The Fannin County Rebels traveled to Sonoraville Georgia, Friday, September 3, to take on the Region 6 AAA Sonoraville Phoenix.
The Rebels came out with energy on both sides of the ball, but penalties plagued the Fannin offense as Phoenix was able to come away with a 32-0 victory.
Defensively, Fannin was all over the field as Cason Owensby and Andrew Waldrep led the Rebels.
Sonoraville got the ball to start the game. Owensby swatted a pass to draw up second down for Sonoraville. The Phoenix started to drive into the red zone, but the Rebels forced a Phoenix fumble and Owensby came up with the ball to give the Rebels offense the ball at their own five yard line.
Fannin gained three yards in three downs before they were forced to punt back to the Phoenix.
Sonoraville capitalized, going through the air with a 29-yard pass to make it to the Rebel’s one yard line, where they punched the ball in on the next play. After the missed extra point, the Rebels trailed Sonoraville 6-0 with 4:30 to go in the first quarter.
Fannin brought the ball out to their own 32-yard line, but the Phoenix defense was too much as the Rebels were forced to punt. Sonoraville got the ball at their own 29-yard line, and the Rebels defense again went to work. Nate Maloof blew up a play to get a tackle for loss, and Corbin Davenport broke up a pass after a Sonoraville penalty to put the Phoenix third and 16 at their own 23.
Cade Sands had a monster stop on third down as he took down the quarterback and forced a punt.
Davenport brought the ball out to the Rebels’ 30-yard line as the Rebels set up shop.
Austin Garland caught a nine-yard pass from David Mashburn to push the ball to the 39-yard line. Carson Collis then snatched a pass to the 42-yard line to give the Rebels a first down and end the first quarter.
Garland broke off a few big runs and Davenport caught a 20-yard pass as the Rebels pushed to Sonoraville’s 25-yard line.
Seth Reece trucked his way to the 19-yard line on the next play, but the Rebels drive would stop at the 14-yard line as the Phoenix defense tightened up. Fannin attempted a field goal, but the kick was no good as Sonoraville held a 6-0 lead with 7:13 to go in the second.
Both teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the second quarter, but no one reached the end zone as the Phoenix headed into the locker room with a 6-0 lead.
Davenport brought the ball out to Fannin’s 29-yard line to start the third quarter. Reece broke off a 19-yard run to the 48-yard line, but Garland, Khole Green and Reece could not move the chains again as they were forced to punt back to Sonoraville.
Bryson Holloway, Maloof and Sands had some big stops on the Phoenix’s drive, but Sonoraville was able to find the end zone and after the missed extra point, led Fannin 12-0 with 4:30 to go in the third.
The Rebels got the ball back, but stalled as they were again forced top punt. Sonoraville was able to score one more time with 1:33 to go in the third and after the missed extra point, led 18-0.
The Phoenix scored a touchdown with 5:05 in the fourth, and another touchdown with 1:17 to go in the fourth, and after the successful extra points led 32-0 where the score remained until the clock ran out.
The Rebels will be back home Friday, September 10, to take on Southeast Whitfield High School. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.