Dragons Lose Tough Game In Rain Soaked Conditions
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 26, 2019
Last night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team made the nearly 2 hour trip towards the Georgia/Tennessee line to Rossville to take on the Ridgeland Panthers. This, was the 2nd to last game of the regular season for the Dragons who were neck & neck with Heritage at the top of the region standings coming into this one. Oh, did I mention the rain? It rained… a lot.
Pickens won the toss & elected to receive the opening kickoff. The wet conditions played a factor early as a bad snap led to a Panther recovery on a fumble. Ridgeland would take advantage of the short field and score on a 25-yd touchdown run to make it 7-0, at the 9:56 mark. The Dragons would be forced to punt on their next drive & once again, it didn’t take long for the explosive run game of the Panthers to do it’s damage as Ridgeland was able to score on their first play of drive to make it 14-0. Towards the end of the 1st quarter, the Dragons defense started slowing down the Ridgeland run game & the Dragon offense, started to click as well.
Pickens got on the board early in the 2nd quarter with a 33-yd touchdown pass from C.J. Streicher to Jarod Whitmore at the 8:49 mark to cut the Panther lead in half, 14-7. Twenty-three seconds later, Ridgeland would answer with a 64-yd touchdown run to extend their lead out to 21-7, with 8:26 to go in the 1st half. Ridgeland, was looking to add to that lead prior to halftime, but the Dragons defense had other ideas. Pickens, forced a fumble & it was recovered and taken down into Panther territory, giving the offense a chance to cut into the lead before the break. On the ensuing drive, Streicher found an open Austin Chester for a big gain down the middle of the field. Streicher, would then cap off the drive with an 8-yd touchdown run to make it 21-14 Ridgeland with 47 seconds left in the half. The Panthers, tried to answer prior to halftime, but the Dragons defense made sure that would not happen. Going into the break, the Panthers led the Dragons, 21-14.
In the 3rd, the Panthers got the ball first to start the 2nd half. Ridgeland was able to drive down deep into Dragon territory, but Pickens was able to hold them to a 28-yd field goal, making 24-14, with 9:56 left in the 3rd. Ridgeland added a 48-yd touchdown run at the 2:30 mark of the 3rd to extend their lead over Pickens to 31-14. With time dwindling down in the 3rd, the Dragons may have been down, but they were not out as they drove it down the field as we headed to the 4th quarter.
Twenty-five seconds into the 4th, the Dragons struck. Jarod Whitmore, with a little help from offensive lineman Josh Cook, was able to power his way in from 10-yds out to cut the Ridgeland lead to 31-21, with 11:35 left in the game. The Dragons, were looking for more trailing by 10, but the Panthers were able to pick off a pass attempt & take it the distance to make it 38-21 Ridgeland, with 7:42 left in the ball game. Streicher was able to punch it in from 1-yd out to make it 38-28, with 1:35 remaining. The Panthers would add a late field goal, giving us a final of 41-28 Ridgeland.
6-AAAA Standings:
Heritage: 4-1
Northwest Whitfield: 3-1
Ridgeland: 3-1
Pickens: 3-2
Gilmer: 1-3
Lafayette: 1-3
Southeast Whitfield: 0-4
Next week, the Dragons will be back home as they will host the Lafayette Ramblers in the regular season finale & Senior Night next Friday at 7:30. From what we were able to gather, a win for the Dragons means that they’re in. What seed they will be will not be determined in all likely hood. The winner of the Heritage/Northwest Whitfield game in two weeks will decide the Dragons fate. Should Heritage win, the Dragons look be the #3 seed due to their win over Northwest Whitfield. Should Northwest Whitfield win, Pickens would likely be the #4 seed due to the loss to Heritage.
Dragons Season Ends In Playoffs At North Oconee
Sports, Team FYN Sports November 16, 2019
Last night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team made the long trip down to Bogart Georgia to face the North Oconee Titans in the first round of the GHSA 4A State Playoffs. This, was this 6th consecutive season that the Dragons found themselves in the playoffs as they came into this game, looking for an upset. Pickens, came into the game as region 6-AAAA #3 seed & North Oconee came in as the #2 seed out of 8-AAAA.
Pickens, won the toss and elected to receive to begin the ball game. North Oconee, would force a punt, & it would be the Titans turn at offense. The Titans, struck first with a 45-yd touchdown run, to make it 7-0 North Oconee at the 9:31 mark of the opening quarter. The Dragons, with help from a spectacular catch by Senior Zach Tetterton, got on the board with a 40-yd field goal by Jose Sanchez, to make it 7-3, with 4:51 to go in the 1st. The Titans, would add to their lead with a 10-yd touchdown run to make it 14-3, going to the 2nd.
About halfway through the 2nd quarter, the Dragons cut into the Titan lead with a 14-yd touchdown pass from CJ Streicher to Alex Snelgrove, to make it 14-10 North Oconee with 6:32 left in the 1st half. A game changer occurred when the Titans took the ensuing kickoff back 91-yds for a touchdown, to make it 21-10 with 6:15 left in the half. As time expired in the 1st half, North Oconee would connect on a 32-yd touchdown pass to give them a 28-10 lead over the Dragons at the break.
