Luke Holloway named NWGA player of the year
Team FYN Sports December 27, 2020
Earlier this month, Rebels Head Coach Chad Cheatham was named the North West Georgia Football Coach of the Year.
Over the holidays, NWGA football held their voting for their player of the year award, and it turns out Coach Cheatham wouldn’t be the only Fannin County Rebel to gain some new accolades.
Rebels Senior signal caller Luke Holloway was the voted the NWGA Player of the Year for 2020.
Holloway led the Rebels to their best season in school history. He has an undefeated regular season and two playoff wins under his belt, and thats more than any Rebel QB in school history can say.
The senior QB had 2,628 total yards with 35 Touch Downs and only 2 Interceptions on the year.
Liberty Commit Mason Bundy & Jalen Ingram headed to Georgia-Florida showcase
TeamFYNSports December 22, 2020
Liberty University’s newest Offensive Lineman has one more game to play in before he hits the field in college. He and Rebel teammate Jalen Ingram have both been invited to play in the 2021 Georgia vs Florida High School showcase game.
Mason Bundy just signed his National Letter of Intent to play at Liberty University under Head Coach Hugh Freeze. The 6-foot-6 280 pound offensive tackle helped pave the way for the Rebels to rush for 1,781 yards on the ground this year, while also allowing his quarterback to throw for nearly 2,000.
Jalen Ingram, a 6-foot-4 200 pound tight end, led the team in both receptions and receiving yards this year. He caught 40 passes for nearly 700 yards. He also tacked on 10 scores during his senior campaign.
The game will be held January 29th-31st at Feltrim Sports Village in Haines City Florida. the game will be livestreamed by SUVTV on theSUVtv.com.
Legends Forever: 2020 Rebel Football
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports December 17, 2020
What a historic run this 2020 Fannin County football team has had. It is sad to see it come to an end. Through the highs and the lows of this year as a whole, one thing remained a constant: Friday night lights.
Before we dive into this teams’ accomplishments, I had the opportunity to talk to Coach Cheatham about what this Senior class meant to him and what the team as a whole meant to him, and here’s what he had to say:
“A tremendous group, and I have said it so many times that these guys are the cornerstone of this program because they were who we came in with and we were able to build it with them. It took a little while to get it rolling, you win 4 games the first year, you win 6 games the next, and then you win the regular season, but as they went, they got more and more mature and they understood what practice was supposed to be like, they understood the expectations. They were very business-like this year, and there’s never been a senior class in the history of the school that’s done what they have done. I told them that they’ll be legends forever.”
This team gave the community of Blue Ridge something to rally around and look forward to every week, and God knows that was needed this year.
As sad as it is for the season to end, it is important to look back on everything this team has accomplished and make sure that they are not forgotten.
The Fannin County Football program as a whole has 4 playoff victories, two of them thanks to this year’s team. In beating Heard County and Pace Academy, they doubled the programs post-season wins in one year. People compare this team to the 1995 Rebel team, and that’s probably rightfully so, but let’s not forget that even though the 1995 team did in fact make it to the Elite Eight, they only had to win one playoff game to get there. Back in 1995 there were only 16 teams that made the playoffs instead of 32 like there are now, so that ’95 team won their first round (sweet 16) game and were in the Elite Eight. This team had to scratch and claw through two games against two really exceptional teams to get to where they ended up.
Statistically, this was the best Fannin County Offense ever. They scored nearly 100 more points than any other offense in school history. They put up 411 points this year, and the next closest is the 2015 team that scored 320. Alternately, they were right there with the school’s best defenses ever. They only allowed 166 points this year, and that ranks them in the top Fannin teams in terms of points allowed.
If you have been following #TeamFYNsports this year, then odds are you saw our article where we announced the All Region 7AA players. The 2020 Region 7AA team had more Rebels on it than any other All Region team in program history with 21.
