Warriors Slay the Dragons
Uncategorized January 2, 2018
This past Friday at the Mountaintop Holiday Classic, the White County Warriors and the Pickens County Dragons traveled to Fannin County for their match up on day two of the tournament. Both teams were coming off of a loss from the first day of the tournament and ready to walk away with a win.
It was a high action and fast paced game from the start. The Dragons made the majority of their points from down low while the Warriors did most of their damage from driving the lane. Dragon post, Seth Bishop, led Pickens in scoring from the block with twenty-one points. Warrior guard, Austin Harris, led his team in scoring with twenty-four points due to his hustle. Warrior post, Austin Rowland, had the hustle on defense to make steals and contribute twelve points for his team. With the Warriors in the lead near the end of the third quarter, Pickens makes a buzzer beater shot to tie the game 17-17.
The hopes were high at the beginning of the second quarter. Both teams had the same chances of winning and were not giving up. The lead went from team to team and it became unpredictable on who would have it next. Warrior, Chandler Harris’s outside shooting came alive which put eleven points on the board for White County. Warriors, Reece Dockery and J. Ben Haynes, also had a good game above the key by each adding five points to White County’s score. The Warriors took a seven point lead over the Dragons at the end of the second quarter by making the score 29-22.
With Pickens down more than they had been the entire game, they were determined to make a come back. Both teams applied heavy defensive pressure on the other by putting a full court press into action. The press resulted in both teams getting steals and adding onto their score. At the end of the third quarter, White County doubled their lead over Pickens with a score of 47-33.
Pickens picked up the pace at the start of the fourth quarter. The Warriors start to put even more defensive pressure on the Dragons and draw fouls. Warrior, Jay Lepkoske, contributed one of his five points from the free throw line. The Warriors also started to have good looks inside which resulted in Kaleb Crane’s overall four points. Warriors, Daniel Rowland and Cooper Turner, followed the trend and each added four points onto White County’s score. However, the Warriors were not the only ones adding onto their score. The Dragons came back at the end of the fourth quarter with a score of 53-53, putting the game into overtime.
The intensity came alive at the beginning of the quarter. Both teams had four minutes to win the game. Pickens finally took the lead that they had been working for the whole game just to have the score tied once again at 63-63, putting the game into double overtime.
Four more minutes were put on the clock as both teams gave the game their all. The quarter was filled with hustle after loose balls, fouls from attempting to keep the other team from scoring, and heart. The back and forth of the game had everyone on their feet as they watched with anticipation. Although both teams played to the best of their ability, the White County Warriors had a 74-67 victory over the Pickens County Dragons.
The White County Warriors win puts their overall record at 9-4 while the Pickens County Dragons stand at 4-9. Catch the Warriors next game on January 2 at 5:45 as they travel to take on North Cobb Christian!
Rebels Skin the Panthers
Team FYN Sports January 13, 2018
Both teams were seeking redemption last night as the Fannin Rebels traveled to take on the Union Panthers. Each team had lost their games prior to the matchup and were ready for a win.
It was an intense game from the start. The Rebels started off with the ball and made the most of it. Rebel, Payton Holt, had an amazing game and led his team in scoring with twenty-six points. Panther, Pierce Allison, led his team in scoring with seventeen points due to his ability to make three pointers. It was a close game at the end of the first with Fannin in the lead 10-9.
The Rebels were on fire the entire game. They all moved the ball around well and found a way to play that showed every individuals talent. Joe Satchell proved to have extraordinary hustle by getting his own rebounds and contributing ten points for the Rebels. Another guard for the Rebels, Chandler Kendall, was not afraid to drive through the defense and added seven points onto the board. Fannin still had the lead at the end of the second with a score of 20-17.
Fannin had even more hustle at the start of the second half. The Panthers started to apply heavy defensive pressure and trap the Rebels in the corner. Fannin started to look inside for passes and found Nathaniel Garrison who got aggressive downlow and added seven points to the board. Another post for the Rebels, Joel Kinser, had rebounds on the block and contributed three more points to Fannin’s score. Fannin gained confidence in their outside shooting and started taking shots above the key. Rebel, Jack Gobble, contributed three points for the Rebels by making a deep three pointer. Chase Culpepper has made three point shots the past several games and continued the trend last night by making one more for the Rebels. Fannin extended their lead over Union at the end of the third with a score of 38-25.
With the Panthers fighting to make a come back, they started to foul. Union made a total of eleven fouls in just the fourth quarter by trying to keep the Rebels from scoring. Everyone on the court from both teams played hard and gave the game their all. The Rebels played their best game of the season and walked away with a 59-44 victory over the Panthers.