Coming out in the 3rd, North Oconee had a long run to get into Dragon territory. The Pickens defense however, was able to hold the Titans to a 35-yd field goal, making it 31-10 with 9:27 left in the 3rd quarter. North Oconee would add a 21-yd touchdown pass at the 4:55 mark of the 3rd to make it 38-10 Titans. The Dragons, got on the board after Streicher threw a dart to Snelgrove & Snelgrove made a diving catch in the corner of the end zone for a 10-yd touchdown. Our score after 3 quarters was 38-17 North Oconee.
Both teams would find the end zone once in the 4th and final quarter. The Titans, scored on a 21-yd touchdown run at the 3:05 mark. Pickens, got their final score of the game with just under a minute left after Snelgrove ran it in from 1-yd out. The final score in this one, 45-24 North Oconee.
Things will be a little different in Jasper next year. Not only will the Dragons lose 22 seniors from this years team, but they will also be in a new region. Pickens will be in 7-AAAA with familiar faces like Heritage, Northwest Whitfield, & Ridgeland. But they’ll also be welcoming two new members to the region with Cedartown & Central-Carrollton.
Dragons Win Shootout On Senior Night To Clinch Playoff Berth
Sports, Team FYN Sports November 2, 2019
Jasper, Ga — Last night, it was do or die for the PHS Dragons varsity football team as they hosted the Lafayette Ramblers for Senior Night. It was simple. A win for the Dragons and they would be in the playoffs. A loss, meant their season was over.
The Dragons, received the opening kickoff, and only took 1:51 off the clock as Senior QB CJ Streicher ran it in from 36-yds out for the score. The extra point was no good, & Pickens led early, 6-0. Lafayette answered on their opening drive with a 5-yd touchdown run at the 4:36 mark. The PAT was good & the Ramblers took a 7-6 lead. After a punt by the Dragons, Lafayette would take the lead with a 71-yd touchdown run, giving them a 14-6 lead, as we’d head to the 2nd.
At the 7:42 mark of the 2nd quarter, Lafayette stretched their lead out with a 72-yd touchdown run, making it 21-6 Ramblers. Needing a big play to jump start the team, Streicher delivered a 71-yd touchdown run to cut into the Rambler lead, 21-12, with 6:56 left in the 1st half. Lafayette, took 2:10 off the clock as they scored on a 14-yd touchdown run to make it 28-12, with 4:46 left in the half. Pickens, would make it a one score game with a 1-yd touchdown run by Streicher. The Dragons would convert the 2-point conversion. At the half, The Ramblers led the Dragons, 28-20.
To start the 3rd quarter, the Dragons got the big play they needed on defense as they were able to force and recover a Rambler fumble. Streicher capped off the ensuing drive with an 18-yd touchdown run. The 2-point conversion was successful, & just like that, we had a tie game at 28, with 10:18 left in the 3rd. Lafayette, took the lead back with a 16-yd touchdown run, to make it 35-28, with 6:35 left in the 3rd. Pickens, came right back as Streicher connected with a wide open Jarod Whitmore on a 23-yd touchdown pass to tie things up at 35. It wouldn’t be tied for long however as the Ramblers reclaimed the lead with a 79-yd touchdown run, to make it 42-35, with 3:14 to go in the 3rd. Streicher, would again find the end zone with a 13-yd touchdown run to make it 42 all, going to the 4th.
Early in the 4th, Lafayette would drive deep into Pickens territory, but the Dragons would hold them to a 38-yd field goal, making it 45-42 Ramblers, with 10:18 left in the game. At the 7:27 mark of the 4th, Streicher would barrel his way into the end zone for his 6th rushing touchdown of the game, & 7th total, to give the Dragons their first lead of the contest. Driving down late in the game, Lafayette thought they had a go ahead touchdown. However, a chop block penalty negated the score. The Ramblers, would choose to go for it on 4th down, but the pass came up incomplete, & the Dragons would take over. Pickens, would drive down towards midfield & were faced with a 4th & 3. Coach Nelson decided to go for it, & put it in the hands of his Senior QB. Streicher, would fight hard on the run with help from the o-line. It would come down to a measurement. The ball, measured just across the sticks & the Dragons would get the win, 49-45, to secure a playoff spot for the 6th consecutive season.
6-AAAA Standings:
Heritage: 4-1
Northwest Whitfield: 4-1
Ridgeland: 4-1
Pickens: 4-2
Gilmer: 1-4
Lafayette: 1-4
Southeast Whitfield: 0-5
All eyes will be on the Heritage/Northwest Whitfield match up next week as that game will determine the seeding as far as the playoffs are concerned. Should Heritage win & Ridgeland win their game against Southeast Whitfield, Ridgeland would win the region title, Heritage would be the 2nd seed, Pickens would be the 3rd seed, & Northwest Whitfield would be the 4th seed. Should Northwest Whitfield defeat Heritage, the Bruins would win the region, Ridgeland would be the 2nd seed, Heritage would be the 3rd seed, & Pickens would be the 4th seed. Pickens, will either play North Oconee or Oconee County in the 1st round of the playoffs.
