The Fannin Rebels traveled to Dalton to take home a 48-21 victory over Christian Heritage High School in a big time region matchup last Friday, October 25.
Early in the game, Fannin’s Carson Callihan made a big 70 yard run, but after an incomplete pass, a fumble gave the Lions the ball. The Lions earned a first down but Cooper Born, CJ Reece, and Case Holloway worked to force the punt.
During the punt, the ball fell loose and the Lions recovered at the 12 yard line. With a missed field goal, the Lions failed to capitalize on the turnover. After an unsuccessful drive by the Rebels, the Lions took an early lead with a 31 yard touchdown pass. With the PAT, the Lions led 7-0 with 5:27 left in the first quarter.
Callihan marched the ball down field and Lawson Sullivan kept it to get within five yards of the goal line to end the first quarter.
Callihan sealed the drive with the score on the first play of the second quarter. Matthew Ponton drove the extra point through the crossbars to tie the game up with 11:54 in the second quarter.
On the kickoff, the ball fell through the Lion returner’s hands and Braxton Cheatham recovered the fumbled ball at the Lion 26 yard line.
Callihan brought the ball to the one yard then Sullivan added the score. Ponton put up another PAT to give Fannin the 14-7 lead with 9:27 in the second quarter.
After forcing the Lions to punt, Elijah Weaver found himself in the end zone after a 49 yard pass. With Ponton’s PAT, the Rebels extend their lead 21-7 with 7:15 left in the second quarter.
A handful of Lion passes put Christian Heritage in the end zone, making the score 2–14 with 5:05 left in the half.
After a few incompletions, the Rebels punted away with a minute left in the half. The Lions took a shot with 3 seconds left, but the pass fell incomplete to round out the first half.
The Rebels forced the Lions to punt away after big time plays by Born, Reece, and Braden Taylor. On the first play of the Rebel drive, Callihan took the ball 96 yards to the end zone. Cheatham ran the ball in for a two point conversion making the score 35-17 with 3:57 in the third quarter.
After exchanging scoreless drives, a 24 yard pass put the Lions in the end zone. With their PAT, the score was 35-21 with 8:49 left in the game.
The Rebels answered quick with a 15 yard Callihan run followed by a 54 yard Sullivan keep got the score. The PAT was no good making the score 41-21 with 7:55 left in the game.
After a series of short, quick Lion passes, a Cooper Hilliard rush and a few incompletions made it fourth and nine. The Lions went for it a Burnette ran down the quarterback in the backfield to put the Rebels at the Lion 34 yard line. Callihan ran the ball 30 yards for the score and Ponton’s PAT made the score 48-21 with 4:40 left in the game.
The Lions scraped for yardage late in the game but ultimately had to answers.
The Rebels took home with the 48-21 victory, keeping their position at #1 in GHSA’s Region A D-1.