Dragons roll into region tournament riding 8 game win streak
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 13, 2026
Dawsonville, Ga — The Pickens Dragons made the short trip up to Dawsonville on Friday, February 13th to take on the Dawson Tigers in the regular season finale. The Dragons, came in winners of 7 in a row and were looking to end the regular season tied at the top of the region standings. The Tigers, were either going to be the #4 or #5 seed depending on results from the North Hall/Chestatee game. The Tigers, much like the girls game, would make a fourth quarter comeback, but the Dragons would hold on for the 65-56 win.
The two teams would trade baskets to begin the ball game as it was 4-4 early on. 6-AAA Boys Region Player of the Year, McCord Purdy and DJ Mitchell, would combine to go on an 8-0 run to make it 12-4 Dragons. A three by Corbin Cantrell, would end the run and cut the lead to five. After a layup by Hayden Jones, Cantrell, hit another three to make it 14-10.
The two teams would again go back and forth to close out the first quarter as the Dragons would take a 21-14 lead into the second quarter.
Cayson Chester, Jack Ledbetter, and Landon Lee, would open the second quarter with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 21-20. Jones, would end the run with a bucket to push the lead to 23-20. A basket by Brody Sorensen, would once again cut the lead to one. The Dragons, would close the first half on a 10-0 run to make it 33-22 heading into the break.
Back to back baskets by Mason Hester and Chester, would make it a seven point game. After a bucket by Aiden Mumaw, Harvey, would hit a three and Lee would split a pair of free throws as the Dragons led it by five. A 5-0 run by the Dragons, would push the lead back to double digits. After a pair of free throws by Ledbetter, Mitchell, would split a pair of free throws and then hit a three to make it 44-32.
After Lee would make some free throw shots, the Dragons, led by Brody Bryant and Purdy, would go on an 8-0 run to stretch the lead out to 52-34. Chester, would end the run with a pair of free throws. Bryant, would hit another three to make it 55-36. back to back buckets by Sorensen and Ledbetter, would cut the lead to 15. Purdy and Lee, would trade baskets to end the third as the Dragons took a 57-42 lead heading to the fourth.
Lee, Chester, and Harvey, would start the fourth quarter by going on an 8-0 run to cut the lead down to 57-50. A three by Jedidiah Lanford, would get the Dragons on the board in the fourth and make it a ten point game. Lee and Lanford, would then trade buckets as the Dragons maintained a ten point advantage. After a bucket be Sorensen, no other field goals would be made by either team as it ended as a game of free throws. Pickens took the win, 65-56.
The Dragons, GAC, and Lumpkin, have all finished the regular season with a region record of 12-2. Based off the PSR, the Lumpkin Indians, will be the regular season region champs, and host the quarterfinal games on Monday, February 16th. They will take on the #8 seed Johnson. The other known first round game is the #4 seed Dawson vs the #5 seed North Hall. We’ll have to see where Pickens and GAC fall in the PSR over the weekend.
If the Dragons end up as the #2 seed, they’ll take on the #7 seed Chestatee on Monday. Should they end up as the #3 seed, they’ll face the #6 seed White County in the first round.
Dragons run win streak to six with sweep of White County
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 7, 2026
Cleveland, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, came into their game against the White County Warriors playing their best ball of the season as they brought a five game win streak with them. In what was a close game throughout, the Dragons, were able to pull away in the fourth quarter to pick up a 66-48 win.
Blayne Gunter, would get the game started with a layup to give the Warriors the early advantage. McCord Purdy, would tie the game with a bucket. Carter Nguyen, Gunter, and Cohen Michaud, would combine to go on an 8-0 run to make it 10-2. The Dragons, would counter as Aiden Mumaw and Brody Bryant, would combine for a 5-0 run to cut the lead to three.
Gunter and DJ Mitchell, would trade baskets to end the first quarter as the Warriors would take a 12-9 lead into the second quarter.
Gunter, would open the second quarter with another bucket to stretch the lead to five. Purdy and Jonah Jordan, would then combine to go on a 7-0 run to give the Dragons a 16-14 lead. After Gunter tied it with a basket, Purdy, would then complete an and-1 play to make it 19-16. Michaud, would answer that with his own and-1 play to tie the game at 19. Back to back buckets from Mumaw and Purdy, would make it 23-19.
The Warriors, would counter with back to back baskets to once again tie the game. Mitchell, would give the Dragons the lead and Purdy, would split a pair of free throws to make it 26-23. Michaud, would trim the lead to one after a pair of free throws. Purdy, would then get another bucket to drop as the Dragons would lead it, 28-25. A pair of free throws by Gunter, would once again make it a one point game.
Purdy, as he has done several times in his career at PHS, would beat the first half buzzer with a three to give the Dragons a 31-27 lead at the break.
Mitchell, would begin the second half with a three to make it 34-27. Nguyen, would counter with a 6-0 run to trim the lead to 34-33. The Dragons, would answer that with a 5-0 run as Mitchell would hit another three, and Hayden Jones would make a pair of free throws to make it 39-33. A 5-0 run by Cooper Adam and Nguyen, would trim the lead to one. Purdy, would make a pair of free throws to give the Dragons a three point lead.
A 4-0 run by the Warriors, would give them a 42-41 lead. A three by Jedidiah Lanford and a lay-in by Mumaw, would make it 46-42 Dragons. After a bucket by Gunter, Bryant and Purdy, would end the third quarter on a 4-0 run to make it 50-44 heading to the fourth.
Jordan, Mumaw, and Bryant, would start the fourth quarter by going on a 10-0 run to stretch the lead out to 60-44. After a basket by Gunter, Bryant and Jordan, would make back to back buckets to make it 64-46. Nguyen, would make it 64-48 after a layup. Purdy, would end the night with a layup as the Dragons would come away with the win, 66-48.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 20 points
Jonah Jordan: 12 points
Brody Bryant: 11 points
DJ Mitchell: 10 points
Aiden Mumaw: 8 points
Jedidiah Lanford: 3 points
Hayden Jones: 2 points
6-AAA Boys Region Standings:
GAC: 11-11 (10-2)
Lumpkin: 20-3 (10-2)
Pickens: 14-9 (10-2)
Dawson: 13-10 (7-5)
North Hall: 9-14 (5-7)
White County: 4-19 (4-8)
Chestatee: 5-18 (2-10)
Johnson-Gainesville: 0-21 (0-12)
The Dragons, will be back on the road for their second of three straight road games to close out the regular season as they will head over to Gainesville to take on the Johnson Knights on Tuesday, February 10th. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons split in season series with Spartans
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports February 4, 2026
Jasper, Ga — It was Senior Night inside the Dragons Den on Tuesday, February 3rd as the Pickens Dragons took on the GAC Spartans in 6-AAA action. Like the Nettes, the Dragons, came into the game riding a four game win streak and were also looking to get a win back against the Spartans. The Dragons, had three score in double figures on the night as they picked up the win, 66-55.