Fannin’s win puts their overall record at 3-15 while Union stands at 13-4. Catch the Rebels next game on January 16 at 8:30 as they travel to take on the Lumpkin Indians!
Lady Panthers Pounced Rebels
Team FYN Sports January 13, 2018
Last night the Lady Rebels traveled to Union County to take on the Lady Panthers. Both teams were coming from losses the game prior to the matchup and ready to play for redemption.
The Lady Panthers started with the ball. Lady Rebel, Maleah Stepp, led her team in scoring with nine points due to her ability to make outside shots. Lady Panther, Kait McCarter led her team in scoring with twenty-five points by driving the lane. Out of Reagan Henderson’s six points, two were made from a buzzer beater shot downlow to finish the first quarter with the score at 11-7 with the Panthers in the lead.
It was a back and forth game from the start of the second quarter. The Rebels took the lead just to have it taken away from them. Maddie Johnson contributed three points for the Rebels with her scrappy playing. Fannin relied on plays and passes to score while Union drove right through the defense for layups. This allowed Makenzie McClure to have a good game on the block and add five points onto the Rebels score. Another Rebel post, Hope Franklin, had rebounds inside and added four more points to the board. The Lady Panthers extended their lead over the Rebels at the end of the second with a score of 26-19.
With the Lady Panthers full court pressing, it made it harder for the Rebels to get to the basket and score. Mackenzie Johnson started to get the hang of the press and flew by her opponents, contributing two points for the Lady Rebels. Fannin also started to look up the court and lead teammates with passes to break the press. Union started to do even more damage by taking advantage of Fannin’s weak offside defense and sneaking through the backdoor to score more points. The Panthers wrap up the third quarter with a 37-24 lead over the Rebels.
Fannin started to fight back at the start of the fourth. The Rebels started to get after it by taking and making fouls. Lady Rebels, Emily Beavers and Morgan Patton, made fouls in hopes of keeping the Panthers from scoring with their aggressive playing. Savada Collins and Bailey Whitener for the Rebels drew fouls with their hustle. Despite the Rebels effort to make a come back, the Panthers pranced away with a 45-29 win.
Fannin’s loss puts their overall record at 8-10 while the Panthers stand at 12-5. Catch the Lady Rebels next game January 16 at 6:00 as they travel to take on the Lumpkin County Indians.
Lady Tigers cruise to victory, Tigers come up short in OT
Uncategorized January 8, 2018
#TeamFYNSports Sportswriter Player of the Week: Sr RB Cody Jacobs (#15)
Player Of The Week October 30, 2017
This week’s #TeamFYNSport Sportswriter Player of the Week for Fannin County High School is senior runningback Cody Jacobs. Jacobs has carried the workload of the offense for the Rebels all season long, taking a majority of the carries in the Rebels’ running game and this week was no different as Fannin found success moving the sticks with a committed running attack. He racked up a “bunch” of yards against the Panthers, but we really don’t have any idea how many yards he actually recorded because we typically don’t get offensive stats from Fannin until 10-12 days after the games are played. Jacobs also took several snaps in the second quarter, as the Rebels moved personnel around and took advantage of direct-snap opportunities to throw the defense off-guard in some gutsy and entertaining play-calling. Great job Cody Jacobs, and best wishes this Friday as Fannin hosts East Hall for senior night and the final football game of the season for the Rebels.
Monday Morning Quarterback with our Sports Director Jason Banks
Uncategorized October 23, 2017
TeamFYNSports director Jason Banks called in this morning for our Monday Morning Quarterback segment. He and BKP discussed Fannin’s tough loss to Lumpkin, Ridgeland’s win over Pickens, and East Hall’s loss at Dawson. Follow TeamFYNSports for all your up to date high school football coverage in our North Ga region. Every Friday night we have your complete sideline coverage.
Playoff Hopes Eliminated: Lumpkin Shuts Out Fannin 10-0
FCHS Football October 24, 2017
You can’t beat Friday night football in North Georgia on Friday night. You can try, but it’s tough to beat. The atmosphere is amazing, with bleachers filled from end zone to end zone. The temperature is perfect, cooling as the sun sets shortly after the National Anthem and coin toss. The attitude of the players is unique, as the eyes of each individual athlete tell a different story from his… or even HER… point of view on the field. There’s only one thing better than playing a football game on Friday night:
Winning a football game on Friday night.
