5 Things: What Did We Learn in the Fourth Week of High School?

Before Friday, the main topic of talk about Week 4 was the rivalry games and big games, but it was the close games and wins by a few No. 1 teams that stole the show.

Here are five things we learned in Week 4:

1. DAWSON AND UNION CLAIM FIRST VICTORIES OF THE SEASON

Regional play began Friday night in 7-2A, and Union County, with freshman quarterback Kamden Kendrick, crushed Murray County, 49-6. Kendrick threw for four touchdowns to help the Panthers get into the win column for the first time this season. Replacing Cade Dockery at quarterback wasn’t easy, but the offense looks like it’s figured something out now. Dawson County also picked up its first win in a 14-7 victory over Banks County, but it was the defense and Luke Smith who stood tall for the Tigers, with Smith throwing a pair of interceptions. 6-3A is heating up this week, so we’ll see if the Tigers can use that defense to get back-to-back wins and shake things up.

2. CHEROKEE BLUFF FINDS WAYS TO WIN

The Bears have looked really good this season. Habersham Central seemed to have their number for a while, but Friday night at Mt. Airy. Paris Wilbanks had their point guard working perfectly, but Cherokee Bluff’s never-give-up attitude kicked in and they scored 17 unanswered points to end the game with a 31-24 victory. That says a lot about the Bears and how they deal with adversity. After hosting Banks County this week, the Bears will begin their Region 8-3A schedule where they will certainly face adversity. Bluff had a big test this week and we hope they have a chance to deal with many more this season.

3. WEST HALL CONTINUES TO MANAGE OAKWOOD

West Hall had its way in the Battle of Oakwood on Friday night, but the impressive score isn’t what stands out. It was Elijah Hayes’ stats that stood out the most. 12 carries, not that impressive, but when you read on and see 220 yards and SEVEN touchdowns, our jaws dropped. Then we see he didn’t touch the ball in the second half and we’re speechless. If Hayes and the Spartans can keep it up in regional play, they’ll also play a big role in how 8-3A shapes up.

4. BUFORD LOOKS LIKE BUFORD

There was a lot of talk about how good the Buford vs. Roswell game was going to be. Buford fans were invited to the game while Roswell fans were left scratching their heads after the Wolves dominated from the opening tip in a 52-17 rout of the Hornets. When we think of Buford’s dominant offense, it was the gritty running attack that was on display Friday night as the Wolves racked up 280 yards on the ground. We believe Buford is really setting itself up for a deep playoff run against Atlanta, especially if they can win the battle in the trenches like they did recently.

5. LAKEVIEW ACADEMY SEEING SUCCESS

We haven’t forgotten about the Lions. Don’t worry. We’re seeing wins every week at this point, and Kyari Burch is a big reason why. Despite trailing after the first quarter on the road at Piedmont Academy, Burch led the charge, scoring 21 unanswered points to end the game. He also had a touchdown, and Ryker Kohler had a pair of rushing touchdowns in the game-winning drive. The Lions have a big test this week against George Walton Academy, but if Lakeview can be in the game late, there’s no reason to think they can’t win the game against powerhouse Monroe.