Kenneth Braswell Jr, would get things going with a basket to make it 2-0 Spartans. A jumper by DJ Mitchell, would tie the game. After Braswell Jr split a pair of free throws, Ledger Kincaid, would give the Spartans a three point lead with a bucket. Brody Bryant, would tie the game with a three. A layup by Baer Bailey, would put the Spartans up by two. A layup by Bryant, would once again tie the game.
A three by Adrian Hughes, would make it 10-7. Bryant, would hit his second three of the first half to tie the game at 10 heading to the second quarter.
The Spartans, would retake the lead to start the second quarter as Christian Wofford, would hit a three to make it 13-10. A layup by Senior Hayden Jones, and a three by the other Senior, McCord Purdy, would make it 15-13 Dragons. Mitchell, would cap off the run with his second field goal as the Dragons would take a four point lead. A 5-0 run by Bailey, would give the Spartans a one point advantage.
Purdy, would respond with a 5-0 run of his own to put the Dragons up 22-18. Braswell, Jr, would then complete an and-1 play to trim the lead to one. After Camden Jones split a pair of free throws, Aiden Mumaw, would get a bucket to drop as the Dragons would extend the lead back to four. After another basket by Bailey, Mitchell, would split a pair of free throws to make it 26-23. A late bucket by Hughes, would cut the lead to 26-25 heading to the break.
Bryant, would open the second half with his third three of the game to give the Dragons a four point lead. After a basket by Bailey, Hayden Jones and Bryant, combined to go on a 5-0 run to make it 34-27. Back to back buckets by Hughes, would trim the lead to three. A layup by Mumaw, would make it 36-31. After a layup by Bailey, Mumaw, would complete the and-1 play to make it 39-33.
After Hughes and Hayden Jones traded buckets, DJ Newman, would complete an and-1 play and Bailey would cut the lead to one with a basket. Mumaw, would put the Dragons up by three after a layup. Bailey, would then split a pair of free throws as the Dragons led it, 43-41. Mumaw, would then go on a 5-0 run to stretch the lead out to 48-41. After another basket by Bailey, Purdy and Mumaw would end the third on a 5-0 run as the Dragons led it, 53-43.
Damon Horton, would get into the score book to start the fourth quarter by completing an and-1 play to trim the lead to seven. Purdy, would then go on a 5-0 run to stretch the lead out to 58-46. The Spartans, would respond with a 5-0 run of their own to cut the lead back to seven. Mumaw, Mitchell, and Hayden Jones, would combine to go on an 8-0 run to give the Dragons a 66-51 lead.
A three by Wofford, would end the run and make it 66-54. Wofford, would then split a pair of free throws as the Dragons were able to run out the rest of the clock to come away with a big 66-55 win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
Aiden Mumaw: 20 points
McCord Purdy: 16 points
Brody Bryant: 14 points
Hayden Jones: 8 points
DJ Mitchell: 7 points
Camden Jones: 1 point
The Dragons, will begin a three game road trip to end the regular season on Friday, February 6th when they head up to Cleveland to take on the White County Warriors. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons sweep Trojans to earn fourth straight win
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 31, 2026
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, were back on the home floor on Friday, January 30th as they welcomed the North Hall Trojans to the Dragons Den for another big time 6-AAA region ball game. The Dragons, came into the game riding a 3-game win streak and were looking to continue that while also earning a sweep of the Trojans. The third quarter would be the difference in this one as the Dragons would come away with a 73-59 win.
The Trojans, would split a pair of free throws to get the scoring going in the first quarter. After a layup by Hayden Jones gave the Dragons a 2-1 lead, Gunner Spain and Kenny Sullivan, would combine to go on a 6-0 run to make it 7-2 Trojans. A three by DJ Mitchell, would cut the lead to two. A three by Walker Vining, would give the Trojans a 10-5 lead. A 6-0 combined run by Brody Bryant, McCord Purdy, and Mitchell, would make it 11-10 Dragons.
Carter Causey, would split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 11. He would again split another pair of free throws to give the Trojans a one point lead. Purdy, would hit a three just before the buzzer to give the Dragons a 14-12 lead heading to the second quarter.
Jonah Jordan and Purdy would begin the second quarter with back to back baskets to make it 18-12. A three by Vining, would cut the lead in half. Mitchell and Purdy, would then combine to go on a 7-0 run to stretch the Dragons lead out to ten. Vining and Spain, would combine to go on a 6-0 run to trim the lead down to four. A bucket by Jones, would make it a six point game.
Causey, would hit a three to once again cut the lead in half. Purdy and Spain would trade baskets to end the first half as the Dragons would take a 29-25 lead into the break.
Mitchell, would open up the second half with a three to make it 32-25. After a bucket by Vinings, Bryant, Mitchell, and Jones, would combine to go on an 8-0 run to give the Dragons a 40-27 advantage. Spain, would cut the lead to nine after back to back baskets. The two teams would then trade buckets until Vinings and Sullivan would go on a 4-0 run to make it 46-39.
Purdy and Mitchell, would end the third quarter by hitting back to back threes to give the Dragons a 52-39 lead over the Trojans heading to the fourth.
Back to back baskets by Sullivan and Spain to start the fourth quarter, would cut the Dragons lead to nine. Mitchell, would respond with back to back three pointers to make it 58-43. Sullivan and Aiden Mumaw, would then trade buckets as the Dragons led it, 60-47. After Purdy split a pair of free throws, Spain, would get a jumper to go to make it 61-49. The two Seniors, Jones and Purdy, would make it 65-49 after back to back baskets.
A 4-0 run by the Trojans, would cut the lead to twelve. Bryant, would extend the lead to fourteen after hitting a pair of free throws. A three by Drew Cronan, would trim the lead to eleven. Bryant, would split a pair of free throws to make it 68-56. A three by Spain, would cut the lead to single digits. Purdy and Mitchell, would end the game by making several free throws to give the Dragons a 73-59 victory.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
DJ Mitchell: 28 points
McCord Purdy: 22 points
Brody Bryant: 9 points
Hayden Jones: 8 points
Aiden Mumaw: 4 points
Jonah Jordan: 2 points
6-AAA Boys Region Standings:
GAC: 10-10 (9-1)
Lumpkin: 18-3 (8-2)
Pickens: 12-9 (8-2)
Dawson: 11-10 (5-5)
North Hall: 9-12 (5-5)
White County: 4-17 (4-6)
Chestatee: 4-17 (1-9)
Johnson-Gainesville: 0-19 (0-10)
The Dragons, will be back home on Tuesday for the final time in the regular season as the take on the GAC Spartans on Tuesday, February 3rd. The Dragons, will be looking to split the season series with the Spartans. Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
Dragons sweep season series against War Eagles
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 22, 2026
Gainesville, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, made the trip down to Chestatee to take on the War Eagles on Thursday, January 22nd. This game, was originally scheduled for Friday, but with the impending weather set to come in, it was bumped up a day. The Dragons, were able to build off of their win over Dawson on Tuesday, and pick up a 71-41 win over the War Eagles.
