have been going around North Georgia and interviewing coaches from all of the teams we cover. While last week I focused on the coaches and all of the effort that they have been putting in, it’s no overstatement to say that these players have been putting in their fair share too.
And they all seem ready. They’ve all been lifting and getting stronger since the beginning of the year. They’ve been out running drills and working for positions since the weather was warm enough. Now they’re breaking out the pads, helmets and fine tuning plays until it’s time for that first kick-off.
Football season is coming, and from the locker room to the press box, I think we’re all ready.
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.
https://youtu.be/rET0SSSApkU
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 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.
https://youtu.be/khcDMfprJm8
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.
https://youtu.be/77GDNt4ynuM
Sports talk Thursday with Lauren Hunter- Thank a coach!
Sports July 25, 2019
Over the last week and a half BKP and I have been going from school to school interviewing head football coaches for our North Georgia Coaching Series. Now if any of y’all know BKP, you’ll know what I mean when I say that he’s been doing most of the talking and I’ve been doing most of the observing. But this doesn’t bother me, it gives me a chance to learn more about the programs I’ll be spending a lot of time with this fall.
With that being said, there’s one thing in particular I’ve been noticing in our interviews, and that’s how much these coaches truly care about their players and their programs.
Now me saying that might make some of y’all think, “Well, duh. That’s what they’re supposed to do.” Well, maybe. But I like to think I’m pretty good at picking up when someone is just putting on an act for appearances. And I can say with all sincerity that none of these coaches are doing that.
Obviously when BKP and I go into these interviews, he asks questions about what the teams have been doing during the summer and how they’re planning to prepare for the regular season. But he also asks the coaches if they can highlight a few players that have really stood out. This point in the interview, I believe, is where a coach who didn’t care would possibly just say a couple names and move on.
But these coaches not only name the players, they tell us about why they stand out. And it’s a sign of the hard work of these athletes, but there’s also a sense of pride from these coaches as they name them. A couple of coaches have mentioned that it’s hard to name just a few, because all of their players have worked hard. And it’s not that the rest of the team doesn’t matter or that they don’t care about them, but the ones that they mention they do so without hesitation because they’ve been there with them through the summer truly coaching them. There’s no so-so about the commitment these coaches make- they’re all in.
Another thing that has amazed me about these coaches, not just in the interviews but learning about them off the field, is how much they care about their community as well. A couple of them, such as Chad Cheatham at Fannin County and Chad McClure at Hayesville, are natives to their communities. It’s home to them, and they’re not going to be just halfway in their commitments to their programs.
When Coach Caleb Sorrells of the Lumpkin County Indians was first named as head coach, the school hosted a meet and greet for him. It was one of the first stories I covered in this position.
In his address to the parents, Sorrells promised to not only invest in the team as players and athletes, but as men who would one day be employees and fathers. I remember being caught off guard at first because I was expecting him to talk about plans for the future of the program, the summer schedule and what not. He did talk about these things, but I believe by telling the parents that he was going to invest in the players as men showed that it was going to be a priority.
Although I know more about the commitment that Sorrells has made because I’m positioned in Lumpkin County, he’s not the only one in the area who gets involved in the community and works to build up the athletes’ character.
Tim Cokely with the White County Warriors has an entire wall of his office decorated with signs of good character qualities to instill in the team. Chad Cheatham, who I mentioned earlier, referees basketball in the football off-season just because, and the community loves him for it. I’m sure that many of the other coaches in the area do similar things and I just don’t know about it yet.
These are commitments that we see played out by coaches in movies and don’t always think to look for in real life. And because I grew up in Gwinnett County, population one million, if there was this sort of commitment by coaches I didn’t always see it because there were so many people. I love living up here in North Georgia in a smaller community where an act of kindness, especially where sports are concerned, rarely goes unnoticed.
We think about football as a sport that instills a since of discipline, but why is that? Because there’s a coach that sets that standard and inspires the team to do the same. As a community we love football and we love our team, and we can thank a coach for that.