Dragons move to 3-0 after taming Bobcats
PHS Football, Team FYN Sports August 30, 2025
Ellijay, Ga — It was rivalry week across the state of Georgia this week with one particular match up gaining interest was the rivalry game between the Pickens Dragons and the Gilmer Bobcats. Both teams were off to fast starts to the season as they were both 2-0 heading into the game. In what’s always an emotional and physical game, the Dragons were able to pull away and pick up a 38-24 win.
After the Dragons went three and out to start the game, the Bobcats, would drive down inside the Dragon 30-yd line. The Dragons, would get a stop on their 27-yd line for a turnover on downs. On the first play from scrimmage after getting the stop, the Dragons would take the lead after a 73-yd touchdown run by Ike Wyngaard. The PAT was good. Heading to the second quarter, the Dragons led the Bobcats, 7-0.
The Bobcats, would tie things up about midway through the second quarter as Cheyne Smith would score on a 19-yd touchdown run. The PAT was good and with 6:27 left in the first half, the game was tied at 7. Wyngaard, would strike again as the Dragons would only need one play to retake the lead after a 76-yd touchdown run by Wyngaard. The PAT was good and with 6:05 left in the first half, the Dragons were up, 14-7.
The Dragons, would add to their lead as Ezra Faber, would rip the ball out of the hands of the running back and take it 21 yards for the touchdown. The PAT was good and with 5:06 left in the first half, the Dragons led the Bobcats, 21-7. The Bobcats, would put together a quick scoring drive as Madden Hopkins would power his way in for a 4-yd touchdown. With 2:15 left in the first half, the Dragons lead was cut to 21-14.
The Dragons, would answer that scored with a score of their own as Faber would cap off the drive with a 10-yd touchdown run. The PAT was good and with 59 seconds left in the first half, the Dragons now led the Bobcats, 28-14 heading into the half.
The Bobcats, would trim the lead to 11 after a 32-yd field goal by Carter Gearhart to make it 28-17 with 7:12 left in the third. The Dragons, would match that later on in the quarter as McCord Purdy would connect on a 40-yd field goal to put Pickens up 31-17 heading to the fourth.
The Dragons, would stretch their lead out after Wyngaard made his third house call of the night. This time, from 34 yards out. The PAT was good and with 10:12 left in the game, Pickens led Gilmer, 38-17. The Bobcats, would stay alive as Peyton Chancey would score on a 27-yd touchdown run. The PAT was good and with 6:46 left in the game, the Dragons led it, 38-24.
The Dragons, would cap off the win with an interception by McCord Purdy in the end zone. Pickens, ends a two game losing streak to Gilmer with the 38-24 win.
The Dragons, finish out the non-region portion of their schedule with a 3-0 record. They will be on a bye next week. Pickens, will be back in action on Friday, September 12th on the road against White County to start region play. Kickoff for that one is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons fall to Bobcats in overtime
PHS Football, Team FYN Sports August 31, 2024
Jasper, Ga — There is a lot going on this weekend in Jasper with it being a Holiday weekend and also the annual Jeep Fest. The main attraction however, is the Pickens vs Gilmer game that took place on August 30th. The Bobcats came away with the win in Ellijay last year, and the Dragons were looking to return the favor. As expected, this game was back and forth all game long. The Bobcats, would survive an overtime thriller picking up the 35-34 win.
On their first play from scrimmage, the Bobcats wasted little time getting on the board as Kyle Cowart took the pitch from Issac Rellinger 77 yards for the touchdown. The PAT was good and with 11:33 left in the first quarter, the Bobcats held a 7-0 advantage. Cowart, would make his presence known on the defensive side of the ball as he would pick off the pass attempt from Hayden Jones and return it near midfield. The Bobcats, would make their way down field with that triple option offense looking to extend their lead.
The Dragons, finally picked up a little momentum as the defense forced a fumble at the 2-yd line with Hunter Dimauro recovering the ball. Late in the first quarter, the Dragons, had a sustained drive going that started on their own 2-yd line. The Bobcats, would recover a fumble inside the 10 to put an end to that drive. Going to the second quarter, Gilmer led Pickens, 7-0.
Hayden Jones handing off to Landon Poole
The Dragons defense, would force a Bobcat punt early on in the second quarter. After a low snap, the knee of punter Douglas Callihan, was determined to be down at the Bobcat 1-yd line. That’s where the Dragons took over as Landon Poole, would score to cut the Bobcat lead to 1. The PAT from McCord Purdy was good, and with 10:23 left in the first half, the game was all tied up at 7. The Bobcats, would untie the game at the 8:28 mark of the second quarter with a 5-yd TD run by Hunter Britain to make it 14-7 Gilmer.
The Bobcats, would extend their lead later on in the quarter as Rellinger found Callihan for a 34-yd TD pass. The PAT was good and with 1:09 left in the first half, the Bobcats held a 21-7 lead. With little time left in the half, the Dragons marched down the field, and capped off the drive with a 1-yd TD run by McCord Purdy. Purdy would then make the PAT, to make it 21-14 Gilmer heading into halftime.
Dragons defense forcing a 4th down
The second half began in exciting fashion as McCord Purdy would take the kickoff back 90 yards for the touchdown. He would connect on the PAT to tie the game at 21 with 11:42 left in the third quarter. No other scoring would be done in the quarter as both teams were able to get stops. The Dragons, were driving as they headed to the fourth.
Dragons on offense in the second half
To start the fourth quarter, Hayden Jones broke a few tackles on the way to a big 36-yd run down to the Bobcat 27-yd line. After an intentional grounding penalty, the Dragons would be forced to punt, and the Bobcats would takeover at their own 21-yd line. A big run by Rellinger helped set up what would end up being a 20-yd TD run by Rellinger. The PAT was good and with 8:18 left in the game, the Bobcats led it, 28-21.