Aiden Mumaw, would start off the game by getting to the free throw line. He would split the free throw attempts. Mumaw, would then get a layup to go to make it 3-0. A three by Brody Bryant, would stretch the lead to 6. A layup by Cody Couch, and a pair of free throws by Nazir Dixon, would cut the lead to 2. The Dragons, would then go on an 11-0 run to make it 17-4. After a second basket by Couch, McCord Purdy, would hit a three to make it 20-6.
Dixon, would get a late bucket to go to make it 20-8 Dragons heading to the second quarter.
Carson Hunt, would begin the second quarter with a three to cut the lead to 9. After a lay-in by Hayden Jones, the War Eagles, would hit another three to make it 22-14. Jedidiah Lanford, would get in the score book with a put back layup to make it a 10 point game. Lucas Feltner, would make it an 8 point game with a bucket. DJ Mitchell, would make back to back tough layups to give the Dragons a 28-16 lead.
After another three by Couch, the Dragons, would end the first half on a 6-0 run capped off by a buzzer beating three by Purdy to make it 34-19 Pickens heading into the break.
Mumaw, would start the second half by making a pair of free throws. The War Eagles, would go on a 7-0 run to trim the Dragon lead down to 10. Mitchell and Purdy, would then combine to go on a 5-0 run to stretch the lead back to 15. After a bucket by Feltner, Purdy and Lanford, would make back to back baskets to make it a 17 point advantage. A bucket by Dixon, would make it 45-30.
The Dragons, would end the third quarter on an 8-0 run to stretch the lead out to 53-30 heading to the fourth quarter.
Couch, would make back to back layups to begin the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 53-34. A 9-0 run by the Dragons, would make it 62-34. Carson Hunt and Lanford, would trade three point baskets as the Dragons led it, 65-37. After a bucket by Hunt, Landon Rice, would hit a three. Rice, would then head to the line where he would split a pair of free throws. Sawyer Purdy, would make a nice move for a layup to give the Dragons a 71 -39 lead.
A late basket by Feltner, would give us a final score of 71-41 as the Dragons come away with the win and the series sweep.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 20 points
DJ Mitchell: 17 points
Aiden Mumaw: 8 points
Jedidiah Lanford: 7 points
Hayden Jones: 6 points
Landon Rice: 4 points
Brody Bryant: 3 points
Cam Jones: 2 points
Jonah Jordan: 2 points
Sawyer Purdy: 2 points
The Dragons, are now 10-9 on the season and 6-2 in 6-AAA play. The Dragons, are set to be at Lumpkin to take on the Indians on Tuesday, January 27th at 7:30. We’ll see if that is still the case depending on what the weather does this weekend.
Balanced attack helps Dragons defeat Tigers
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 21, 2026
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, were back inside the Dragons Den on Tuesday, January 20th as they took on the Dawson Tigers in a key 6-AAA region match up. The Dragons, were looking to rebound after a tough loss to GAC last Friday. The Tigers, were looking to continue their winning ways after beating White County. The Dragons, using a balanced scoring attack, came away with a 75-61 win.
The Dragons, would race out to an early lead as Aiden Mumaw, Hayden Jones, and McCord Purdy, would combine to go on a 6-0 run. A three by Jack Ledbetter, would cut the lead in half. After a basket by Jones, Landon Lee, would convert an and-1 play to cut the lead to two. A three by Brody Bryant, would push the lead back to five. After a bucket by Lee, Jones and Purdy would go on a mini 4-0 run to make it 15-9.
A three by Lee, would once again cut the lead in half. Back to back threes by Purdy and DJ Mitchell, would make it 21-12. Corbin Cantrell, would make a pair of late free throws to cut the Dragons lead to 21-14 heading to the second quarter.
Jones, Jonah Jordan, Jedidiah Lanford, and Mitchell, would combine to go on a 10-0 run to open the second quarter. A layup by Mason Harvey, would end the run and cut the lead to 31-16. After a bucket by Purdy, Ledbetter, would sink back to back baskets to make it 33-20. Jones, would continue his nice night with another layup, and Mitchell, would make a pair of free throws to stretch the lead out to 37-20.
Cayson Chester, would make a pair of free throws to end the mini 4-0 run and cut the lead to 37-22. After Purdy split a pair of free throws and Mitchell would get a bucket to go, Ledbetter, would get a layup to fall and Lee would split free throw attempts to cut the lead to 40-25. Mumaw, would then go on a mini run as he would split a pair of free throws and then convert an and-1 play to make it 44-25.
Garrett Matthews and Lee, would combine to go on a 5-0 run to end the first half as the Dragons, would take a 44-30 lead into the break.
That 5-0 run would continue into the start of the second half as Ledbetter and Harvey, would hit back to back buckets to cut the Dragons lead to ten. Jones, Mumaw, and Mitchell, would respond by combining to go on a 7-0 run to stretch the lead to 51-34. After Ledbetter and Bryant traded baskets, Lee, would hit a three and then make a pair of free throws to trim the lead down to 53-41.
Mitchell, would settle things down for a bit with a basket to make it 55-41. A late bucket by Cantrell, would make it 55-43 Dragons heading to the fourth.
Purdy, would begin the fourth quarter with a three to stretch the lead out to 15. Chester, would answer with back to back layups to cut the lead to 58-47. Cantrell, would then trim the lead to single digits with a pair of free throws. A 10-0 run by Purdy, Mitchell, and Jones, would give the Dragons a 68-49 lead. Lee, would split a pair of free throws to end the run. Mitchell, would make it a 70-50 advantage after a basket.