Region 7AA player of the Year- Luke Holloway
1st Team Offense- Jalen Ingram, Cohutta Hyde, Seth Reece, Mason Bundy, Ricardo Arellanes
1st Team Defense- Dalton Ross, Cason Owensby, Carson Collis, McCay Turner
2nd Team Offense-Dylan Collins, Andre Bivens
2nd Team Defense- Logan Long, Andrew Waldrep, James Mercer, Jake Sands
All Region Honorable Mention- Chris Scott, Brayden Foster, Caleb Postell, Jack Kantner
Not only was Luke Holloway named Region 7AA player of the year, Chad Cheatham was named Region Coach of the Year and Coach Chris Thigpen was named assistant Coach of the Year.
The honors do not stop there for Coach Cheatham, however. He was also named the North West Georgia Coach of the Year by NWGA Football.
When I asked Coach about the Coach of the Year honors he gave the credit to everyone around him:
“It’s hard to accept any type of Coach of the Year award, because there are just so many people involved. You can’t get caught up in that kind of stuff because you watch your assistant coaches give their lives to these kids, give their lives to the coaches and to the sport. I don’t know how fair it is to single one guy out. I have said this since the year began and i’ll say it again: Any head coach in football, basketball, or whatever sport it is, that in the year of 2020 can keep their wits about them enough to coach every single day, they are all to be commended. This is really, really tough. We’ve had to coach in ways that we’ve never coached before and worry with things that we’ve never had to worry with before, so I would say that there are a lot of Coaches of the Year out there. I do appreciate it and appreciate everyone who voted and it means a lot to me, but what means the most to me is the fact that I love these kids, I love this program and it’s certainly not about me but it’s all about them. I just get a chance to tag along for the ride.”
I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you to this 2020 team for letting us tag along for the ride.
Rebels historic season comes to an end
Team FYN Sports December 13, 2020
Blue Ridge, GA- The Fannin County Rebels historic season came to an end Friday night, as they fell to number 1 ranked Fitzgerald in the Elite 8 of the GHSA state playoffs.
#TeamFYNsports will have a full recap of the season and all of the achievements and accolades of this historic team later in the week, however this article will only be a recap of Friday night.
Game notes-
- Things were electric from the very start, as the two teams were both fired up to play in this Elite eight playoff game.
- Fitzgerald was able to control most of the first quarter and jump out to a fourteen to zero lead.
- Carson Collis gave the Rebels a spark in the second quarter with an interception that set the Fannin Offense up with great field position.
- Seth Reece came up huge once again for the Rebels on both side of the ball Friday night, scoring both of the teams touchdowns which included a 80 yard double pass to Cohutta Hyde, which was the first play coming out of halftime and cut the Fitzgerald lead to 28-14.
- Unfortunately for the Rebels that would be the only two times they found the endzone, as the Canes D just proved to be too much for a beat and battered Rebel offense.
- Fitzgerald controlled the clock all night, never letting Fannin find their rhythm on either side of the ball.
- Seniors Luke Holloway and Cohutta Hyde both battled through injuries all night, and both of them were forced to set out a few offensive drives.
- If you’d like to watch the whole game you can find it on the RebelTV YouTube page. You can also look back on our #TeamFYNsports Facebook page for video updates on the game.
#TeamFYNsports wishes all the Seniors on this 2020 team well, and we will have a full write up featuring these guys later in the week.
Congratulations to this historic team and a special congrats to the coaches for taking this program to new heights!
Elite 8 Preview- Fannin VS Fitzgerald
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports December 11, 2020
#TeamFYNsports wanted to give our readers a little insight about what to watch for in tonights Elite 8 playoff game between the Fannin County Rebels and the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes.
Take a look as T
Unbeatens:
Tonights matchup features two unbeaten teams. Fitzgerald comes in 11-0 and ranked number 1 overall in AA. Fannin Comes in ranked as high as 6 in some polls with a 10-0 record. No matter who you are pulling for, we will see one team come away with their first loss of the season.