Unfortunately for the Fannin County Rebels, they have been unable to do so since region play began. They beat Andrews, NC 26-0 on September 15th,

Jonah Henry (36) attempts to strip the ball from a Lumpkin player after Austin Brown (82) drags him to the ground.
but then lost to North Hall (13-0), Greater Atlanta Christian (55-7), Dawson County (43-3) and now Lumpkin County (10-0) this past Friday night.
Make no mistake, they’ve tried. Head Coach Jim Pavao has given his team credit at the end of each game for giving a solid effort in each loss. The players have taken the field each week with a do-or-die mentality, and every coach has actively worked with their skill positions before, during and after the game.
Friday night’s loss against Lumpkin came as a shock to many, but Fannin County defensive coordinator Adam Turner warned BKP on last week’s #Rebel Wrap-up broadcast that the Indians were no push-over. Lumpkin hadn’t won a game all season, but their losses haven’t exactly been blow-outs. In fact, they put up 32 points of offense against Chestatee, a 4A school that runs a very similar offense to the Indians. Chestatee went on to win by 8-points, but that game alone was proof throughout the season that Lumpkin could play the game.
So what happened Friday night at Fannin County High School?
The answer: ridiculously efficient clock-management by the Indians in one of the slowest football games of the year. Early in the first quarter, FCHS head coach Pavao could be heard yelling at his defense from the sidelines: “Huddle up! If they’re going to huddle every play, we’ll huddle, too!”

The FCHS Cheerleaders keep the crowd going the best they can while Lumpkin County attempts to slow the tempo of the game in last week’s homecoming loss.
Most of the AAA Region 7 schools run a fast-paced offense, lining up and looking to the sidelines for their offensive plays so that they can get as many opportunities under center as possible throughout the game.
Lumpkin apparently didn’t get the memo.
The Indians casually strolled to their huddle formation, checked their stocks and banking portfolios on their I-phones, sipped a cup of coffee, caught up on the weather; then strolled back into position for the next play. I think I even saw a trainer using ammonia smelling salts to wake up a left guard from a mid-huddle-nap but I might’ve just been seeing things.
Sportswriter’s note: That last part may or may not be a slight exaggeration, but you get the point. They wanted to use every second of clock possible, keeping the Rebels’ on the field.
The game plan of the Indians? Keep the defense on the field. When the offense took the field: contain the running game.
Each time Cody Jacobs took the hand-off from FCHS senior qb Chandler Smith, he was met by a relatively large, aggressive and hungry defensive front.
Every time the Indians’ qb took a snap, three different people seemed to be carrying the football at the same time and one of them was moving the chains.

FCHS Assistant Coach Jeremy King watches with concern as the clock begins to work against the Rebels late in the 4th Quarter. King’s athletic trainers worked diligently to keep the players and coaches hydrated throughout the game.
As the war-of-attrition unfolded in the first quarter of play, it became clear that this game was going to be a grinder. Fortunately for Lumpkin – their kicker has a leg – and he showed just how well he kicks the football as he split the uprights from 40-yards out to take a 3-0 lead near the end of the quarter.
No one scored again until 4 minutes remaining in the game, when Fannin’s defense finally wore down. It wasn’t an easy touchdown, though. Senior linebacker Austin Brown went up in one-on-one coverage downfield and batted away a would-be touchdown play at the goalline in what was one of the most exciting defensive plays we’ve seen by the Rebels this season. The defense also had a beautiful blocked kick that prevented another score by the Indians.
At the end of the night, however, Fannin fell 10-0 and it was Lumpkin who celebrated midfield.
This Friday, the Rebels travel to Blairsville in the battle of the two winless teams in AAA Region 7: Fannin vs Union. Union has had an extra week to prepare. The Panthers are hosting in their house. It’s senior night. Coach Brian Allison and his staff have undoubtedly spent the extra time memorizing the offensive scheme of the Rebels and his young defense will hope to pull off the win.
Don’t count the Rebels out just yet, though. With the playoff picture eliminiated, they have nothing to lose. It should be a great game. Come out and support your Fannin Rebels as they face Rival Union County Friday night; kickoff is scheduled for 7:30pm.
TeamFYNSports Sportswriter Player of the Week: Jonah Henry
Uncategorized October 24, 2017
This week’s #TeamFYNSports Sportswriter Player of the Week for Fannin County is #36 Jonah Henry. Henry recorded 6 tackles in the Rebels’ Homecoming game against Lumpkin. He assisted on 4 additional tackles, he had one tackle for a loss and he had one pass broken up. Henry has been a consistent part of the defensive secondary this season, as well as an asset on special teams and occasionally from the tailback position when the offensive personnel needed a break. The Rebels travel to Union County this week for the Panthers’ senior night, kickoff scheduled for 7:30pm.