Lee and Harvey, would then combine to go on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 15. After a bucket by Bryant, Lee and Mitchell would exchange three point makes to end the game as the Dragons would come away with the 75-61 victory.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
DJ Mitchell: 21 points
McCord Purdy: 19 points
Hayden Jones: 14 points
Aiden Mumaw: 8 points
Brody Bryant: 7 points
Jonah Jordan: 3 points
Jedidiah Lanford: 3 points
6-AAA Boys basketball Standings:
Lumpkin: 17-1 (7-0)
GAC: 7-10 (6-1)
Pickens: 9-9 (5-2)
Dawson: 10-8 (4-3)
North Hall: 7-11 (3-4)
White County: 2-16 (2-5)
Chestatee: 4-14 (1-6)
Johnson-Gainesville: 0-16 (0-7)
The Dragons, will be back on the road as they will take on the Chestatee War Eagles on Friday, January 23rd. The Dragons, defeated the War Eagles back on December 5th to begin region play. Tip off is set for 8:30 pm.
Dragons have three score in double figures in win against Johnson
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 14, 2026
Jasper, Ga — Coming off a tough loss in non-region play to Fannin last Saturday, the Pickens Dragons, were looking to get back in the win column on Tuesday, January 13th as they welcomed the Johnson-Gainesville Knights to the Dragons Den for a 6-AAA contest. A big first quarter for the Dragons, would propel them to a big 77-42 win over the Knights.
After a nearly three minute back and forth to start the game where neither team could get anything to fall, McCord Purdy, would make a layup to give the Dragons a 2-0 lead. A three by Payton Rose, would give the Knights a 3-2 lead. The Dragons, would counter with a 13-0 run led by Aiden Mumaw, DJ Mitchell, and Brody Bryant. Monty Young, would end the run with a high arching three pointer to cut the lead to 15-6.
The Dragons, would close the first quarter on a 14-o run. Bryant, Mumaw, Mitchell, Purdy, and Hayden Jones would all contribute to the run. Heading to the second quarter, Pickens led Johnson, 29-6.
Young, would start the second quarter with a basket to cut the lead to 29-8. Cam Jones and Jonah Jordan, would then combine to go on a 5-0 run to make it 34-8. After a three by Maddox Whitmire, the Dragons, would go on a 7-0 run. Jordan, Cam Jones, and Purdy, would contribute to the run. Rose, would score 8 straight for the Knights as that would cut the lead down to 41-19.
Just before the first half buzzer, Landon Rice, would hit a corner three to give the Dragons a 44-19 lead over the Knights heading to the break.
The Dragons, would begin the second half by going on an 8-0 run. Hayden Jones, Mitchell, and Mumaw, all scored during the run. After a basket by Richard Silva, Mumaw, Cam Jones, and Purdy, would combine to go on a 6-0 run to make it 58-21. Rose and Aidan Patterson, would go on a 5-0 run to make it 58-26 Dragons. Rice, would end the third quarter with a layup to make it 60-26 heading to the fourth.
Young, would split a pair of free throws to begin a shortened fourth quarter. Bryant and Hayden Jones, would then make back to back baskets to stretch the lead out to 64-27. Josh Smith and Brady Gobert, would hit back to back threes for the Knights to make it 64-33. Mumaw, would complete an and-1 play to make it 67-33. After a three by Patterson, Purdy and Mumaw would go on a 5-0 run to make it 72-36.
Gobert, would hit his second three of the quarter to end the run. Cam Jones and Jedidiah Lanford, would go on a 5-0 run to make it 77-39. A three by Jesus Contreras, would give us a final score of 77-42.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
DJ Mitchell: 13 points
Aiden Mumaw: 13 points
McCord Purdy: 13 points
Brody Bryant: 8 points
Cam Jones: 8 points
Hayden Jones: 8 points
Jonah Jordan: 6 points
Landon Rice: 5 points
Jedidiah Lanford: 3 points
6-AAA Boys Standings:
Lumpkin County: 15-1 (5-0)
Pickens: 8-8 (4-1)
GAC: 5-9 (4-1)
Dawson County: 9-7 (3-2)
North Hall: 6-10 (2-3)
White County: 2-14 (2-3)
Chestatee: 3-13 (0-5)
Johnson-Gainesville: 0-13 (0-5)
The Dragons, will be on the road on Friday, January 16th as they head down to GAC to take on the Spartans in a big region match up. The winner, will have 2nd place by themselves. Tip off is scheduled for 8:30 pm.
Dragons and Rebels go toe to toe on the hardwood
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 11, 2026
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, were back on Roy Cowart Court on Saturday, January 10th for the second of three straight home games as they took on the Fannin Rebels in non-region action. This was the rematch to the game these two teams played on November 18th. After a tough shooting fourth quarter for the Dragons, the Rebels, were able to hit some free throws down the stretch to pick up the win, 58-50.
The Dragons, would get off to a fast start to open the ball game as McCord Purdy would hit a three, and Hayden Jones would connect on a layup to make it 5-0. Kolton Kaylor, would go on a 4-0 run to get the Rebels on the board. DJ Mitchell, would split a pair of free throws to put the Dragons up 2. Mitchell, would then hit his first three of the game to make it a 5 points lead once again.
After a basket by Keaton Watkins, Mitchell, would hit his second three of the quarter to make it 12-6. Kaylor, would cut the lead to 4 after his third field goal of the quarter. Purdy, would hit his second three of the quarter to make it 15-8. Kaylor, would then make a pair of free throws to trim the lead to 5. Mitchell, would then connect on his third three of the quarter to make it 18-10. A late basket by Kaylor, would make it 18-12 Dragons heading to the second quarter.
Mitchell, would continue his hot shooting as he would hit his fourth three of the first half to begin the second quarter. Watkins and Kaylor, would make back to back baskets to cut the lead to 21-16. Purdy, would also stay hot as he hit another three to make it 24-16. After a three by Kaylor, Purdy, would match it to make it 27-19. The Rebels, would answer with a 13-0 run to take 32-27 lead.
Jones, would put an end to the run with a basket to make it 32-29. Tyler Blake, would end the first half scoring with a pair of free throws. The Rebels, would take a 34-29 lead into the break.
Mitchell, would start the second half with another three to cut the lead to 2. After a basket by Brody Henson, Purdy, would hit a three to make it 36-35. Hudson York, would put the Rebels up by three. Aiden Mumaw, would then make back to back baskets to give the Dragons a one point lead. A bucket by Watkins and a pair of free throws by Henson, would put the Rebels up, 42-39.
A 5-0 run by Jones and Jonah Jordan, would give the Dragons a 44-42 lead over the Rebels heading to the fourth quarter.
A 7-0 run by the Rebels to start the fourth quarter would help give them a 49-44 lead. Purdy, would end the run as he split a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 4. Mitchell, would end a fast break with a layup to cut the lead to 2. While the Dragons had plenty of open looks and chances down the stretch, the shots just wouldn’t fall for the home team. The Rebels, were able to make a couple of field goals and free throws to make it 58-47.