The Dragons, knew they needed an answer and they got one in the form of the Purdy brothers. Jones, would hand the ball off to Carson Mitton, who then tossed it to McCord Purdy on what looked like a reverse run play. Instead, McCord threw it to younger brother Sawyer, who was wide open down the field for a 54-yd TD pass. The PAT by McCord was good and with 6:29 left in the game, the Dragons and Bobcats were tied at 28.
The Bobcats, would chew up a lot of game time as they looked to drive down for a potential game winning field goal. With 31 seconds left, the Bobcats set up dead center for the field goal attempt. The kick would be pushed wide left, and the two teams would be heading into overtime.
Dragons looking to stop the fullback dive
The Bobcats, got the ball to start the overtime period. Wyatt Stokes, would cap off the drive with a 1-yd TD run. The PAT was good and Gilmer led it, 35-28. The Dragons, would get into the end zone after a 5-yd run by Poole. Dragons head coach Craig Bennett, made the decision to go for two and the win. The pass by Jones would fall short in the end zone and the Bobcats would hang on to win, 35-34.
The Dragons, finish the non-region portion of the schedule at 2-1. If you’re a Dragon fan, I’d say you’d be satisfied with that record heading into region play. The Dragons, will now have two weeks to prepare for region play when they host the White County Warriors on Friday, September 13th. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons fall to rival Bobcats on the road
PHS Football, Team FYN Sports October 14, 2023
Ellijay, Ga — It was a rainy night as the Pickens Dragons traveled up north to take on the Gilmer Bobcats in 7-AAA play on Friday, October 13th. This matchup marked the 65th time these two teams have met. The Dragons, came into the game riding an 8-game win streak in this series, while Gilmer still held the lead in the series, 35-29-1. The Bobcats, behind their triple option attack, picked up the 35-24 win.
The Bobcats, got the ball first to start the game. Combined with their run game and several penalties committed by the Dragons, Gilmer got on the board first after a 15-yd touchdown run from QB Issac Rellinger. The PAT was good and with 9:48 left in the first quarter, the Bobcats led the Dragons, 7-0. Neither team got anything going for the rest of the quarter. Heading to the second quarter, Gilmer was ahead of Pickens, 7-0.
Dragons defense against the Bobcats
In the second quarter, the Dragons got on the board after a 28-yd field goal from Charlie Gibbons to make it 7-3 Bobcats with 8:05 left in the first half. The defense for the Dragons then made a play as Rellinger’s pass was tipped and Kael Deering came down with it. The Dragons, turned that interception into points as QB Sam Streicher punched it in from 4-yds out. The PAT from Gibbons was good and with 4:07 left in the first half, the Dragons led the Bobcats, 10-7. Just before the end of the first half, the Bobcats were able to retake the lead as Rellinger ran it in from 10-yds out. The PAT was good and as they went to the break, Gilmer led Pickens, 14-10.
Dragons offense in the red zone
The Dragons, began the second half with the ball. The drive didn’t last long as Streicher connected with WR Hayden Jones for a 70-yd touchdown. The PAT was no good however and with 10:03 left in the third quarter, the Dragons led the Bobcats, 16-14. The Bobcats, were able to reclaim the lead after a 9-yd touchdown run from FB Peyton Chancey. The PAT was good and with 7:18 left in the third, Gilmer led Pickens, 21-16. Gilmer added to their lead just before the end of the third as Rellinger scored his third rushing touchdown of the game after an 8-yd run. The PAT was good and as they headed to the fourth, the Bobcats led the Dragons, 28-16.
Dragons on defense in the second half
A couple minutes into the fourth quarter, the Dragons looked to get back into it as Streicher connected with Jones for a 17-yd touchdown. Streicher, was able to then run it in for the 2-point conversion to make it 26-24 with 8:34 left in the game. The Bobcats, answered back at the 3:30 mark of the fourth with a 1-yd touchdown run from Hunter Britain. The PAT was good and Gilmer extended its lead to 35-24. That would be your final as the Bobcats get their first victory over the Dragons since 2013.
7-AAA Region Standings:
Lumpkin: 7-0 (3-0)
Wesleyan: 5-3 (3-1)
White County: 4-3 (2-1)
Gilmer: 5-3 (2-2)
Dawson: 2-6 (2-2)
Pickens: 1-6 (0-3)
West Hall: 1-6 (0-3)
The Dragons, will be back home for the final time during the 2023 regular season as they play host to the West Hall Spartans on Friday, October 20th. Kickoff is set for 7:30.
Dragons pick up big region win over rival Gilmer
PHS Football, Team FYN Sports October 15, 2022
Jasper, GA — It was a cooler October night in Jasper as the Pickens Dragons welcomed their long time rivals, the Gilmer Bobcats. It was the first time these two teams have met since 2020, and the 64th all time meeting. Coming into the game, the Bobcats lost a tough one to the Lumpkin County Indians. The Dragons, came in off a bye week looking to right the ship a bit having lost two straight, and only scoring 7 points in the process. Pickens, got a big time boost from it’s run game and defense to lead them to a 27-10 win over Gilmer and their 8th win in a row in the series.
The Bobcats, got the ball first to begin the ball game. The Dragons, got the stop and gave the offense the ball for the first time. After a great drive by the offense, that included a halfback pass, Pickens got into the end zone with a 2-yd run by Kadyn Hampton. The PAT was good and the Dragons took a 7-0 lead with 5:54 left in the opening quarter.
