The Fannin County High School boys soccer team is the 2026 Region 7A D-1 champions with a decisive regular season victory March 31 over the defending 2025 state champion Armuchee Indians, combined with Coosa’s win over Dalton Academy on April 2.
The Armuchee victory moves Fannin to 10-3 overall and 6-0 in region 7A D-1.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this group of players. The commitment they made to winning, and being the absolute best team they could be is simply unmatched. We are very elated to be region champions. But, we’re not done yet. The playoffs and loftier goals are still ahead,” Head Coach Lee Johnson said.
The road to victory over Armuchee came early. Breven Hennessey scored the first Rebel goal at 32:45 left in the first half on an assist from Miller Denton. Fannin led 1-0 at the end of the first half.
Fannin put up three goals in the second half. Miller scored at the 30:05 mark with an assist from Matthew Ponton. Ponton assisted Miller again for Miller’s second score at 21:54 left. Miller scored the hat trick at 3:07 with an assist from Hennessey to put Armuchee away.
Fannin had eight shots in the game. Ponton had two, while Joshua Martinez, Denton, Laurin Werner, Kian Halpin, Anthony Mubanda and Eli Brown had one each. Fannin also had eight shots on goal. Denton had four, Hennessey had three and Ponton had one.
In the assist column, Ponton had two while Denton and Hennessey had one each.
Defensively, Ponton had three steals while Rowan Allen and Gage Flowers had one each.
In 2026, the Rebel defense has been outstanding. The Armuchee victory is the fourth game in a row they have not given up a goal. The team has won eight straight games. Fannin has scored 65 goals this season and given up only 15.
“I think over the time that I’ve been at Fannin County, we’ve had lots of talented players, but we’ve never had this many at the same time,” Johnson said. “This cumulative run of success has never been matched.”
Johnson credits the team’s success to playing solid overall soccer and having great team work.
Johnson said there are heroes all over the roster.
Connor Kyle’s been extremely good in defense. He missed a game and Aaron Augustin Morales stepped up to the plate and had to start for the first time ever as a freshman in goal and he got a shutout against Chattooga.
Johnson said Flowers and Martinez have been all-state level defenders. Freshman Allen has been one of the most dependable players he’s ever coached and Halpin is the best player at his position he’s ever coached. Another is freshman Brown. Oscar Garcia and Werner each bring a lot of energy, Johnson said.
Johnson said Conrad Head is the linchpin that holds everything together and Mubanda is one of the most athletically gifted players he’s ever seen.