Streicher Goes For 6 Total TD’s As Dragons Get Homecoming Win
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 5, 2019
After a long night in Ellijay last Friday, the Dragons were back home at Dragon Stadium hosting the Southeast Whitfield Raiders for their Homecoming game. The Raiders, came into the ball game 0-5, & 0-1 in region play, but on Tuesday during Dragon Talk, Coach Nelson talked about how you can’t afford to take anyone lightly, especially region teams.
Southeast Whitfield began the ball game with the ball, but only managed one first down as the Dragons defense forced a punt. The first drive for Pickens saw promise, but stalled out near the red zone. The Dragons would settle for a 26-yd field goal by Juan Sanchez, to put them on top 3-0, with 5:02 left in the opening quarter. The Raiders, on their next possession, connected on a 32-yd touchdown pass to take the lead over the Dragons, 7-3. Going to the 2nd quarter, The Raiders had a 7-3 lead, but the Dragons were driving.
A minute into the 2nd quarter, Senior QB CJ Streicher found the end zone for a 3-yd touchdown run, giving Pickens the lead back, 10-7. 2 minutes & 19 seconds later, Streicher made a nice cut to the far side of the field & scampered 77-yds for the touchdown. With 8:19 left in the first half, the Dragons led the Raiders, 17-7. Pickens found the end zone for the 3rd time in the quarter when Streicher lofted up a deep ball & Mykel Hand came down with it, giving the Dragons a 24-7 lead, going into the break.
Southeast Whitfield, got the scoring going in the 2nd half as they connected on another touchdown pass, to cut the Dragon lead down to 24-14, with 7:50 to go in the 3rd. Pickens answered the Raider touchdown with a touchdown of their own as Streicher took it in for 6 from 8-yds out, to make it 31-14, with 5:22 left in the 3rd. The Dragons scored again at the 1:36 mark of the 3rd when Streicher found fellow Senior Alex Snelgrove in the corner of the end zone with an 11-yd touchdown pass, making it 38-14. Pickens, would make one more house call in the 3rd quarter as Streicher found a wide open Dylan Arp for a 20-yd touchdown, to give the Dragons a 45-14 lead, going to the 4th.
With a running clock in the 4th, the Raiders scored their final touchdown after a 37-yd run. Pickens, picked off a pass just before time expired to seal their 3rd straight win overall, & their 2nd straight in region play, 45-21.
6-AAAA Region Standings:
Pickens: 4-2 (2-0)
Northwest Whitfield: 4-1 (1-0)
Heritage: 4-2 (1-1)
LaFayette: 3-3 (1-1)
Ridgeland: 1-4 (1-1)
Gilmer: 2-3 (0-1)
Southeast Whitfield: 0-6 (0-2)
Pickens, will be back on the road next week, as they take on the Generals of Heritage. As you see in the standings above, these two teams are firmly in the race for a region championship. Heritage is coming off of a back and forth win over LaFayette on the road, 37-34. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm next Friday.
#TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player Of The week — Num. 12 QB CJ Streicher
Player Of The Week, Team FYN Sports November 2, 2019
This week’s #TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the week is Senior Quarterback CJ Streicher. Last night, was Streicher’s final home game along with 21 other seniors. The Dragons needed this game against Lafayette to get into the playoffs. The Dragons got that win thanks in big part to the performance of it’s senior signal caller. Streicher, had a school record tying 7 total touchdowns last night in the Dragons thrilling 49-45 win over the Ramblers. Streicher, finished with 238 yards on the ground, 167 yards passing, 6 rushing touchdowns, & 1 passing touchdown. Streicher also converted two 2-point conversions, & helped convert a fake punt with a completed pass to fellow senior, Zach Tetterton. A special shout out goes to the 21 other seniors on this year’s Dragons football team. Yesterday’s win over Lafayette would not have been possible without them & they have been a part of what is most likely the best stretch of success in Pickens football history. With their win last night, they clinched a playoff berth for a 6th consecutive season. Just a fantastic job all around for the sustained success.
Heartbreak At Heritage As Dragons Fall By One In Tough Road Game
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 12, 2019
Last night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team made their way up to Catoosa County in Ringgold to take on the Heritage Generals in what could’ve been labeled as the most important game of the season up to date. With both squarely in the region championship picture for 6-AAAA, Pickens came in atop the standings at 2-0, while Heritage came in right behind them at 1-1. This game, has historically been back and forth in the last several seasons and this one turned out to be no different.
Heritage won the opening toss and elected to receive to begin the ball game. The Generals, generally, are a throw first type of team offensively, but came out running the first couple of plays on this opening drive. Heritage would end the drive with points as they connected on a 40-yd touchdown pass to make it 7-0 with 9:27 to go in the 1st quarter. Not to be outdone, the Dragons would drive down the field using their run game, & capped their first scoring drive off with a 23-yd touchdown pass from CJ Streicher to Alex Snelgrove. After one, the Dragons and the Generals were knotted up at 7 apiece. Both defenses took over in the 2nd quarter with only one score coming by way of a 1-yd touchdown run by Heritage. Going into the half, the Generals led Pickens by a score of 14-7.
The 3rd quarter mirrored the 2nd quarter as again, there was only one score. That came after a 4-yd touchdown run by the Generals at the 1:02 mark. Going to the 4th, Heritage had a 21-7 lead over Pickens, but the Dragons were not done yet.
