Warriors fall to Fannin in 7-2A opener
Fannin County scored 21 first and second quarter points Friday night to beat Gordon Central, 42-0 in both teams’ Region 7-2A football opener in Blue Ridge.
With junior running back Carson Callihan running for three touchdowns and junior quarterback Lawson Sullivan running for two more in the first half, the Rebels scored the first six times they had to ball to keep the Warriors winless as they each reach the halfway point of their 10-game schedule.
The Tribe, thanks to a couple of outstanding kickoff returns by senior Camdon Miles, had a couple of good chances to get on the board in the first half when he returned two of them onto the FC side of the field. Unfortunately, though, they were unable to take advantage of the good field position that could have made a game of it.
The Rebels also really controlled the ball in the first half, running 33 plays to just 22 for Gordon Central, but at the end of the first period, the Warriors had snapped it just nine times while the home team had ran 23 plays.
FC received the opening kickoff and moved 65 yards on six plays to take the lead 80 seconds in.
With only Callihan and Sullivan carrying the ball, Callihan completed the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run and the Rebels’ PAT put them up 7-0.
But Miles, who put on an electric display with his two long returns, dashed through the FC special teams to set the Warriors up at the Fannin 44 for its first possession.
However, two incomplete passes and a two-yard run forced them to punt, but a 6-yard boot gave the Rebels the ball at their own 38-yardline.
The Rebs covered the distance in just eight plays with Callihan running into the end zone untouched from three yards out and with 5:45 to play in the first, Fannin was in front, 14-nothing.
The Warriors were unable to move the ball on the following kickoff, punting it away after a short run and two incompletions.
A nice roll on the punt gave FC the ball at the 28 and this time, the Rebels used six plays to score with Sullivan crossing the goal line on a three-yard quarterback keeper for a 21-0 advantage with 2:35 still on the first quarter clock.
Gordon Central was not able to get the offense going on its third ownership and the hosts took over at the Warrior 44 after another poor punt.
On the fourth play of the second quarter, Callihan ran 29 yards for his third touchdown of the night and the Rebels’ fourth of the game. They had a bad snap on the PAT try, but the kicker picked up the loose ball and went around the right side for the two-point conversion and it was Fannin ahead 29-0 with 10:37 left in the half.
With Miles getting loose again on the kickoff, he returned it to midfield to give GC good field position. And the Warriors converted a fourth down with sophomore Brandon Thomas going 11 yards on a screen pass to get inside the FC 40.
But they couldn’t keep it going and turned it over on downs when they couldn’t convert a second fourthdown attempt.
A Sullivan 23-yard touchdown run not long after that elevated Fannin County to a 36-0 lead.
Their final touchdown came with 1:40 left in the second period on a 23-yard touchdown run by sophomore C.J. Reese, but they missed the extra point.
Fannin County went to 3-2 on the season and 1-0 in the Region, along with Model and North Murray, as Model rolled past Murray County, 42-7, and North Murray defeated Haralson County, 28-16, in other 7-2A finals Friday evening.
Gordon Central returns to Ratner Stadium next Friday night to play Haralson County, which is winless at 0-5 on the year.