A three by Purdy right before the final buzzer, would give us a final score of 58-50 with the Rebels coming away with the win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 19 points
DJ Mitchell: 18 points
Hayden Jones: 6 points
Aiden Mumaw: 4 points
Jonah Jordan: 3 points
The Dragons, will wrap up their three game home stand on Tuesday, January 13th as they will take on the Johnson-Gainesville Knights in 6-AAA region play. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons defeat Warriors to even up record
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports January 10, 2026
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, stepped onto Roy Cowart court for the first time in 2026 on Friday, January 9th as they took on the White County Warriors in 6-AAA region action. The Dragons, were coming off a big road win over the North Hall Trojans on Tuesday. The Warriors, built a little momentum for themselves after picking up their second win of the season on Tuesday against Johnson. A fast start for the Dragons, helped carry them to a 63-26 win over the Warriors.
Brody Bryant, got things going early as he would nail a three pointer to give the Dragons an early 3-0 lead. John Jarrard and Blayne Gunter, would then hit back to back threes to give the Warriors a 6-3 lead. After a layup by Aiden Mumaw cut the lead to one, Cooper Adam, would hit a three to make it 9-5. A 6-0 combined run by DJ Mitchell and Hayden Jones, would give the Dragons an 11-9 advantage.
Gunter, would tie the ball game up with a bucket. The Dragons, would close out the first quarter on a 15-0 run to jump out to a 26-11 lead heading to the second quarter.
Scoring, was tough to come by for both teams in the second quarter. Both teams would combine to score ten points in the second quarter. The Dragons, would take a 31-16 lead into the break.
The Dragons, would begin the second half by going on a 14-0 run led by Mitchell, Hayden Jones, Bryant, Mumaw, and McCord Purdy. Adam, would end the Pickens run with a basket as the Dragons led it, 45-18. After Cohen Michaud, would split a pair of free throws, the Dragons, would end the third on a 4-0 run as Landon Rice would split free throw attempts and Mitchell would hit a three to make it 49-19 heading to the fourth.
That run by the Dragons would carry over to the start of a shortened fourth quarter as Purdy would make back to back buckets and Bryant would hit a three to make it 56-19. Gunter and Jarrard, would go on a 4-0 run for the Warriors, to make it 56-23. After back to back baskets by Cam Jones and Mumaw, Raleigh Carbonneau, would split a pair of free throws.
Cam Jones, would split a pair of free throw attempts as the Dragons led it, 61-24. After a bucket by the Warriors, Rice, would close it out with a nice layup as the Dragons would come away with a 63-26 win.
Leading scorers for the Dragons:
DJ Mitchell: 19 points
Brody Bryant: 11 points
McCord Purdy: 11 points
Cam Jones: 7 points
Hayden Jones: 6 points
Aiden Mumaw: 6 points
Landon Rice: 3 points
6-AAA Boys Basketball Standings:
Lumpkin: 14-1 (4-0)
Pickens: 7-7 (3-1)
GAC: 4-9 (3-1)
Dawson: 8-7 (2-2)
North Hall: 6-8 (2-2)
White County: 2-12 (2-2)
Chestatee: 3-12 (0-4)
Johnson-Gainesville: 0-12 (0-4)
The Dragons, will have little time to rest as they will be back on the home court on Saturday, January 10th as they will host the 15-1 Fannin County Rebels. The Rebels, were able to pull away from the Dragons after a relatively close game on November 18th. Tip off is set for 7 pm.
Tough shooting night for Dragons against Lumpkin
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 17, 2025
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, took the court for the first time in over a week on Tuesday, December 16th as they took on the Lumpkin Indians in 6-AAA action. Coming into the game, the Dragons, were 4-3 and 1-0 in region play. The Indians, came into the game with an unblemished 8-0 record and 1-0 in region play. The Indians, were able to stay undefeated after picking up a 70-49 win.
Landon Pierce, would make a pair of free throws to begin the ball game and give the Indians an early lead. A jumper by Jonah Jordan, would tie the game up at 2. Pierce and Jordan Richerson, would go on a 4-0 run to make it 6-2 Indians. After Brody Bryant split a pair of free throws, Martin Hulsey, would get a lay-in to go to make it 8-3. A three pointer by McCord Purdy as the shot clock ran down, would cut the lead to 8-6.
An 8-0 combined run by Richerson, Pierce, and Cortes, would give the Indians a 16-6 advantage. A second three by Purdy, would cut the lead to 16-9 heading to the second quarter.
After both teams traded baskets to start the second quarter, Pierce and Richerson would combine for a 5-0 run to make it 23-11. Purdy, would get another shot to go to cut it to 10. After back to back buckets by the Indians, DJ Mitchell would hit his first three of the game to make it 27-16. Keiwhan Gallagher and Richerson, would combine to go on an 8-0 run to close out the first half as the Indians led it, 35-16 at the break.
Gallagher, would get the second half going with a layup to make it 37-16. After a three by Purdy, Richerson, would get a bucket to go, followed by a pair of free throws by Hulsey as the Indians took a 41-19 lead. Both teams would then trade three point shots. The Indians, would then go on a 9-0 run as they extended their lead to 53-25. A three by Mitchell, would end the run and cut the lead to 53-28.
Cortes, would make a pair of free throws to stretch it to 55-28. Hayden Jones, would get in the score book with a layup to make it 55-30. Pierce, would end the third quarter with a three pointer as the Indians would take a 58-30 lead into the fourth.
Purdy, Jones, and Jordan, would open the fourth quarter by combining to go on a 10-0 to cut the lead to 58-40. A three by Pierce, would end the run and make it 61-40. Mitchell, would respond with a three to make it 61-43. After a basket by Gallagher, Jordan, would hit a three to make it 63-46. Pierce and Kolson Howell, would make back to back shots to stretch the lead to 67-46.
After a three by Brody Bryant, Colton Burnett, would end the scoring with a three as the Indians would move to 9-0 with a 70-49 win.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 19 points
Brody Bryant: 10 points
DJ Mitchell: 9 points
Jonah Jordan: 7 points
Hayden Jones: 4 points
6-AAA Standings:
Lumpkin: 9-0 (2-0)
North Hall: 5-2 (2-0)
Pickens: 4-4 (1-1)
GAC: 1-9 (1-1)
Dawson: 3-6 (1-1)
White County: 1-9 (1-1)
Chestatee: 2-6 (0-2)
Johnson-Gainesville: 0-10 (0-2)
The Dragons, will be on the road on Friday, December 19th as they head over to Adairsville to take on the Sequoyah Chiefs. Tip off is set for 3 pm.