Streicher got the comeback attempt started with a 1-yd touchdown run at the 10:51 mark to make it 21-14. After trading possessions for the majority of the quarter, Pickens broke through with a touchdown pass from Streicher to Jarod Whitmore. with 1:25 to go in the game. The ensuing PAT attempt was ruled no good however & the Generals kept their lead at 21-20. The Dragons almost got the ball back with under 30 seconds left after Heritage fumbled the ball trying to run the remaining time off the clock, but the Generals were able to recover, and take this one, 21-20.
6-AAAA Region Standings
Northwest Whitfield: 2-0
Heritage: 2-1
Pickens: 2-1
Gilmer: 1-1
Ridgeland: 1-1
LaFayette: 1-2
Southeast Whitfield: 0-3
While this type of loss will sting a little bit if your a Dragon fan, Pickens is certainly not out of any potential playoff spot yet. Next up for the Dragons, a date at home with the Northwest Whitfield Bruins. As you see from the standings above, this one will be another critical game next Friday at 7:30.
Dragons Run Past Bruins For Big Region Win
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 19, 2019
Jasper, GA — The Dragons knew coming into this game that they needed a win. They were playing host to the top team in the region, Northwest Whitfield, sitting one game back of them in the standings. The Dragons, after last week’s heart wrenching loss to Heritage, knew they had to come out with intensity and determination to get a win in front of the home crowd.
Pickens won the opening toss and elected to receive the ball. 1:30 into the game, Pickens struck with a 39-yd touchdown run by Jarod Whitmore, to make it 7-0 Dragons with 10:30 to go in the opening quarter. The two teams would trade possessions until the 3:09 mark of the 1st when Northwest Whitfield scored on a 20-yd screen pass to tie it up at 7 a piece, going to the 2nd.
In the 2nd quarter, the defense was on display for the majority of the frame. The lone score of the quarter came after a 6-yd touchdown run by CJ Streicher, to put the Dragons up on the Bruins, 14-7, going into the break.
With their first possession of the 2nd half, Northwest Whitfield was able to drive down the field, but the Dragon defense held them to a field goal attempt. The 36-yd field goal attempt by the Bruins was successful, & that cut the Pickens lead down to 14-10. An 8-yd touchdown run by Whitmore, stretched the Dragon lead out to 21-10, with 3:25 to go in the 3rd. We would end the 3rd with Pickens ahead by that score of 21-10, and they were driving to add more going to the 4th.
Twenty-four seconds into the 4th quarter, Streicher found the end zone for the 2nd time on the evening with a 3-yd touchdown run. That score, extended the Dragons lead over Northwest Whitfield to 28-10. Not to be outdone, Whitmore was able to score for a 3rd time on the night after a 14-yd run, making it 35-10. Pickens would pick off a pass towards the end of the game to seal a much needed win, 35-10.
6-AAAA Standings:\
Heritage: 6-2 (3-1)
Pickens: 5-3 (3-1)
Northwest Whitfield: 5-2 (2-1)
Ridgeland: 3-4 (2-1)
Gilmer: 3-4 (1-2)
LaFayette: 3-5 (1-3)
Southeast Whitfield: 0-7 (0-3)
Offensively, Pickens didn’t attempt a pass play. Defensively, the Dragons played what could be considered their best all around game of the season. The Dragons now find themselves tied with Heritage atop the region standings as seen above. Heritage has the slight advantage due to their win over Pickens. Next week for the Dragons, a long road trip up to Ridgeland High School to take on the Panthers. This one will also be big for many reasons. 1. to keep up with Heritage, & 2. to move one step closer to possibly securing a home playoff game. Kickoff for this game in Rossville is set for 7:30 pm.
#TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player Of The Week — Num. 12 CJ Streicher
Player Of The Week, Sports, Team FYN Sports October 5, 2019
This week’s #TeamFYNSports Sports Writer’s Player of the Week goes to Senior QB CJ Streicher. Streicher, had a fantastic night on the ground and through the air accounting for 6 touchdowns (3 rushing, 3 passing) tonight in the Dragons 45-21 win over the Southeast Whitfield Raiders. Streicher, nearly tied a school record for most touchdowns in a game, but fell one shy of Jordan Shaw’s 7 touchdown record. Shaw set that record against Southeast Whitfield during his senior season. Streicher threw touchdown passes to Mykel Hand, Alex Snelgrove, & Dylan Arp. Streicher’s biggest play of the night quite possibly was a 77-yd touchdown run. Streicher, wasn’t the only Dragon who had a big night however. A shoutout goes to Juan Sanchez. Sanchez, made all of his extra points, connected on a 26-yd field goal, & had several touch backs on kickoffs. Aiden Sanchez had a big night on offensive line pushing defenders around. Sy Chadwick, & Clayton Holland helped lead a great defensive performance as well.
Next week, Streicher and the Dragons will be on the road against Heritage in another crucial region game. The Dragons find themselves atop the region standings at 2-0, but the Generals are right behind them at 1-1. Kickoff will be at 7:30 pm.