Dragons looking to punch the ball in
Gilmer got the ball and were driving down the field as the first quarter came to an end. A great defensive stand by the Dragons left the Bobcats with a 24-yd field goal attempt. The field goal was good and Gilmer cut into the Pickens lead, 7-3, with 11:57 left in the first half. After a bit of a back and forth, the Dragons added to their lead after QB Sam Streicher tossed a screen pass to Colby Brooks and Brooks took it the rest of the way for a 79-yd touchdown. The PAT was good and with 4:37 left in the first half, Pickens led Gilmer, 14-3. After stopping the Bobcats on 4th down near mid-field, the Dragons were looking for more. Gilmer’s defense did a good job themselves stopping Pickens on 4th down as the Dragons also picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to help the Bobcats with field position.
After a good run by Brock Titus, QB Issac Rellinger heaved the ball into the end zone as time expired in the first half and Will Kiker was able to come down with it. The PAT was good and we headed into the half with the Dragons leading the Bobcats, 14-10.
Dragons on defense
In the third quarter, there was no scoring, but the physicality, especially one that comes with the territory of a rivalry game, was definitely there during the quarter. As the quarter was coming to an end, the Dragons offense, with big help from their run game, got down close to the end zone as they headed to the fourth, still up 14-10.
Colby Brooks with the catch
A couple of seconds into the fourth quarter, Miguel Salto bullied his way into the end zone for a 2-yd touchdown run. The PAT was good and with 11:56 left in the game, Pickens extended it’s lead over Gilmer, 21-10. Later on in the quarter, the Dragon run game, really left its mark on this game as Hampton got in for his second rushing touchdown after a 1-yd run. The PAT was no good and with 5:20 left in the game, the Dragons now led the Bobcats, 27-10. The defense for Pickens on Friday night was at its best as they held a high scoring Bobcats offense scoreless in the second half and just one touchdown all night. Pickens runs its win streak over Gilmer to 8 in a row after a 27-10 victory.
7-AAA Standings:
Dawson County: 6-2 (4-0)
Lumpkin County: 6-1 (2-1)
Gilmer: 5-3 (2-2)
Wesleyan: 3-5 (2-2)
White County: 3-4 (1-2)
Pickens: 2-5 (1-2)
West Hall: 1-6 (0-3)
The Dragons, will be back on the road next week as they head to Oakwood to take on the West Hall Spartans. The last time these two teams met was in 2009. The last time Pickens traveled to West Hall was all the way back in 2008. West Hall leads the all time series, 6-4. The first meeting took place in 1994. Kick off is set for 7:30.
Dragons open unusual 2020 season with win over rival Bobcats
PHS Football, Sports, Team FYN Sports September 5, 2020
On Friday September 4th, the 2020 high school football season got underway for the majority of the state of Georgia. With all of the ups and downs that has been this year and the will they won’t they speculation, to get to this opening night was a huge deal. In Jasper Georgia, two teams very familiar with each other took the field to open their seasons. The Pickens Dragons came into the 2020 season having to fill many major holes on both offense and defense after graduating most of their production from the team last season. The Gilmer Bobcats, came in with a lot of momentum having exceeded expectations last season, moving to a new region, and returning players with a lot of varsity experience. After it was all said and done, the Dragons picked up the win, 17-8.
The Bobcats won the toss, but elected to defer to the 2nd half, giving the Dragons the ball first. After a pooch kick was fair caught, the Dragons took over with a new starting quarterback in freshman Sam Streicher. If that last name sounds familiar, it should. Sam is the younger brother of Dragon football standout C.J. Streicher. The Dragons used a heavy dose of the run game on their opening drive with senior Jarod Whitmore getting the bulk of the carries. At the 9:44 mark of the opening quarter, Whitmore turned the corner on the right side and got in for the touchdown. The extra point from Juan Sanchez was good, and the Dragons took a 7-0 lead. After a Bobcat fumble on their opening drive, Pickens turned that into points with a 30-yd field goal by Sanchez to make it 10-0.
Jarod Whitmore scores the first touchdown of the season
Defense was the name of the second quarter as neither offense could find hardly anything. The score remained 10-0 Pickens until late in the first half when the snap on a punt attempt by the Dragons sailed over the head of Whitmore and landed in the end zone. Gilmer picked up two points with the safety, and had a chance to get more before the half. The defense for the Dragons held and we would head to halftime with Pickens leading 10-2.
Dragons on defense in the second quarter
The Bobcats, started the second half with the football and with a tweak to their game plan. Gilmer came out throwing more for their first possession of the second half and found success with it. After a pass interference call against the Dragons, the Bobcats connected on a 36-yd touchdown pass to make it 10-8. The ensuing two-point conversion try was no good, and Pickens still held the lead, this time at 10-8 with 8:55 to go in the third. Using that momentum from having just scored, Gilmer transferred that over to the defensive side of the ball where they got the stop. The Bobcats next possession was a quick one as Andrew Burrell picked off a pass attempt and set the Dragons up with good field position. Pickens turned that interception into points when Streicher found the returning Mykel Hand after a nice pass for the touchdown. The first varsity touchdown pass for Streicher. The PAT was good and the Dragons extended their lead over the Bobcats 17-8, going to the fourth quarter.
Freshman QB Sam Streicher rolling out for a pass attempt
In the fourth and final quarter, Gilmer had their chances to cut into the lead, but the Dragons defense held strong and helped Pickens come away with the win, 17-8.
After the set of games this week, here are the records for the teams in the new 7-AAAA:
Pickens: 1-0
Heritage: 1-0
Northwest Whitfield: 1-0
Cedartown: 0-0 (game canceled)
Central-Carroll: 0-0 (game canceled)
Ridgeland: 0-1
Pickens will travel to Summerville Georgia next Friday to take on the Chattooga Indians in non-region play. Chattooga is in region 7 in AA. They fell to Adairsville 35-28 on Friday night. Kickoff set for 7:30 pm next Friday.
