Undefeated Region 7-AA Champions, the Fannin County Rebels, traveled to Trenton, Georgia, Friday, November 20, to take on the Dade County Wolverines. The Rebels, after trailing, quickly came back to pumble the Wolverines 55-7 to finish the regular season undefeated, a task that has only been done once before in Fannin County football history in 1995.
The Rebels won the toss and elected to receive, but a fumble on the kickoff return gifted Dade County the ball, and they capitalized as they found the endzone on an 18-yard pass. After the extra point, the Wolverines led 7-0 with 11:26 to go in the first. This would be the last time they scored.
Bivens caught the kickoff and brought it out to Fannin’s 47-yard line, where quarterback Luke Holloway led the offense on the field. After a nine-yard run by Caleb Postell, Holloway dropped back and found Cohutta Hyde on a 44-yard touchdown dart. After the extra point by Jack Kantner, the Rebels tied the game 7-7 with 10:20 to go in the first quarter.
Dade County brought the kickoff to their own 37-yard line, but penalties pushed the Wolverines back. Micah O’Neal and Dalton Ross were able to bring pressure on the quarterback to force an incomplete pass. Ross had a great night, accumulating five and a half sacks.
The Wolverines punted the ball as Hyde brought it out to the Rebels’ 29-yard line. Holloway earned two yards on a quarterback keeper, while Sawyer Moreland was able to break off a run to the 39-yard line. Holloway moved the chains with a quarterback keeper to Dade County’s 49-yard line, and Seth Reece moved the sticks again on a screen pass from Holloway to give the Rebels a first and 10 at the Wolverines’ 38-yard line. Postell muscled his way to the 23-yard line, followed by a quarterback keeper by Holloway to the 13-yard line. Holloway made it to the 11-yard line before handing the ball off to Jake Sands for an 11-yard touchdown run. After the Kantner extra point, the Rebels led 14-7 with 3:32 to go in the first.
The Wolverines got the ball back and once again were unable to move the chains thanks to the Fannin defense.
The Rebels fielded the punt and started their offense at their own 49-yard line. Holloway scampered six yards, followed by a 16-yard sprint from Postell to the Wolverines 30-yard line. Holloway dropped back on the next play and found big man Jalen Ingram who danced and juked his way into the endzone on a 30-yard touchdown pass. After the extra point was blocked, the Rebels led Dade County 20-7 to end the first quarter.
The Rebel defense made quick work of the Wolverines on offense as they punted back to Fannin. After a facemask penalty on Dade County, and a nine-yard run by Postell to the Wolverine’s 32-yard line, Holloway dropped back and hit Ingram again on a 32-yard touchdown dart. After the two point conversion, the Rebels increased their lead 28-7 with 9:07 to go in the first half.
After the Rebel defense stopped the Wolverines on offense, Fannin took back over. Seth Reece, Hyde, Postell and Holloway helped the Rebels get to Dade County’s 27-yard line, where Fannin found themselves in a fourth down situation.
Holloway once again dropped back and found Ingram for a 27-yard touchdown pass, his third of the evening. After the Kantner extra point, the Rebels led 35-7 with 2:27 to go in the second quarter.
The Rebels were able to get the ball back and score one more time in the second quarter as Postell pounded the ball on the ground for a one-yard touchdown run and after the Kantner extra point, the Rebels led 42-7 at the half.
The Wolverines got the ball to start the second half, but the Rebels forced a punt and gave the ball back to their offense. Holloway wasted no time, as he scampered for a 40-yard touchdown run. After the Kantner extra point, the Rebels increased their lead 49-7 with 8:35 to go in the third.
The Rebels held off the Wolverines and scored one more time as Jackson Davis muscled his way into the endzone from one yard out. After the extra point, the Rebels led 55-7 where the score remained until the final buzzer. The Fannin County Rebels wrote history as they are only the second team in Fannin County High School football history to go undefeated in the regular season.
Holloway finished with 300 total yards and five total touchdowns. Ingram caught three touchdowns, while Hyde caught one. Running backs Davis, Sands and Postell rushed for one touchdown each. The Rebels defense allowed only 80 total yards and accumulated 11 sacks and an interception in the game
The Rebels will host Pace Academy in the first round of the playoffs Saturday, November 28, at 6 p.m.