Dragons Start Region Play With Road Win Over Gilmer
Sports, Team FYN Sports September 28, 2019
The 63rd all-time meeting between the Pickens Dragons & the Gilmer Bobcats certainly will leave it’s mark in the storied history between these two schools. Both came into the game sporting 2-2 records, & were looking to start region play by defeating their main rival. An unexpected opponent tonight? Mother nature. After thunderstorms with severe lightening made it’s way through Ellijay, we officially had a 90-minute delay & things got underway between the two teams at 9 pm.
Pickens won the toss & elected to receive the opening kickoff. After converting several 3rd down plays on the drive, the Dragons capped it off with a 27-yd touchdown run by Jarod Whitmore, giving Pickens a 7-0 lead with 9:34 left in the opening quarter. Not to be outdone, on their opening drive, Gilmer, completed a 66-yd touchdown pass to even the score at 7, with 4:04 left in the 1st. Whitmore, would find the end zone for the 2nd time in the quarter after a 51-yd touchdown scamper, to make it 14-7 Pickens, at the end of the 1st quarter.
The Bobcats, answered rather quickly to begin the 2nd quarter as they had the ball deep inside Dragon territory to start the frame. Gilmer scored on a 3-yd touchdown run at the 11:18 mark. The PAT was no good however, & Pickens still maintained a lead of 14-13. Later in the quarter, the Dragons stretched their lead out after a 23-yd touchdown pass from CJ Streicher to Whitmore. The PAT was good, & Pickens now led the Bobcats, 21-13, with 3:22 to go in the half. Gilmer was able to knock in a 26-yd field goal with 8 seconds left, to cut the Dragons lead down to 21-16 at the half.
Each team had one scoring drive in the 3rd quarter. Streicher, was able to muscle his way into the end zone from 4-yds out, to make it 28-16 Dragons with 5:52 left in the 3rd quarter. Gilmer came right back, & scored on a 3rd & goal from the 1-yd line to make it 28-23 Pickens, going to the 4th & final quarter of play.
Pickens started off the 4th quarter deep inside Bobcat territory & Whitmore was able to punch it in from 5-yds out, giving the Dragons a 35-23 lead. That lead would hold up as Pickens came away with a hard fought win from a very game Gilmer Bobcat team, 35-23.
With the win, the Dragons move over .500 for the season, & more importantly, 1-0 in 6-AAAA play. Next week, Pickens will be back home as they host the Southeast Whitfield Raiders in another big region match up. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm next Friday.
Big 2nd Half Propels Dragons Past Chamblee
Sports, Team FYN Sports September 21, 2019
The PHS varsity football team were finally back home after nearly a month on the road as they welcomed the Chamblee Bulldogs to Dragons Stadium for their final non-region game of the season. After falling in back to back tough games on the road, the Dragons looked to get back on the right track heading into next week.
The first quarter, was one of a coaches worst nightmares. Turnovers. In total, the two teams combined to turn the ball over 5 times in a sloppy start to this one.
Pickens forced two of those turnovers with a fumble recovery by Alex Snelgrove and an interception by Tucker Lowe. The Dragon defense forced a safety at the 9:25 mark of the 1st quar
ter, giving Pickens a 2-0 lead. With 30 seconds left in the quarter, the Bulldogs connected with a 22-yd field goal, to give them a 3-2 lead, going to the 2nd quarter.
58 seconds into the 2nd quarter, the Dragons retook the lead after a 30-yd touchdown pass from CJ Streicher (who was named Mr. PHS prior to the game) to Snelgrove. The PAT was good and Pickens took a 9-3 lead with 11:02 left in the first half. Soon after that, Tucker Lowe collected his 2nd interception of the first half. Pickens later added to their lead when Jarod Whitmore scampered 28-yds for the touchdown, giving the Dragons a 16-3 lead over Chamblee at the half.
The third quarter, saw an explosion of offense from the Dragons. The first of three 3rd quarter scores came after Streicher lobbed it up for Mykel Hand from 27-yds out & Hand came down with it after a one handed leaping grab to give Pickens the 23-3 lead over the Bulldogs with 7:52 left in the quarter. At the 5:12 mark, Whitmore scored his 2nd rushing touchdown of the night, this time from 35-yds out, to make it 30-3 Dragons. The 3rd and final score of the quarter came at the 1:36 mark when Streicher made some nifty moves to get in from 17-yds out. Dragons held a 37-3 lead over Chamblee, going to the 4th and final quarter.
The 4th quarter saw a lot of backups and younger players get into the ball game to get some much valued varsity experience. After a long run by backup QB TC Jarrett, Andrew Burrell was able to take it in from 19-yds out, giving the Dragons a 44-3 lead. Your final score from Dragons Stadium, Pickens 44 Chamblee 3.
With the win, the Dragons improve their record to 2-2. But next week, the real fun starts. Region play. Pickens, will start region play next week on the road against their friends from the north, the Gilmer Bobcats. Both teams will come into this game with identical 2-2 records and looking to start region play off on the right foot. Game time is set for 7:30 in Ellijay.
TeamFYNSports Sports Writer Player Of The Week: CJ Streicher
Player Of The Week, Sports August 24, 2019
This week’s TeamFYNSports Sports Writer Player of the Week for week 1 is Senior QB CJ Streicher. Streicher was crucial in the Dragons 28-18 win over a very game Stone Mountain in the 2019 opener on Friday. Streicher got the scoring started with a 1-yd touchdown run. He then added two touchdown passes. 1 to Mykel Hand on a 18-yd fade, & a second to Alex Snelgrove on a 24-yd strike. Streicher also kept drives alive with his feet, converted a 4th down on a fake punt, & did a good job when called upon to punt.
The Dragons will have next week off as they prepare for their next challenge, a road game against a good team in the Pepperell Dragons. You can catch that one on September 6th. Kickoff is set for 7:30. TeamFYNSports will be there to bring you all the exciting coverage from that game.
Dragons Take On Danes In Their Last Tune-up Before The 2019 Season Begins
Sports, Team FYN Sports August 18, 2019
This past Friday night, the Pickens Dragons varsity football team welcomed the Denmark Danes to Dragon Stadium for a scrimmage game one week before the 2019 season officially kicks off. Pickens, coming off of a historic 11-1 season, a region championship, & their first ever playoff victory. Coming into the 2019 season, the Dragons are looking to replace several key players from last season, & look for some of the younger kids to step up & fill some important roles.
There was no official score kept on Friday night, their was plenty of scoring going on during this scrimmage game. The Danes got the scoring started by getting only points in the 1st quarter with a 40-yd field goal. Going to the 2nd quarter, Denmark led things, 3-0. Early on in the 2nd quarter, the Danes extended their lead with a 15-yd rushing touchdown to make it unofficially, 10-0 with 11:46 left in the first half. Pickens, found the end zone for the first time on the night after a nice 31-yd touchdown pass from returning 6-AAAA Player of the Year CJ Streicher to Jarod Whitmore cut the Dane lead to 10-6 with 3:46 left in the first half. Kickoffs, punts, field goals, & PAT’s were not live during this game so after the Danes took over after the Dragon touchdown, they wasted little time getting those points back. An 80-yd touchdown pass gave Denmark a 17-6 advantage over Pickens. Denmark was looking to add to their lead late in the first half as they were down near the Dragon goal line with seconds to go. The Dragon defense buckled down and made the stand as Tucker Lowe intercepted the pass on 4th down in the end zone to send us to the half, Danes up, 17-6.
The 2nd half saw the younger groups get in and get some valuable playing time for later on down the road. The Danes opened the 2nd half scoring with their 2nd rushing touchdown of the game to extend their lead to 23-6 over the Dragons with 6:48 to go in the 3rd. Pickens came right back and scored on a beautiful 23-yd touchdown pass from TC Jarrett to Connor Browning to make it 23-13 Denmark, going to the 4th and final quarter. Denmark, stretched their lead out at the 11:42 mark of the 4th with their 3rd rushing touchdown of the game. This time, a 48-yd run. The Danes added a field goal in the final minute, to make it an unofficial 33-13 final.
All in all, some good things happened on the field Friday night for the Dragons. There was also some teachable moments for the coaches which is what these scrimmages games are for. Once this offense got to clicking, it was fun to watch. The defense made some really nice plays & held Denmark on several goal line stands & forced several Dane turnovers.
Looking ahead to next Friday, the Dragons will take a 10 game regular season win streak into Friday night as they host the Stone Mountain Pirates to kick off the 2019 season. The Pirates, are out of the 3-A classification and went 2-8 last season. As coaches & players will tell you though, last season was last season & 2019 brings on a whole new year & every team is different. You can catch the Dragons taking on the Pirates next Friday at Dragon Stadium at 7:30.
Dragons Open 2019 With Win Over Stone Mountain In Coach Nelson’s Debut
Sports, Team FYN Sports August 24, 2019
The Pickens High School varsity Dragons football team kicked of their 2019 season last night as they welcomed the Stone Mountain Pirates out of the 3-A classification to Dragons Stadium. It was an exciting night as many fans filled the home side to get a look at the defending 6-AAAA region champs in action. Prior to the game, the youth program all the way from 6u to 11u were recognized. They even got to greet the varsity players as they ran through the banner prior to kick off.
Pickens, got things started with several big runs & their opening drive was capped off by a 1-yd touchdown run by Senior QB CJ Streicher. Defensively, TC Jarrett would come up with a gorgeous interception after the pass attempt by the Pirates was batted around a couple of times. After one quarter of play, the Dragons, held a 7-0 lead. Stone Mountain cut into that lead rather quickly as they scored a 1-yd touchdown themselves just as the 2nd quarter was getting underway. the 2-point conversion was no good for the Pirates & the Dragons still led 7-6, with 11:55 to go in the half. Almost halfway through the 2nd quarter, Streicher found Mykel Hand, who made a great catch in the left corner of the end zone from 18-yds out, to make it 14-6 Dragons with 6:09 left in the half. Streicher would connect with fellow Senior Alex Snelgrove on a 24-yd strike to make it 21-6 Pickens with 2:23 left in the half. Pickens would find points once more as Tucker Lowe, picked off a pass just beyond midfield, & took it all the way for a house call to make it 28-6 Dragons over the Pirates at the half.
The third quarter saw both teams going back and forth fighting through a heavy fog that had made it’s way down to the field. The fog made it tough for both teams as the game remained 28-6 going to the fourth as no scoring occurred in the 3rd. In the 4th, the Pirates made it a little closer as they scored twice in the final frame. The first score of the quarter came after a 40-yd touchdown run. The 2-point conversion was unsuccessful, & the score was now, 28-12 Dragons. Stone Mountain scored one more time just as the fianl horn was sounding to make the final score, Pickens 28 Stone Mountain 18.
With the win, the Dragons extend their regular season win streak to 11 in a row. Pickens, will now look to buckle down on anything they need to correct as they now have two weeks to prepare for their next game. That game, will be on the road in Lindale, Georgia as they take a team that’s become quite familiar over the last couple of seasons, the Pepperell Dragons. Both teams will be coming off bye weeks & if history tells us anything, it’s that this game is sure to be an exciting one. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Dragons Now 1-1 After Tough Game With Pepperell
Sports, Team FYN Sports September 7, 2019
Last night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team traveled over to Lindale to take on the Pepperell Dragons in what has become the “Battle of the Dragons” over the last several years. This series, dates back to 1958, & was the first time Pickens had gone to Lindale for a game since 1985. Pickens, also came into the game with an 11-game regular season win streak on the line as well.
In the first quarter, Pickens started off with possession, & had a nice drive working. Pickens went for it on 4th down just across mid-field, but was unsuccessful, turning the ball over on downs. Pepperell took over for their first possession, looking to draw first blood. It looked like that was about to happen after a pass play connected, but a quick thinking Pickens’ defender, poked the ball out from behind, & Pickens took over on the 5-yd line. A quick moving 1st quarter ended, with a 0-0 tie.
The 2nd quarter was the complete opposite of the 1st. A lot of scoring. Pepperell started it off with a 25-yd touchdown pass at the 8:57 left in the half. 22 seconds later, Pickens scored on a 69-yd touchdown pass from CJ Streicher to Jarod Whitmore. The PAT was no good however, & Pepperell maintained a 7-6 lead, with 8:35 left in the half. Pepperell got a big return on the ensuing kickoff, and capitalized with a 31-yd touchdown run. The PAT was blocked, & Pepperell held a 13-6 lead with 7:16 left in the half. After a long pass connection from Streicher to Mykel Hand, Streicher finisshed the scoring drive with a 2-yd touchdown run. The PAT was good, & things were all squared at 13, with 5:05 left in the half. Pepperell, got one more score, an 11-yd touchdown pass, just before the end of the half. After one half of play, Pepperell led Pickens, 20-13.
Pepperell had the ball first in the 2nd half, looking to extend their lead over Pickens. Pepperell did just that with a 10-yd touchdown run, giving them a 27-13 lead with 8:15 left in the third. Pickens, had their chances in the 3rd, but were unable to connect on those chances. Pepperell, got another touchdown, this time, a 34-yd run. Going to the 4th, Pepperell held a 34-13 lead over Pickens.
Pickens, found their footing in the 4th quarter as the Streicher/Whitmore duo connected again, this time from 39-yds out, making it 34-20 Pepperell with 11:09 left in the ball game. Pickens, had several more chances in the 4th as the defense stepped up and kept Pickens in striking distance. Late in the game, on 4th down, it looked like Pickens had stopped Pepperell shy of the line to gain. However, it was decided that the ball had just crossed the line, & Pepperell was able to run the clock out the rest of the way. Your final score, 34-20 Pepperell.
Pickens, is now 1-1 on the early season. Next week, they’ll take to the road yet again. This time, they’ll head to Cleveland to take on the White County Warriors. This will be the 45th time both teams have played. The Dragons went 2-0 against White County last season. Defeating them once in the regular season, & once in the playoffs. White County still holds a slim lead in the series, 22-20-2. Kickoff is set for 7:30.
Dragons Shutout Warriors In Route To First Ever Playoff Victory
Team FYN Sports November 11, 2018
This past Friday, it was a cold, drizzly night in Pickens County as the PHS Dragons varsity football team hosted the White County Warriors for the 1st round of the GHSA 4-A State Playoffs. White County, came into the game as the #4 seed from region 7, while the Dragons came in as the #1 seed from region 6. These two teams met earlier in the season as you may recall, with Pickens coming away with a 42-35 win.
The Dragons, won the toss & deferred to the 2nd half. White County, would manage a first down on their opening possession, but that would be all the Dragons defense would give up. On offense, the Dragons used the ground game & capped off their opening drive with points as QB CJ Streicher got in from 9-yds out to make it 7-0 Pickens, with 7:30 to go in the 1st quarter. Pickens then came up big on defense as the Warriors decided to go for it inside Dragon territory & were unsuccessful. Two plays later, Streicher found Zach Goss streaking down the far sideline & the Senior did the rest as he took it to the house for an 83-yd touchdown. As we headed to the 2nd, the Dragons were on top, 14-0.
The Dragons would add to their lead at the 9:17 mark of the 2nd quarter after Senior Michael Burrell made several moves including a fancy spin at the end of his 8-yd touchdown run, making it 21-0. The defense for Pickens once again came up big as a pass attempt by the Warriors was deflected, & Senior Chase Jarrett made a diving grab to nab the interception. The Dragons turned that turnover into points when Brady Moore ran it in from 29-yds out to make it 28-0, with 5:40 left in the first half. Just before the end of the half, another Dragon Senior, Trevon Hawkins, punched it in from 1-yd out, giving Pickens a 35-0 lead over White County heading into the break.