Dragons open region play with win over Chestatee
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports December 6, 2025
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, were back home on Friday, December 5th as they opened up region 6-AAA play against the Chestatee War Eagles. The Dragons, were coming off a big 75-71 win over Banks County on Saturday, November 29th. After a close first half, the Dragons, outscored the War Eagles 45-25 in the second half to come away with a 73-48 win.
Brody Bryant, would give the Dragons an early lead with a bucket. Cody Couch, Nasir Dixon, and Lucas Feltner, would combine to go on a 6-0 run to give the War Eagles a 6-2 lead. A layup by Camden Jones, would cut the lead to two. After a layup by Isaac Brown, Bryant, would make a pair of free throws to make it 8-6. Another basket by Brown, would once again make it a 4 point game.
A three by DJ Mitchell, would cut the lead down to one. That would kick off a 13-0 run by the Dragons to end the first quarter as they would head to the second quarter leading the War Eagles, 19-10.
Feltner and Carson Hunt, would begin the second quarter by combining to go on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 4. Mitchell and McCord Purdy, would counter with a 5-0 run of their own to make it a 9 point game again. Both teams, would trade baskets to end the first half as the Dragons would take a 28-23 lead into the break.
Mitchell, would get the second half started with a jumper to make it 30-23. After a three by Couch, Purdy, would get a layup to go to make it 32-26. Dixon, would cut the lead to 4 with a bucket. The Dragons, would then go on a massive 15-0 run to break the game open 47-28. A pair of free throws by Feltner, would end the big run by Pickens. Bryant and Mitchell, would end the third on a 5-0 run. Heading to the fourth, the Dragons led it, 52-30.
The two teams would go back and forth to start the fourth. Mitchell and Bryant, would hit back to back threes to make it 60-35 Dragons. After a basket by Brown, Jedidiah Lanford, would hit a three to make it 63-37. After a lay-in by the War Eagles, Purdy, would hit his 2nd three of the game to make it 66-39. A 4-0 run by Brown, would make it 66-43. A three by Logan Gramling, would make it 69-43.
A pair of free throws by Feltner, would make it 69-45. Back to back baskets by Zade Waller and Landon Rice, would make it 73-45. A late three by Brown, would give us the final score with the Dragons picking up the win, 73-48.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
DJ Mitchell: 25 points
Brody Bryant: 17 points
Jedidiah Lanford: 8 points
McCord Purdy: 8 points
Hayden Jones: 6 points
Logan Gramling: 3 points
Camden Jones: 2 points
Landon Rice: 2 points
Zade Waller: 2 points
The Dragons, will get the next week off as they get ready for their next region game against the Lumpkin Indians on Tuesday, December 16th. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons finish 2-1 in Thanksgiving Classic
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 26, 2025
Jasper, Ga — It was championship Tuesday on November 25th as the Pickens Dragons took on the Darlington Tigers on the final day of the PHS Thanksgiving Classic. Both teams came into the game having won both of their previous games in the round robin format. The Tigers, would use a big second half to pull away for the win, 73-49.
Darlington, would jump out to an early lead in the first quarter as Brent Bell, Christian Teasley, and Cam Selig would combine to go on a 6-0 run. A three by Jonah Jordan, would end the run and cut the lead in half. After a pair of free throws by Selig, McCord Purdy, would make his first basket of the game to cut the lead back to 3. A three by Teasley, would push the lead back up to 6 for the Tigers.
Jordan and Purdy, would then combine to go on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 11. After a bucket by Joseph Ogunyemi, Purdy, would tie the game back up with a pair of free throws. A 5-0 run by Ogunyemi and Bell, would close out the first quarter and give the Tigers an 18-13 lead heading to the second.
A basket by Mitchell Raughton, would extend the Darlington lead to 7 to start the second quarter. Back to back threes from Hayden Jones and DJ Mitchell, would cut the lead down to 1. After a lay-in by Ogunyemi, Purdy, would split a pair of free throws as the Tigers led it, 22-19. The two teams would trade baskets for the rest of the half as the Tigers took a 28-25 lead into the break.
Darlington, would begin the second half by going on a 5-0 run to make it 33-25. Jordan, would end the run with a three to make it 33-28. After back to back baskets by the Tigers, Mitchell, would hit a three to make it 37-31. A 5-0 run by Darlington, would extend the lead to 42-31. Mitchell, would hit his second three of the quarter to cut the lead to 8. Mitchell, would end another 5-0 run by the Tigers as he would make all three free throws after being fouled on a shot attempt.
Back to back threes by Jordan Wilkerson, would put Darlington up 53-37. Purdy, would end the scoring in the third with a pair of free throws as the Tigers led the Dragons going to the fourth, 53-39.
Mitchell, would hit a three to begin the fourth to cut the lead to 11. A 10-0 run by the Tigers, would stretch their lead out to 63-42. Jordan, would end the run after he split a pair of free throws. An 8-0 run by Darlington, would make it 71-43. Sawyer Purdy, would then make a pair of free throws. After a basket by the Tigers, Zade Waller and Landon Rice, would get back to back buckets to end the game as the Tigers took this one, 73-49.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
DJ Mitchell: 15 points (All-Tournament Team)
McCord Purdy: 15 points (All-Tournament Team)
Jonah Jordan: 8 points
Hayden Jones: 5 points
Sawyer Purdy: 2 points
Landon Rice: 2 points
Zade Waller: 2 points
The Dragons, will get to work off their Thanksgiving meals as they travel to take on the Banks County Leopards on Friday, November 28th. The game will be played at Truett McConnel University in Cleveland, Ga. Tip off is set for 8:30 pm.
Purdy and Mitchell combine for 58 in win over Chattahoochee
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 25, 2025
Jasper, Ga — After picking up a big win on Saturday, the Pickens Dragons were looking to build off of that win on Monday, November 24th as they took on the Cougars of Chattahoochee in the second day of the PHS Thanksgiving Classic. Earlier boys action saw Darlington defeat Whitefield Academy. In what was a back and forth game, the Dragons, came away with a 73-62 win.
DJ Mitchell, would get the scoring started as he hit a three to give the Dragons the early advantage. After a bucket by Josh Coleman, McCord Purdy, would go on a 5-0 run to make it 8-2 Dragons. The Cougars, would respond with a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 11-8. Purdy and Jonah Jordan, would combine to go on a 7-0 run to make it 15-11 Dragons.
After Austin Lavretta split a pair of free throws, Mitchell, would hit his second three of the quarter to make it 18-12. A late three by Gilbert Campbell, would cut the Dragons lead to 18-15 heading to the second quarter.
