The Fannin County High School Rebels football team ended their season with a 33-27 playoff loss to North Cobb Christian (NCC) School Eagles Saturday, November 11.
The Rebels finished 24th in AA across Georgia with a 3-3 region record and an overall 5-6 mark.
Fannin put 337 points on the scoreboard while holding their opponents to 281 during the year.
In the playoff contest Saturday on NCC’s home field, Fannin’s Braxton Cheatham returned the opening kickoff to the 25 yard line. Fannin couldn’t mount an offensive drive and was forced to punt.
NCC took over at the 38 yard line.
Despite defensive stops by Conrad Head, Cooper Born and CJ Reece, the Eagles put six points on the board.
After the kickoff, the Rebels marched downfield on runs by Carson Callihan and Lawson Sullivan, and a pass from Sullivan to Elijah Weaver. A faked field goal had Sullivan looking for a Rebel in the endzone, but the pass fell short and NCC took over on downs.
After an incomplete Eagle pass, the next pass was caught and carried all the way to Fannin’s three yard line before the receiver was forced out of bounds by Head. An NCC runner forced his way up the middle for a touchdown. The Eagles added two points to lead 14-0.
The Eagles got the ball back on a fumbled pass, and then crossed the goal line again. Their extra point was good, taking a 21-0 lead with three and a half minutes left in the first quarter.
The Rebels were forced to punt on their next possession. When NCC took over, Born and Braden Taylor wrapped up the runner after a six yard gain. A pass down field fell incomplete then Baylor Twiggs came off the line to rush the quarterback for an incomplete pass. NCC punted away and the Rebels took over at the 14 yard line.
The Eagles defense wouldn’t bend, the Rebels punted, and the Eagles took over on the 45.
Born, Case Holloway, Sullivan and Brody Paskill all made big defensive stops then an incomplete pass gave the Rebels the ball on the 29 yard line.
Behind runs by Sullivan and Callihan, and Sullivan passes to Born and Taylor, the Rebels marched down the field to put six points on the board when Sullivan connected with Taylor in the endzone. Matthew Ponton’s extra point was good and the Rebels put up 7 to the Eagles’ 20.
Taylor stopped the Eagles next possession with an interception he returned to the 20 yard line to end the half.
After Cheatham, Born and Head made quick stops to bring up third and six for the Eagles after the kickoff, Born broke up a pass down field to bring up fourth down.
After the punt, a fumble fell into the hands of an Eagle who ran it back for a touchdown. Their extra point was good and they extended their lead 27-14.
Fannin marched right back and after gains by Callihan and Sullivan, Sullivan hit Weaver on a long touchdown pass. Ponton’s extra point sailed through the uprights, closing the gap to 27-14.
On the kickoff, Ponton’s kick bounced off an Eagle at the 10 yard line where Cheatham fell on the ball to put Fannin’s offense back on the field.
Callihan caught a Sullivan pass and took it to the house for six points. Ponton nailed the extra points and the NCC lead shrunk to 27-21.
Twiggs, Holsonback, Sullivan and Head led a defensive effort that forced a NCC punt, the ball rolling to the 10 yard line.
The Rebel offense was stopped and the Eagles got the ball back at their eight yard line.
Noah Burnett, Taylor, Paskill, Reece, and Head led the Rebel defense to force an Eagle punt.Cheatham called for the fair catch but the ball was fumbled and recovered by the Eagles at the 40 yard line.
This time the Eagles capitalized and took a 33-21 lead after an incomplete pass on a two-point conversion try.
The offensive march following the kickoff ended when Sullivan hit Callihan who ran into the endzone untouched for six points. The Eagles blocked the field goal, so the score was 33-27 with just over four minutes left in the game.
Fannin’s defense rose to the occasion after the kickoff, forcing a Eagle punt. But the Rebels couldn’t move the ball, were forced to punt, and the game ended when the Eagles took a knee.