Dragons Defeat Chamblee To Move To 4-0, Start Region Play Against Gilmer Next Week
Team FYN Sports September 16, 2018
Last Friday, the PHS Dragons varsity football team hosted the Bulldogs of Chamblee-Charter in the final non-region game before region action starts. Chamblee, is out of the 5-A classification.
Chamblee, got the ball to begin the game, & the Dragons defense was up to the task early of stopping their unique offense. Offensively, it didn’t take long for Pickens to get on the board as CJ Streicher connected with fellow Junior Alex Snelgrove on a 32-yd TD pass to give the Dragons the 7-0 lead, with 8:23 left in the 1st quarter. The Dragons would then make a play on Special Teams, by blocking a would be punt attempt from the Bulldogs, giving the offense great field position. The next play, Robert Davis would run it in from 16-yds out, & the Dragons held a 14-0 lead with 7:09 left in the opening quarter. Streicher, got in from 15-yds out after shaking off what seemed like 5 or 6 Chamblee defenders to get into the end zone, and stretch the Pickens lead out to 21-0 with 3:33 left in the 1st. Just before the 1st quarter came to an end, Streicher & Snelgrove connected again. This time, from 37-yds out to give the Dragons a 28-0 lead, heading to the 2nd.
The scoring continued for Pickens in the 2nd quarter as Davis found the end zone for the 2nd time after a 1-yd TD run to make it 35-0. At the 4:03 mark of the 2nd, Michael Burrell got in on the scoring as he would run it in from 9-yds out to give the Dragons a 42-0 as we’d go into halftime.
In the 3rd, Burrell, added his 2nd rushing TD on the night after a 45-yd scamper to the end zone at the 9:44 mark to give the Dragons a 49-0 lead. Chamblee, got on the board not long after that at the 9:05 mark after a 65-yd TD run. The Dragons were able to block the PAT attempt, making it 49-6 Pickens. 49-6 would be the final score in this one as the Dragons finish the non-region portion of their schedule at 4-0.
Stats:
1st Downs: 11
3rd Downs: 5/6
Total Yards: 444
Rushing Yards: 317
Passing Yards: 127
Takeaways: 1 INT
CJ Streicher: 6-8, 110 yards, 2 TD, 6 rushes, 68 yards, 1 TD, 1 punt for 32 yards
Michael Burrell: 1-1, 16 yards, 3 rushes, 54 yards, 2 TD, 1 tackles, 1 assist, 1 INT
Kaleb Ray: 2 rushes, 61 yards, 2 catches, 26 yards, 3 tackles, 3 assists, 1 pass break up, 1 kick return for 31 yards
Robert Davis: 4 rushes, 30 yards, 2 TD
Alex Snelgrove: 4 catches, 90 yards, 2 TD
Hunter Hermann: 8 tackles, 6 solo, 2 assists, 1 tackle for loss
Hunter Weaver: 7 tackles, 2 solo, 5 assists
Sy Chadwick: 4 tackles, 1 solo, 3 assists
Dalton Elrod: 4 tackles, 2 solo, 2 assists
Daniel Parnes, Dallas McHale, James Sparks: 1 sack each
Logan Joiner: 4/4 on PAT
Jose Sanchez: 2/2 on PAT
Bailey Dispain: 1/1 on PAT
Pickens will once again be at home next week for the 5th game in a row as they begin 6-AAAA play. The Dragons will welcome the Bobcats of Gilmer to Dragons Stadium for Homecoming next Friday night. Kick off is at 7:30.
Dragons Start Region Play With Shutout Of Bobcats On Homecoming
Team FYN Sports September 30, 2017
Last night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team began the region portion of their schedule by hosting their longtime rival, the Gilmer Bobcats for Homecoming. With it being such a big game, Pickens decided to break out new black uniforms for a blackout.
The Gilmer Bobcats won the toss and elected to receive to begin the ball game. After converting a third down & getting a first down, the first drive of the night for the Bobcats stalled and the Dragons found themselves with good field possession their first drive. The opening drive for Pickens ended in six after a 19-yd TD run for Junior Robert Davis at the 6:13 mark to give the Dragons a 7-0 lead in the 1st quarter. Pickens tacked on another TD at the 3:09 mark after a 30-yd connection from Senior Jacob Brumby to Junior Zach Goss Jr. The PAT would fall wide, but the Dragons held a 13-0 lead, still in the 1st quarter. Brumby then connected with Davis for a 47-yd TD strike to stretch the Dragon lead out to 20-0 at the end of the 1st quarter.
Just after the 2nd quarter got underway, Sophomore C.J. Streicher took the punt return 47-yds to the house to make it 27-0 with 11:05 left in the half. After a turnover, Pickens turned it into points after a 34-yd TD run from Trevon Hawkins at the 10:43 mark to make it 33-0 Dragons in the 2nd quarter. Brady Moore made it 40-0 after a 2-yd run at the 6:50 mark. 11 seconds later, Zach Swaim scooped up a Gilmer fumble & took it all the way to make it 47-0 Pickens with 6:39 left in the 1st half. At the 1:17 mark, the Dragons forced a safety to extend the lead to 49-0 going into halftime. At halftime, Miss Haley Aiken was named 2017-18 PHS Homecoming Maid of Honor, & Bailey Payne was named 2017-18 PHS Homecoming Queen.
The 2nd half saw a running clock. In the 3rd, Brady Moore would collect his 2nd rushing TD of the night, this one from 52-yds out to make it 55-0 with 11:13 left in the 3rd. Pickens held a 55-0 lead over the Bobcats going to the 4th. The lone score in the 4th saw Dawson Turner take it in from 12-yds out to make it 62-0. The final, Dragons take this one, 62-0.
Stats:
15 first downs, 2/4 on 3rd down, 0/2 on 4th down, 513 total yards, 45 plays, 282 rush yards, 26 carries, 231 passing yards on 19 attempts
Passing:
Jacob Brumby: 14-16, 231 yards, 2 TD
Rushing:
C.J. Streicher: 5 carries, 70 yards
Dawson Turner: 7 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD
Brady Moore: 3 carries, 54 yards, 2 TDs
Trevon Hawkins: 2 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD
Robert Davis: 2 carries, 32 yards, 1 TD
Eric Ray: 2 carries, 10 yards
Bailey Truett: 2 carries, 10 yards
Jacob Brumby: 1 carry, 6 yards
Receiving:
Josh Cain: 5 catches, 75 yards
Robert Davis: 2 catches, 58 yards, 1 TD
Alex Snelgrove: 2 catches, 33 yards
Zach Goss: 1 catch, 30 yards, 1 TD
Brady Moore: 2 catches, 19 yards
Trevon Hawkins: 1 catch, 11 yards
Bailey Truett: 1 catch, 5 yards
Defense:
Hunter Hermann: 10 total tackles, 4 solo, 6 assists, 3 TFL
Trevon Hawkins: 7 total tackles, 5 solo, 2 assists
Clayton Holland: 6 total tackles, 3 solo, 3 assists, 1 TFL, 1 sack, & 1 forced fumble
Boz Gayden: 5 total tackles, 3 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 fumble recovery
Joe Massey: 4 total tackles, 3 solo, 1 assist, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble
Colby McDowell: fumble recovery
Zach Swiam: fumble recovery
Special Teams:
Trevon Hawkins: 3 punt returns, 59 yards, 19.7 avg, long of 28 yards
C.J. Streicher: 1 punt return, 47 yards, 1 TD
Michael Burrell: 5/7 on PAT
Logan Joiner: 1/2 on PAT
With the win, Pickens is now 3-2 overall & 1-0 in 6-AAAA region play. Next week, the Dragons will continue their region schedule as they travel to Southeast Whitfield to take on the Raiders. This will be the first road game for Pickens in about a month. The Raiders are 5-1, & 1-1 in region play.
Dragons Finish Non-Region 2-2, Focus In On Region Play In Two Weeks
Team FYN Sports September 17, 2017
On Friday, the PHS Dragons varsity football team hosted the North Forsyth Raiders of the 7-A classification in the final non-region game of the regular season. Last year, these two teams came down to the wire with North Forsyth pulling it out late. The Dragons, looked to build off of their come from behind win over North Hall last week.
The Dragons began the game with the ball, but were forced to punt after going three & out. North Forsyth would then take advantage of a short punt to score the 1st touchdown of the game after a 12-yd run at the 9:04 mark of the opening quarter. Pickens answered back at the 5:59 mark when Senior Jacob Brumby connected with fellow Senior Josh Cain for a 21-yd TD, tying things up at 7 a piece. The tie only lasted :33 seconds though as the Raiders scored on an 80-yd TD run to reclaim the lead, 14-7 with 5:26 left in the 1st quarter. North Forsyth added to their lead just before the end of the quarter with a 5-yd TD pass. Going to the 2nd quarter, the Raiders lead the Dragons, 21-7.
In the 2nd, Pickens cut the North Forsyth lead down to 7 after Brumby lobbed it up to Junior Zach Goss Jr from 21-yds out. Goss Jr would then leap over the defender to make a spectacular catch at the 10:48 mark to make it 21-14 Raiders. The fun in the 2nd quarter, was only just beginning however. North Forsyth then stretched it back out to a two score advantage after a 15-yd TD pass at the 7:06 mark, making it 28-14. The Brumby & Goss Jr connection came together for a 2nd time on the night, this time from 20-yds out, making it 28-21 Raiders with 6:21 left in the 1st half. A fumble recovery by the Dragons on the ensuing kickoff gave them excellent field position as Junior Robert Davis took it to the house on a 31-yd TD run at the 6:02 mark to tie things up at 28. The tie would be broken very quickly however as North Forsyth scored on a 69-yd TD run at the 5:18 mark to make it 35-28. The Raiders then hit a 25-yd field goal just prior to halftime to take a 38-28 lead into the break.
The first score of the 2nd half came at the 5:35 mark of the 3rd after a 37-yd pass from the Raiders connected for the TD to make the score 45-28. North Forsyth again added to their lead at the 2:55 mark after a 30-yd TD pass made it 51-28, as we headed to the 4th quarter. The Raiders again found the end zone first in the 4th after a 30-yd TD run, stretching their lead out to 58-28 with 10:32 left in the game. The lone score in the 2nd half for the Dragons came at the 10:11 mark after an 80-yd TD run from Davis to make it 58-35 Raiders. North Forsyth would take this one by a final score of 58-35.
Stats
21 1st downs, 5/11 on 3rd down, 0/4 on 4th down, 70 plays, 595 total yards, 33 carries, 328 yards rushing, 37 passes, 267 passing yards, 1 INT, & 2 fumble recoveries
Passing
Jacob Brumby: 22-36, 267 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing
Robert Davis: 13 carries, 225 yards, 2 TD
Jacob Brumby: 11 carries, 36 yards
C.J. Streicher: 3 carries, 26 yards
Trevon Hawkins: 4 carries, 23 yards
Brady Moore: 2 carries, 18 yards
Receiving
Zach Goss Jr: 4 catches, 78 yards, 2 TD
Robert Davis: 6 catches,69 yards
Alex Snelgrove: 6 catches, 54 yards
Josh Cain: 3 catches, 48 yards, 1 TD
Trevon Hawkins: 1 catch, 14 yards
Brady Moore: 2 catches, 4 yards
Defense
Jay Jones: 12 total tackles, 4 solo, 8 assisted, 1 INT, & 1 fumble recovery
Hunter Hermann: 11 total tackles, 6 solo, 5 assisted
Trevon Hawkins: 10 total tackles, 8 solo, 2 assisted
C.J. Streicher: 7 total tackles, 5 solo, 2 assisted, & 1 blocked PAT attempt
Kaleb Ray: 7 total tackles, 4 solo, 3 assisted, & 1 forced fumble
Special Teams
Michael Burrell: 2 punts for 56 yards, & 5/5 on PAT attempts
Trevon Hawkins: 4 kick off returns for 98 yards, & 1 punt return for 2 yards
Robert Davis: 2 kick off returns for 19 yards
The Dragons will be off next week as they get ready for 6-AAAA region play on the 29th when they host the Gilmer Bobcats for Homecoming.
Dragons Use Defense, Running Game To Pull Away From Bobcats
Team FYN Sports October 1, 2016
Last night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team made the short trip up 515 to Ellijay to take on the Bobcats of GHS in the annual rivalry match up. After having a bye week last week, Pickens came in playing their first of six straight region games.
Pickens won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. The Dragons had a drive going, until Gilmer was able to force and recover a fumble deep in their own territory. The Bobcats turned that turnover into points when Kell Kiker scrambled 57-yds for the touchdown at the 4:37 mark of the 1st quarter. That would be the only points in the opening quarter as Gilmer took a 7-0 lead into the 2nd.
Pickens tied things up when Freshman CJ Streicher bullied his way in from the 2-yd line at the 9:08 mark of the 2nd quarter. For the rest of the 1st half, both teams traded possessions. Both teams went into the lockerooms tied at 7 at halftime.
In the 3rd quarter, the Pickens defense, and Chris Pittman took over. C. Pittman had two touchdowns runs during the frame. The first, came from 5 yards out at the 3:48 mark to give the Dragons their first lead of the ball game, 13-7. The 2nd, was a 52-yd rumble to the endzone with 12 seconds left, to give Pickens a 19-7 lead going to the 4th and final quarter.
In the 4th, the Dragons found pay dirt from the ground again as this time, Dylan Huffman got in from a yard out at the 7:34 mark to make it 25-7. At the 2:38 mark, Alex Pittman picked up a loose ball and took off for a 45-yd score, to make it 32-7. The annual rivalry game went to Pickens by a final of 32-7.
STATS for the game
Pickens went 12/22 on 1st downs, 6/12 on 3rd downs, & 1/5 on 4th down, totaled 489 yards of offense on 70 plays, 308 yards rushing, 181 yards passing
Jacob Brumby went 10-16 passing with 150 yards while C.J. Streicher went 1-1 for 31 yards
Chris Pittman led the Dragons in rushing with 152 yards on 19 carries and 2 tds, Brumby ran it 11 times for 60 yards, Dylan Huffman ran it 9 times for 48 yards and 1 td, Streicher ran it 8 times for 32 yards, & Kelton Gilbert ran it 4 times for 16 yards
Trevon Hawkins led Pickens in receiving with 55 yards on 4 catches, Zach Goss had 54 yards on 2 catches, Huffman caught 3 passes for 50 yards, Streicher caught a pass for 20 yards, & C. Pittman caught 1 pass for 2 yards
Defensively, the Dragons held the Bobcats to just 7 points, including a shutout in the 2nd half, 194 total yards, 137 rushing, 57 yards passing, & forced 4 turnovers
Jacob Gordon led Pickens in tackles with 9, collecting 2 TFL & forcing a fumble, Alex Pittman had 6 total tackles with 1 INT, & a fumble recovery for a td, Nick Southern had 5 total tackles including 3 TFL, Jordan Burton had 5 total tackles on the night, Will Wotring forced a fumble, Zach Swaim forced a fumble and collected a sack, Devin Grant collected a sack, & Michael Casey had an INT.
Pickens did not punt the ball once last night or had any kickoff or punt returns. Rudy Perez went 2/3 on PAT
Next week, the Dragons will be back home for the first time since September 2nd when they host the Raiders of Southeast Whitfield this coming Friday. After the win over Gilmer, Pickens finds themselves at 2-3 on the season but more importantly, 1-0 in region and tied for 2nd place. Southeast Whitfield is 4-2 after a loss to Heritage last night and is 1-1 in region play, tied for 4th. Kickoff is set for 7:30.
Dragons Fall To Raiders In The Final Seconds
Team FYN Sports September 19, 2016
Last Friday, the Pickens Dragons football team traveled to take on the North Forsyth Raiders out of the 7A classification. This was the 7th all time meeting between these two schools with the series tied at 3-3. The Dragons were looking to end a tough two game stretch as this was their final game before region play.
Pickens won the toss and elected to take the 2nd half kick off giving the Raiders the ball first. After managing to get one first down on the drive, the Dragons were able to hold the high powered Raider offense and it would be Pickens’ turn with possession. Chris Pittman got the first points of the ball game as he rumbled 60 yards for the score, giving the Dragons a 7-0 lead with 7:53 left in the opening frame. After getting the ball back after another defensive stop, Kelton Gilbert added to the lead for Pickens at the 4:07 mark with a 5 yard run, making it 14-0.
North Forsyth found the end zone for their first points on a 4 yard run at the 2:25 mark to make it 14-7. The Dragons however answered right back with a touchdown of their own as C. Pittman got in from a yard for his 2nd score of the frame, making it 21-7 as we headed to the 2nd quarter. The lone score of the quarter came from the Raiders as they punched it in from 3 yards out, giving us a halftime score of 21-14 Pickens.
The 3rd quarter saw both teams go back and forth, trading possessions. The Raiders again found the only points to be had on a 1 yard run, tying things up at 21 as we went to the 4th and final quarter. The Dragons got their first points of the 2nd half at the 7:27 mark of the 4th quarter after a 29 yard field goal from Rudy Perez, giving Pickens the lead back, 24-21. North Forsyth answered back with a 5 yard touchdown run with 5:41 left, giving them their first lead of the game, 28-24.
Showing fight and determination, the Dragons drove down the field and Jacob Brumby connected with Zach Goss for a 5 yard touchdown with 48 seconds left giving Pickens a 31-28 lead. However, North Forsyth had some magic left of their own and were able to connect on a 42 yard pass with 16 seconds left to take a 35-31 lead. Pickens were unable to get anything on their final drive as the Raiders came away with the win in a back and forth thriller.
Stats against North Forsyth:
15 1st downs, 5/13 on 3rd down, 2/3 on 4th down, 393 total yards on 63 plays, 257 rushing yards, 136 passing yards
Jacob Brumby went 11-19 for 102 yards and 1 touchdown
C.J. Streicher went 1-1 for 34 yards
Chris Pittman led in rushing with 152 yards on 21 carries & 2 td’s, Dylan Huffman rushed for 50 yards on 7 carries, Trevon Hawkins rushed it 4 times for 24 yards, Brumby 6 times for 18 yards, & Kelton Gilbert ran it 5 times for 13 yards and a td
Zach Goss led in receiving with 7 catches for 57 yards and a td, Hawkins had 1 catch for 30 yards, Huffman had 1 catch for 24 yards, C. Pittman had 2 catches for 15 yards, & Streicher had 1 catch for 10 yards
Michael Cain & Will Wotring led with 12 tackles with M. Cain adding a sack, Avery Luke made 10 tackles, Alex Pittman made 7 tackles, Michael Burrell, Michael Casey, & Devin Grant finished with 6 tackles each
C. Pittman punted it 3 times for 129 yards with a 43 yard average, Rudy Perez was 4/4 on PAT’s and 1/1 on field goals with a long of 29
The Dragons finish up their non-region portion of their schedule at 1-3 after facing some tough teams. The combined record of those teams is 11-4. Two of those schools (North Hall, Pepperall), went 7-3 and made the playoffs in 2015, while Chattahoochee & North Forsyth have greatly improved from a year ago. This is all building to what comes next, and that is region play. These next 6 straight games that Pickens have coming up are of the utmost importance.
The first region game just happens to be against a familiar face in the Gilmer Bobcats. This year’s match up will be like last year’s, at Gilmer. Pickens has a bye week next week and will essentially have 2 weeks to prepare for the Bobcats. This showdown will happen on September 30th, at 7:30
Dragons Run Through Gilmer To Move To 8-1
Dragon's Corner October 31, 2015
Last night, the PHS Varsity football team made their way up 515 to take on their bitter rival, the Gilmer Bobcats. This match up was important not only for bragging rights but both teams fighting for playoff positions. Pickens came in having already clinched a spot in the playoffs while Gilmer was looking to stay in the hunt for a possible 3 or 4 seed.
The Dragons won the toss and decided to receive to start the ball game off. A couple botched plays led to Pickens having to punt away to the Bobcats. Gilmer would not be able to find any points either as we went into the 2nd quarter tied at 0. At the 6:55 mark of the 1st half, the Bobcats grabbed the first points of the game with a field goal to go up 3-0. The Dragons would come right back as Chris Pittman found the end zone from a yard out at the 4:06 mark giving Pickens the 7-3 lead. The Dragon defense held off Gilmer near the end zone in the closing seconds of the half and denied them a field goal giving us a 7-3 Pickens lead going to the break.
Chris Pittman would help add on to the Pickens lead in the 3rd quarter as he rumbled 76-yards down the field and scored two plays later from 4-yds out giving the Dragons a 14-3 advantage with 4:52 left in the quarter and we would head to the 4th and final quarter with that same score. Pittman again found pay dirt for the 3rd time, this one from 8-yds out with 8:04 left in the ball game. Another long Pittman run helped set up a Marcus Byrd 14-yd td to stretch the lead to 28-3 with 2:50 left in the game.
Gilmer tacked on a late touchdown after a 20-yd pass & catch with 41 seconds left. The ensuing 2-pt try was no good giving us a 28-9 score. Pickens then would fall on the onside kick and run out the clock taking this one over the Bobcats, 28-9 to improve their overall record to 8-1 and move their region record to 5-1.
On the night, Pickens had 10 1st downs, went 3/8 on 3rd down, racked up 386 total yards on 41 plays including 346 of those yards coming via the run.
Marcus Byrd went 1-4 passing for 23 yards & Jacob Brumby went 2-2 for 14 yards
Chris Pittman led the way in rushing on the night with 220 yards on 16 carries and 3 tds with a long of 76-yds, Byrd finished with 101 yards on 12 carries and a score with a long of 53-yds
Defensively, the Dragons held Gilmer on two redzone stands, blocked a field goal, forced a fumble, & picked off two passes
Leading Pickens in tackles was Dillin Eilers with 16 total, 9 solo and 7 assists, Jacob Gordon & Cortlin Norton each had 10 total tackles, & Avery Luke finished with 9 total tackles, and 2 INT’s
Chris Pittman punted it 5 times for 184 yards for a 36 yard average and Ty Chastain went 4/4 on PAT’s
Next Week, the Dragons will host the 9-0 & #2 ranked Purple Hurricanes of Cartersville. This game will determine the Dragons seeding in the upcoming playoffs. A win gives them the #1 seed and a region title. If Cartersville wins, Pickens will most likely be the #3 seed and have to travel in the 1st round.
Dragons Clinch Playoff Berth With Win Over Heritage
Team FYN Sports October 24, 2015
Last night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team hosted the Generals of Heritage in another crucial 7-AAAA region game. On a night where the newest class of the PHS Athletics Hall of Fame and the 8th grade middle school championship football team were honored, the Dragons looked to clinch their 2nd straight playoff berth with a win over the Generals.
Pickens won the toss, electing to differ to the 2nd half giving Heritage the ball first. The Generals tried to catch the Dragons off guard with a trick play on the opening kickoff but, Pickens didn’t fall for it and Heritage had to start deep inside their own territory as a result. The Generals were able to march down the field however and got into the end zone after a double pass taking the 7-0 lead with 8:58 left in the opening frame. The Dragons answered the Generals score with a 1-yd Chris Pittman touchdown run to tie things up at 7 as we went to the 2nd quarter.
Both teams went back and forth defensively in the 2nd quarter as the only scoring came at the 5:34 mark when Ty Chastain knocked a 42-yd field goal through the uprights giving Pickens a 10-7 lead at the break. In the 3rd quarter, Chris Pittman found the end zone for the 2nd time on the night at the 3:17 mark as he put the Dragons ahead 17-7 going the 4th and final quarter.
Early in the 4th, with the Generals backed up deep in their own territory, the Pickens defense forced a safety with 11:34 left in the ball game stretching the lead out to 19-7. After getting the ball back on the ensuing kickoff, the Dragons marched down the field and Chris Pittman found pay dirt for the 3rd time making it 25-7 with 9-13 left in the game. Heritage did not go quietly as they connected on a 33-yd screen pass for a touchdown at the 6:01 mark cutting it it 25-13. Kelton Gilbert got in on the action as the Sophomore running back scampered 27-yds for the touchdown making it 32-13 with 3:29 left in the game.
The Generals found the end zone at the 1:06 mark after a 1-yd pass but could not convert the two-point try giving us a score of 32-19. The Dragons were able to fall on the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock to seal the win, 32-19. With the win, Pickens has clinched a playoff berth and are now 7-1 on the season & 4-1 in region play.
On the night, Pickens had 18 1st downs, went 6/13 on 3rd down, and 1/1 on 4th down, ran 69 plays for a total of 422 yards, ran for 366 yards on 63 rushes & threw for 56 yards on 6 passes.
Marcus Byrd went 3/4 passing for 45 yards & Jacob Brumby went 1/2 for 11 yards
Chris Pittman ran it 28 times for 119 yards and 3 tds, Marcus Byrd ran it 12 times for 95 yards, Dillon Gasaway ran it 7 times for 53 yards, & Kelton Gilbert ran it 5 times for 69 yards and a touchdown
Bradley Ragano led the Dragons in receiving with 21 yards, Caleb Brooks had a catch for 15 yards, Zack Hermann caught 1 ball for 11 yards, & Walker Lawrence reeled in 1 catch for 9 yards
Defensively, Pickens forced one fumble, recovered a fumble, recorded a sack, and forced several hurries and broke up 6 passes on the night.
Dillin Eilers led the Dragons in tackles with 11, 9 solo & 2 assists, Will Wotring finished with 5 total tackles, 1 solo, 4 assists, Caleb Brooks, Jacob Gordon, Avery Luke, Cortlin Norton, & Alex Pittman each finished with 4 total tackles
Chris Pittman punted it 5 times for a total of 171 yards for a 34.2 yard average, a long of 50, and left 2 inside the 20-yd line
Caleb Brooks returned 1 punt return for 22 yards and 1 kickoff for 32 yards while Michael Casey returned 1 kickoff for 21 yards
Ty Chastain went 3/4 on PAT’s & 1/1 on field goal attempts with a long of 42 yards
Pickens will travel to Ellijay to take on the Bobcats of Gilmer next week in the annual 515 rivalry match up. Gilmer is 3-5 on the season & 2-3 in region play and fighting for a possible 3 or 4 seed in the playoffs. Pickens, is hoping to stay in the hunt for the 2 seed.
Dragons Bullied by Bobcats, Shutout 17-0
Featured Stories, Team FYN Sports October 21, 2013
The Pickens Dragons traveled to Ellijay on Friday night in hopes of defeating the Gilmer Bobcats, but the Dragons struggled through four quarters against its biggest rivals en route to a 17-0 loss, the first time Pickens had been shut out by Gilmer since 2009.
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Pickens Primed to Beat the Bobcats
Featured Stories, Team FYN Sports October 16, 2013
The Pickens Dragons are gearing up for their annual rivalry game with the Gilmer Bobcats, which will be played in Ellijay at Huff-Mosley Stadium this Friday night. This matchup comes in a season that has seen both the Dragons (4-2) and the Bobcats (5-1) play very competitively, leading most to expect a very close contest. (more…)
Game Time on the Gridiron: FYN’s High School Football Preview
Featured Stories, Team FYN Sports August 15, 2013
The high school football season is quickly approaching (the scrimmages will be held Friday, August 16th), which means it’s a perfect time to take an in-depth look at the Fannin Rebels, the Gilmer Bobcats, and the Pickens Dragons and what their seasons may very well hold in store. With that being said, let’s get started with the Fannin Rebels: (more…)
No Place Like Home? Bobcats Beat Dragons 21-13
Featured Stories, Team FYN Sports October 20, 2012
The Pickens Dragons just couldn’t slow down the Gilmer Bobcats enough on Friday night, as the visiting Cats came into a packed Dragons Stadium and defeated the home team by the final score of 21-13. (more…)