Both the Dragons and Cougars traded baskets to begin the second quarter. Purdy and Mitchell, would then combine to go on a 5-0 run to give the Dragons a 27-19 lead. After a 4-0 run by the Cougars, Jordan, would get a bucket to go to make it 29-23. Campbell, much like he did to end the first quarter, ended the first half with a three to cut the Dragons lead to 29-26 heading into the break.
A basket by Purdy, would get things going in the second half. The Cougars, would then go on a 5-0 run, to tie the game up at 31. Mitchell, would hit four straight free throws to give the Dragons a 35-31 lead. After Lucas Gould hit a pair of free throws, Campbell, would hit another three to give the Cougars a 36-35 lead. Purdy, Mitchell, and Hayden Jones would then combine to go on an 11-0 run to give the Dragons a 46-36 lead.
Jackson Nunes, would end the run by completing an and-1 play and cutting the lead down to eight. After a pair of free throws by Purdy, Nunes, would split a pair of free throws as the Dragons took a 48-40 lead into the fourth.
Nunes, would start the scoring on the fourth quarter by completing his second and-1 play to cut the lead down to five. A basket by Coleman, would trim the lead down to three. After Jones and Coleman traded buckets, Mitchell, would hit a pair of free throws to make it 52-47. A basket by Nunes, would once again make it a three point game. Purdy and Nunes, would then trade three point makes as the Dragons led it, 55-52.
Purdy and Jones, would then combine to go on a 7-0 run to stretch the lead out to 62-52. A three by Nunes, would put an end to the run and make it a seven point game. After a pair of free throws by Purdy, Nunes, would score on a layup to make it 64-57. A three by Mitchell, would once again give the Dragons a ten point lead.
A lay in by Purdy, would give the Dragons their largest lead of the night at 12. A bucket by Jowan Martinez, would cut the lead back to 10. A pair of free throws by Purdy, would push the lead back to 12. After Martinez split a pair of free throws, Purdy, would cash in on both of his to make it 73-60. A late pair of free throws by Nunes, would make it 73-62. The Dragons, win this one, 73-62.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
McCord Purdy: 34 points
DJ Mitchell: 24 points
Hayden Jones: 8 points
Jonah Jordan: 7 points
The Dragons, will be back on the floor on Tuesday, November 25th as they battle the Darlington Tigers in the third and final day of the PHS Thanksgiving Classic. Both teams are 2-0 heading into this final game and will be looking for an outright win. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Carson Hollingsworth picks up first win as Dragons head coach
PHS Basketball, Team FYN Sports November 23, 2025
Jasper, Ga — The Pickens Dragons, tipped off the PHS Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday, November 22nd against the Whitefield Academy Wolfpack. The other boys teams in the field, Darlington and Chattahoochee, played each other earlier in the day with Darlington coming out on top. For the Dragons, it was their first game with a full set of players. The Dragons, were able to pick up their first win of the season with a 73-41 victory over the Wolfpack.
McCord Purdy, making his season debut, got the scoring started in the first quarter putting the Dragons up 2-0 early. The Wolfpack. would take the lead as Wade Keller, and Connor Wynne would combine to go on a 7-0 run. DJ Mitchell, would end the run with a three to make it 7-5. After a three by Cash Peterson, Mitchell and Brody Bryant would combine to go on an 8-0 run to give the Dragons a 13-10 lead.
Miles Rowe-Mahmoud, would then split a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 2. Another three by Mitchell, would put the Dragons up 16-11 going to the second quarter.
McCord Purdy, would get things going in the second quarter with a basket to make it 18-11. A three by Lofton Brown, would cut the lead to four. Mitchell, Bryant, and Aiden Mumaw, would then combine to go on a 7-0 run to stretch the Dragons lead out to 25-14. Wynne, would end the run with a bucket to make it 25-16. Both teams would trade baskets to end the first half as the Dragons led the Wolfpack, 29-18 at the break.
The Wolfpack, would get the second half started with a three to cut the lead down to 8. After a bucket by Mitchell, Peterson and Brown would combine to go on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 31-26. Mitchell and Purdy, would counter with a 5-0 run of their own to stretch the lead to 10. After Wynne completed an and-1 play, the Dragons, would go on a big 15-0 run to make it 51-29.
Keller, would end the run with a layup to make it 51-31. A three by Mitchell, would put the Dragons up 54-31 heading to the fourth quarter.
Purdy, Mitchell, and Jedidiah Lanford, would begin the fourth quarter by going on a 7-0 run to make it 61-31 Dragons. A bucket by Arthur T Jones III, would end the run and make it 61-33. Hayden Jones, also making his season debut, would then split a pair of free throws to make it 62-33. Jones III, would also split a pair of free throws as the Dragons led, 62-34.
Camden Jones and Landon Rice, would go on a 5-0 run to stretch the Dragons lead out to 67-34. Rowe-Mahmoud and Wynne, would counter with a 4-0 run to make it 67-38. Rice, would make some nice moves to the basket for the layup to make it 69-38. Sawyer Purdy, another football player making his season debut, would add a pair of free throws to give the Dragons a 71-38 lead.
After Daniel Samms split a pair of free throws, Rice, would find his way through the lane for another layup to make it 73-39. A late bucket by Samms, would end the scoring as the Dragons pick up the win, 73-41.
Scoring leaders for the Dragons:
DJ Mitchell: 26 points
McCord Purdy: 15 points
Brody Bryant: 8 points
Landon Rice: 7 points
Camden Jones: 4 points
Jedidiah Lanford: 4 points
Aiden Mumaw: 4 points
Jonah Jordan: 2 points
Sawyer Purdy: 2 points
Hayden Jones: 1 point
The win marks the first for new Dragons head coach Carson Hollingsworth. The Dragons, will be back on the court on Monday, November 24th as they take on the Chattahoochee Cougars in day two of the PHS Thanksgiving Classic. Tip off is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons drop high scoring affair against GAC
PHS Football, Team FYN Sports October 26, 2025
Jasper, Ga — It was a cool, brisk evening on Friday, October 24th as the Pickens Dragons took on the Greater Atlanta Christian School Spartans in what was a key game for both teams in 6-AAA. Both Pickens and GAC came into the game tied for 2nd in the standings and were looking to get one step closer to potentially hosting a playoff game. The two teams would combine to score 84 points on the night as the Spartans would come away with a 49-35 win.
The Dragons, would win the toss and elect to differ to the second half. After converting several third downs on their opening drive, the Spartans, would strike first after an 11-yd touchdown pass. The PAT was good and with 7:59 left in the first quarter, GAC led Pickens, 7-0. The Dragons, would lean on their run game in their first possession of the ball game as they mixed in runs from Ike Wyngaard and Cal Morrison.