There was only one scoring drive in the 2nd half and that came on a 5-yd touchdown run from Jarod Whitmore in the 3rd quarter. Pickens, wins it’s first ever playoff game, 42-0.
Next week, the Dragons will again be home for the 2nd round of the 4-A Playoffs as they will welcome the Troup County Tigers to Jasper. Troup, is 10-1 on the season, & the #2 seed out of region 5. This will be the first meeting between the two schools in football. Kickoff set for 7:30 pm.
Stats:
1st Downs: 11
3rd Down: 3/8
4th Down: 1/2
Total Yards: 397
Rush Yards: 239
Pass Yards: 158
Takeaways: 2 (1 interception, 1 fumble)
CJ Streicher: 6/8, 158 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 9 rushes, 43 yards, 1 TD
Trevon Hawkins: 9 rushes, 58 yards, 1 TD, 2 catches, 17 yards, 6 tackles, 1 pass break up
Brady Moore: 7 rushes, 52 yards, 1 TD, 1 pass break up
Michael Burrell: 8 rushes, 41 yards, 1 TD, 2 catches, 24 yards, 2 tackles, 3 punts, long of 53 yards, 1 inside the 20
Jarod Whitmore: 1 rushing TD
Zach Goss: 1 catch, 83 yards, 1 TD
Kaleb Ray: 1 catch, 34 yards, 1 pass break up
Hunter Hermann: 7 tackles, 1 pass break up
Dallas McHale: 6 tackles, 3 for loss
Chase Nelson: 6 tackles
Andrew Macom: 5 tackles, 1 forced fumble
Jake Rogers: 5 tackles, 1 sack
Chase Jarrett: 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception
Jose Sanchez: 6/6 on PAT
Dragons Shut Down Generals To Move To 7-0
Team FYN Sports October 7, 2018
Last Friday night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team, fresh off being named the High 5 Sports Team of the Week, hosted the Heritage Generals in a big 6-AAAA region match up. This was a big game for Pickens, not just because of the region implications,but because the Generals have come away the victors in the last two meetings.
The Generals, won the toss and wanted the ball to start the game on offense. The Dragon defense, would force a General punt attempt. Heritage, went for a fake punt, but Pickens had it sniffed out, & gave the Dragons offense good field position for their first possession of the game. That possession ended with a touchdown for Pickens as Junior QB CJ Streicher got in from 2-yds out, to make it 7-0 Dragons with 5:35 left in the first quarter. Pickens added to their lead just before the end of the 1st quarter after a 22-yd TD run from Michael Burrell, to make it 14-0 Dragons, going to the 2nd.
Pickens got back to work just 58 seconds into the 2nd quarter as Streicher lofted one up for Zach Goss, who made a great adjustment on the ball, and scored from 24-yds out to make it 21-0 with 11:02 left in the first half. Last week’s #TeamFYNSports Sports Writer Player of the Week Trevon Hawkins added to the lead for Pickens with a 1-yd TD run to make it 27-0 Dragons with 9 minutes left in the 1st half. Much like the 1st quarter, the Dragons got points just before the end of the 2nd when Streicher tossed one up for Goss in the back of the end zone for a 6-yd TD to make it 34-0 Pickens over Heritage as we hit the half.
The only score in the 3rd quarter came from the Dragons, who got the ball first to start the 2nd half. Brady Moore capped off the drive with a 1-yd TD run to make it 41-0 Pickens going to the 4th. The only score in the 4th quarter also came from the Dragons as Dawson Turner scampered in from 6-yds out to make it 48-0. Your final score, 48-0 Pickens over Heritage.
Stats:
Total Yards: 437
Passing Yards: 139
Rushing Yards: 298
Takeaways: 2 interceptions
PAT: 6-7
CJ Streicher: 9-12, 139 yards, 2 TD, 11 rushes, 88 yards, 1 TD, 1 punt for 45 yards
Michael Burrell: 8 rushes, 90 yards, 1 TD, 1 catch, 19 yards
Dawson Turner: 4 rushes, 33 yards, 1 TD
Trevon Hawkins: 3 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD, 5 total tackles, 1 pass break up
Brady Moore: 9 rushes, 29 yards, 1 TD, 4 total tackles, 1 pass break up
Zach Goss: 3 catches, 57 yards, 2 TD’s
Hunter Hermann: 9 total tackles, 1 pass break up
Dallas McHale: 7 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 pass break up
Andrew Macom: 6 total tackles, 1 pass break up
Jay Jones: 5 total tackles, 1 interception
Kaleb Ray: 1 interception
Bailey Dispain: 1-1 on PAT
Jose Sanchez: 5-6 on PAT
6-AAAA Standings:
Pickens: 7-0 (3-0)
Ridgeland: 4-2 (2-0)
NW Whitfield: 4-2 (1-1)
Heritage: 2-5 (1-2)
LaFayette: 4-3 (1-2)
SE Whitfield: 3-4 (1-2)
Gilmer: 0-6 (0-2)
Next Week, the Dragons will take to the road to take on the Bruins of Northwest Whitfield in another major game that’ll have big implications heading towards the final stretch of the regular season. Kick off is set for 7:30 pm.