Weather and Drive:
I could see the cold weather tonight coming into play for sure. Fitzgerald, being in south Georgia is probably not used to playing in the cold Blue Ridge weather. If Fannin comes out with some intensity and starts laying the wood early, they will have a good chance at coming out of this game on top. I also could see the long drive that Fitzgerald has coming into play here. Perhaps these guys are a little sluggish and that could give the rebels the opportunity to jump out early.
Fitzgerald:
Fitzgerald is athletic across the whole field. The Purple Hurricanes are for sure a run first team. They are going to line it up and try to run it down your throat. Tonight will be a huge test for the Fannin front line. I would not expect to see a lot of passing out of Fitzgerald, as from what I have seen that doesn’t really seem to be their game. We dont know a ton about these guys seeing as how they come from so far away, but these are some of the guys to watch out for tonight-
-#8 EJ Lightsey, a 6’2 210lb Linebacker and Defensive back who has offers from Florida state, South Carolina, UGA and University of Tennessee. I would expect Lightsey to be in on most of the tackles tonight, and I would expect to hear his name over the loud speaker multiple times.
-#18, Dequavion Harper is a preseason all state Defensive lineman who will look to make an impact early if Rebel QB Luke Holloway has limited mobility.
-#3 Chance Gamble, a Wide receiver will make an impact for the Purple Hurricanes through the air if the Rebels Defensive backs aren’t on top of their game. Gamble is also a preseason all state Defensive Back.
Fannin:
Fannin suffered a few injuries to some key positions last week. We saw Senior QB Luke Holloway hobbling around pretty much the entire game. He has had a week to heal up, so we will see pretty early on in this one if he is going to be 100%. We also saw Cohutta Hyde on the sideline in sweats after halftime last week. If Cohutta is able to suit up tonight, that will give the Rebels a huge edge as he is one of the fastest guys in the state.
Hanging around:
Fannin’s best chance tonight after what I have watched all season is to hang around and keep this one close going into the locker room at half time. Fannin is arguably the best second half team in the state, so if they can keep it within striking distance at half time I could definitely see them pulling off the upset tonight.
Underdogs:
Fannin is headed into tonight as a pretty big underdog. I have seen a lot of predictions from different outlets and they all have on thing in common: Fitzgerald winning. Fannin has played all year with a chip on their shoulder, and I think the fact that everyone outside of Blue Ridge is expecting them to lose is going to add fuel to the fire.
Rebels- 21 players & 2 coaches named All Region 7aa
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports December 8, 2020
Written by: Tim Towe
Huge week for Fannin County Football. This Friday the Rebels will host Top Ranked Fitzgerald in the elite 8 GHSA State Playoffs. On Monday, the Rebels received some exciting news as 21 players and 2 Coaches received All Region Honors.
The Fannin County Rebels Players had 21 Players voted on by Region 7AA Coaches.
Head Coach Chad Cheatham was awarded Region 7AA Head Coach Of The Year
Offensive Coordinator Chris Thigpen was awarded Region 7AA Assistant Coach Of The Year
7AA Region Player of the Year – Luke Holloway – 117 Rushes for 780 Yards, 9 Rushing Touchdowns, 118 for 203 Yards Passing for 1848 Yards and 26 Touchdowns, only two interceptions the Entire Year. 2,628 Total Yards and 35 Touchdowns 210 Points in 10 Games
7AA Defensive Player of the Year – Micah O’Neal – Defensive Player of the Year – 61 Solo Tackles, 27 Assists, 18 Tackles for loss, 1 Fumble Recovery, 4 Sacks, 9 Hurries, 2 Forced Fumbles, 1 scoop and Score and 1 Tackle for a Safety.
1st Team Offense
Jalen Ingram
Cohutta Hyde
Seth Reece
Mason Bundy
Ricardo Arellanes
1st Team Defense
Dalton Ross
Cason Owensby
Carson Collis
McCay Turner
2nd Team Offense
Dylan Collins
Andre Bivens
2nd Team Defense
Logan Long
Andrew Waldrep
James Mercer
Jake Sands
All Region Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Chris Scott
Brayden Foster
Caleb Postell
Jack Kantner
Rebels Advance- Host State Quarterfinals on 12/11
FCHS Football, Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports December 5, 2020
Blue Ridge, Ga- The Fannin County Rebels played in a Sweet 16, second round state playoff game Friday night for the first time since 1995.
They played host to the Region 5 number 2 seed Heard County Braves. The Braves came into the contest boasting an 8-4 record. Two of their losses came against bigger schools in Cedartown and Central. One came in overtime against Temple, and the other in their last regular season game against number 8 AJC ranked Callaway.
The Braves also have one of the best defensive players in the state of Georgia at the Linebacker position. Chief Borders is a 6-foot-4, 240 pound, University of Florida commit that some thought would help the Braves shut down the Rebels offense.
That was not the case.
The Rebels were able to best the Braves, 21-14 and advance to the quarterfinals next week. The Rebels will host the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes in a battle of unbeatens next Friday night in Blue Ridge.
Game Notes- Junior do-it-all athlete Seth Reece had a huge night once again for the Rebels scoring 2 touchdowns, including a 48 yard game winner.
Seth Reece scampers into the endzone for the game winning TD
-Senior Quarterback Luke Holloway was able to find Andre Bivens in the third quarter to tie the game up at 14 all.
Luke Holloway fires off a pass
-The Rebels were plagued with a few injuries Friday night, which is why we didn’t get to see a lot of number 4 Cohutta Hyde on the field. Cohutta not being on the field meant that Carson Collis and Andrew Bivens were going to see a lot of action, and boy did they come through big for the Rebels when their team needed them to. A couple of big pass breakups and deflections by both of those guys forced Heard County into some long third down situations and ultimately won the football game for Fannin.
Carson Collis catches a pass in pregame warm-ups
-Cason Owensby and the entire Rebel D stopped the Braves at the 20 yard line on their last drive of the game and sealed the deal, allowing Fannin to come away with the victory in regulation.
Rebel D looks to make a stand
-Jalen Ingram had a pretty good night receiving, but he made arguably his biggest impact punting the football. Luke Holloway has been the Rebels punter all year, but because of some nagging injuries Ingram took over and did an amazing job. He flipped the field more than a few times for the Rebs.
Ingram punts the ball away
#TeamFYNsports invites all Rebel fans and surrounding area football fans to show up and show out next Friday night in Fannin County! It will be a huge game for the Rebels as the undefeated, Number 1 ranked Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes come to town!
Rebel Football: The Embodiment of an entire Community
FCHS Football, Team FYN Sports October 29, 2020
If you have played on or you have ever been around a well coached football program, then you know its not often that you get to hear about a singular players stats.
You might hear rumblings from an athletes family about how good they are playing, or you might even read an article in the local paper about how a kid may be on pace to break some school records.
However, when it comes to Blue Ridge Georgia and the Fannin County Rebels, I have not heard one student athlete, parent, or coach single out a particular player on the team when asked about the Rebels recent success. As the Sports Director at #TeamFYNsports, I have spent some time around this team and talked a lot about them with members of the community as well as other sports media outlets around North Georgia and it just seems different. Usually, there’s one particular kid who everyone wants to rave about and talk about how the team just wouldn’t be the same without them but that is not the case with the Rebels.
For example, Luke Holloway is on pace to throw for 1,800 yards and 23 touchdowns during a season shortened by a global pandemic!
I asked Luke earlier in the year about how it felt playing a season with so many unknowns ahead, and all he had to say was that he was just happy to get to play with and for his teammates and coaches.
Anywhere else, this kid would be the talk of the town!
I think this kind of “we, not me” mentality embodies the whole community of Blue Ridge though.
Just hardworking people grabbing their lunch pail and heading to work everyday to get the job done. This mentality has spilled over into the young people, especially the young people on this football team.
So, hats off to you mommas and daddy’s of Fannin County Rebel players. You are really the ones who deserve to be headlining the papers every week. Thanks to the qualities and morals, hard work and sportsmanship that you have instilled in these kids, we have the chance to see a very special season unfold right before our eyes.
I could even see a banner in the near future.