Morrison, would cap off the drive with a 1-yd touchdown run. The PAT was good and with 3:44 left in the first quarter, the Dragons and Spartans were tied at 7. The defense for the Dragons, would come up big during the next possession for the Spartans as Hunter Atkins would pick off the pass attempt and give the offense great starting field position on the run back.
The Dragons, would cash in on that turnover as Wyngaard would run it in from 33-yds out. The PAT was good, and as they headed to the second quarter, the Dragons led the Spartans, 14-7.
The Spartans, would tie things up with 8:26 to go in the first half after a 1-yd touchdown run. The Freshman, Cal Morrison, would once again find the end zone after a 2-yd run to put the Dragons back on top 21-14 with 4:04 left in the first half. The Spartans, would use up most of the time left on the clock during their next possession as they cashed in with a 26-yd touchdown pass. At the half, the Dragons and Spartans were tied at 21.
The Dragons, would go three and out on their first possession to start the second half. The Spartans, would retake the lead after a 57-yd touchdown pass to make it 28-21 with 9:05 left in the third. The Dragons, would answer back with a 5-yd touchdown run by Wyngaard. His 2nd of the game. With 5:06 left in the third quarter, the ball game was all tied up at 28.
The Spartans, would only use 2 minutes of game time as they would retake the lead after a 15-yd touchdown run. With 3:06 left in the third, GAC led Pickens, 35-28. After being backed up to start their next possession, the Dragons, pick up a huge play as Tanner Bail would connect with Hayden Jones, who snatched the ball over a GAC defender, for a 92-yd touchdown pass. The game was tied at 35 with 2:10 left to go in the third.
The Spartans, would reclaim the lead after a 60-yd touchdown pass. The PAT was good and they would head into the fourth quarter with GAC in front, 42-35.
GAC, would add to their lead after a rushing touchdown by the quarterback, would extend the Spartan lead out to 49-35 with 7:03 left in the game. Later on in the fourth, the Dragons, would look to cut the lead in half, but the Dragons were unable to convert on fourth down and the Spartans would run out the rest of the clock as they picked up a 49-35 win.
6-AAA Standings:
North Hall: 9-0 (6-0)
GAC: 7-2 (5-1)
Pickens: 7-2 (4-2)
Dawson: 4-5 (3-3)
Lumpkin: 5-4 (3-3)
White County: 2-7 (2-4)
Chestatee: 3-6 (1-5)
Johnson-Gainesville: 0-9 (0-6)
The Dragons, will be on the road next week for the regular season finale as they travel to take on the Lumpkin Indians on Friday, October 31st. It will be a critical game for both teams. There will also be eyes from Pickens and Lumpkin on the Dawson/North Hall game next Friday night as there is a possibility Pickens/Dawson/Lumpkin all end up 4-3 in region play. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm.
Dragons open region play with road win
PHS Football, Team FYN Sports September 13, 2025
Cleveland, Ga — Region play began for many teams across the state of Georgia on Friday, September 12th. Six of the eight teams in 6-AAA, were in action on Friday including the Pickens Dragons and the White County Warriors. The Warriors, got the better of the Dragons last year in Jasper and the Dragons came into Cleveland looking to return the favor. The Dragons, would have control throughout the game en route to a 34-7 win.
The Dragons, would get the ball first to start the ball game. Pickens, would keep their opening drive alive as Cal Morrison would convert on a fourth down play from the Dragons 47-yard line. After a big run by Ezra Faber and a nice run after catch by Jaxon Carver, the Dragons would get on the board first after an 11-yd touchdown pass from Hayden Jones to McCord Purdy. The PAT was good and with 9:18 left in the first quarter, Pickens led the Warriors, 7-0.
After forcing a three and out, the Dragons, would start their next possession with great field position after the Warriors were called for fair catch interference. Facing a third and long, Jones would find McCord Purdy for a first down. A couple of plays later, facing another third and long, the Jones/Purdy connection were able to pick up another first down after a screen pass.
On the next play, DE Josiah Williams, would get into the backfield to force a fumble. The Warriors would recover and take over on offense. On their second play of the drive, the Warriors would fumble the ball, but QB Alex Freeman was able to recover it. The Dragons, would bring pressure on third down and pick up the sack to force a punt. A short punt by the Warriors would give Dragons possession at the Warrior 35-yd line.
The Dragons, would add to their lead as Jones would connect with Sawyer Purdy for a 28-yd touchdown. The PAT was no good and with 1:10 left in the first quarter, Pickens led White County, 13-0. Heading to the second quarter, the Dragons were ahead of the Warriors, 13-0.
With the Warriors facing a third down, the Dragons would dial up another blitz as McCord Purdy would get home after the corner blitz to force a fourth down. Hagen Mullins, would partially block the Warriors punt and Landon Poole would take it 31 yards for the touchdown. The PAT was good and with 11:09 left in the first half, Pickens led White County, 20-0.
The Dragons, would get the ball back after forcing and recovering a fumble. The Dragons, would cash in on the turnover as Jones found McCord Purdy for a 13-yd touchdown. Their second connection of the first half. The PAT was good and with 8:10 left in the first half, Pickens led White County, 27-0. Facing a third down, Freeman, would find ach Godfrey for a big gain into Dragon territory.
They would follow that up with a nice run by Savion Anderson down to the Dragons 25-yd line. Anderson, would again find a hole and get down to the Dragon 10-yd line. Facing a fourth and goal from the Dragon 6-yd line, the Warriors would look to throw a corner route, but it would fall incomplete. Poole, would get off a great punt from deep inside his own territory as the ball would rest at the Warrior 32-yd line.
After forcing a punt, the Dragons, would run a couple of plays to end the first half as they led the Warriors, 27-0 at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter for both teams, the Dragons, would add to their lead midway through the fourth quarter after a 45-yd touchdown run by Faber. The PAT was good and with 6 minutes left in the game, Pickens led White County, 34-0. The Warriors, would get on the board with 57 seconds left in the game after Freeman found Godfrey for a 25-yd touchdown. The PAT was good and the Dragon lead would be cut to 34-7.
The Dragons, would just take a knee to run out the remaining time as they moved to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in 6-AAA play with a 34-7 win.
6-AAA Football Standings:
Pickens: 4-0 (1-0)
North Hall: 4-0 (1-0)
GAC: 3-1 (1-0)
Dawson: 1-2 (0-0)
Johnson-Gainesville: 0-3 (0-0)
Lumpkin: 2-2 (0-1)
Chestatee: 2-2 (0-1)
White County: 0-4 (0-1)
The Dragons, will be back home on Friday, September 19th as they host the Dawson Tigers to begin a three game home stand. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm.