Page 2C THETHE NORTH NORTH GEORGIA GEORGIA NEWS NEWS May May 24, 2017 24, 2017

SportsSee the Sports Section at nganews.com Allison: Spring practice closes with ‘a lot of positives’ By Todd Forrest North Georgia News [email protected]

Gainesville - Union County High School’s boys of fall proved they aren’t too shab- by in the springtime either. On Friday night, Union County football concluded its two-week spring session -- the program’s first since 2013 -- with a 28-17 scrimmage victory at Class AAAA’s Chestatee. The Panthers offense managed to shed its early rust following a sloppy opening series that led to a quick three- and-out. The War Eagles’ opening drive featured a steady dose of leading rusher Nick Lyles (1,327 rushing yards in 2016) before stalling inside the Union County 10-yard line, resulting Union County rising junior wideout Chayton Schafer takes an end-around shovel pass for 39 yards and the Returning quarterback Cole Wright threw for 2 scores in the first half as in a 27-yard field goal. score. His TD gave the Panthers the lead at 6-3 and they would never trail again. Photo/Todd Forrest the Union County varsity led 14-10 at halftime. Photo/Todd Forrest Trailing 3-0 after one the Panthers drew a pair of jersey, scrambled for 15 before spring game. the Panther secondary before the quarter. quarter, Union responded with penalty flags – one that negated the play was whistled dead by With five new faces in getting dragged down at the And for the second con- 14-unanswered points on a a 25-yard, first-down carry by the officials at midfield. the trenches, the Panthers’ two. secutive quarter, the War Eagles pair of Cole Wright touchdown rising junior running back Chad Union kept the drive offense line was able to open As the clock ticked under went to the tight end with no passes to Chayton Schaffer and Buzzard. alive with consecutive 5-yard enough holes for Buzzard and a minute, the War Eagles tried time left on the clock. This Kyle Morlock. Later in the drive, Buz- bursts up the gut by Dockrey Dockrey to turn in a solid per- to power their way to six points time they connected on a post “I thought we did really zard would move the chains and Buzzard, then a facemask formance, while giving Wright but the Purple Swarm defense, pattern over the middle for a well, we were very competi- with an 11-yard run that was penalty set the Panthers up with enough time to throw two led by linebacker RJ Banton 20-yard touchdown pass to tive, and our guys were flying followed up by a 31-yard hook a fresh set of downs inside the touchdown passes. Although, and nose tackle Matthew Beise, pull within 21-17 entering the around,” head coach Brian Al- up from quarterback Cole War Eagle 25. most of Union’s pass plays denied Lyles on consecutive fourth. lison said after the game. “We Wright to Morlock - a rising- A check down to tight had Wright rolling outside of hand offs. The 9th graders took over didn’t have any turnovers and I sophomore wide out. On the end Austin Pattee went for two, the pocket. A false start and another in the fourth and Union County don’t think they had any either, completion, Wright rolled to then a low snap was scooped up “I thought the offensive defensive stop later, Chestatee freshman quarterback Kasten although, we had a chance at his right, forcing the defense to by Buzzard, who battled back to line played pretty well,” Allison went play action and Yarbor- Hemphill tacked on a another an interception and missed it. bite before lobbing a perfectly the line of scrimmage. Facing a said on Monday morning after ough found the tight end for score with a 3-yard touchdown We also missed a few tackles, placed touch pass into the out- 3rd-and-8 from the 20, Wright reviewing the film over the a score on 4th-and-goal from scamper with 4:59 remaining. but overall, there were a lot of stretched arms of Morlock, who rolled left and connected with weekend. “They were a little the eight as time ran out in the Hemphill’s score came positives to take away from tacked on 10 more yards with a sliding Logan Dyer at the 10 inconsistent at times but overall first half. on the heels of a 32-yard screen tonight.” his legs before getting pushed for a 1st-and-goal. I thought they played well.” As for the safety posi- pass to Mason McCombs, set- The Panthers got on the out at the War Eagle 40. On 2nd-and-goal at the Chestatee would answer tion -- another area of concern ting the Panthers up with a 1st- board after keeping the War Following a short com- nine, Wright found Morlock with an 8-yard touchdown pass in 2017 -- they didn’t draw as and-goal inside the five. Eagles out of the end zone for pletion to Sawyer Drake, Schaf- in the front corner of the end on the final play of the first half much praise as their O-line “We’ve had the 9th grad- the second straight possession fer went in motion to his right zone for six. when it appeared that the Pan- counterparts. ers for nine days but I thought when they stuffed a handoff for and took a shovel pass from Brian Smith nailed his thers’ defense would deny the “We didn’t play as well they came in and executed very a loss on 4th-and-short at their Wright and raced 39 yards second point after of the game end zone from the home team as I would like at safety,” Al- well,” Allison said. “The second own 5-yard line. down the Chestatee sideline to give Union a 14-3 advantage one final time. lison said. “I would like for us group (JV) came in and played Union would take over for a score. with 2:27 left in the second A quarterback scramble to play a little better.” well. I know there’s some small at the six and drive 94 yards Leading 7-3, the defense quarter. went for nearly 40 yards when Up 14-10 to open the mistakes that we’re making but for the score – capped off by a forced a punt and the offense One of the biggest ques- the Chestatee pass protection second half, the junior varsity we’ll get them corrected.” 39-yard end-around by Schaf- went back to work deep inside tion marks surrounding the broke down and it appeared that squads took over and the third Union County football fer that resulted in the rising its own territory. On first down 2017 squad is the offensive Union County defensive end quarter closed with a swapping will begin its summer work- junior receiver diving across from the eight, Wright hit line play. Kyle Williams had a bead on of touchdown passes. out session on June 1 prior the goal line after outrunning rising-sophomore Cayden Rich Union’s front-five lost War Eagle veteran quarterback Union struck first when to attending passing camps a Chestatee defensive back for for 12 yards, then a give to Cole four starters to graduation Storm Yarborough. Instead, the rising-sophomore Pierson Al- at Flowery Branch on June the pylon. Dockrey went for 10 more. and it’s only returning starter, rising-senior QB was able to lison found Alec Scott all alone 9 and Habersham Central on However, the drive near- Two plays later, Wright, rising junior center Coleson step up in the pocket to avoid in the endzone on a 3-yard scor- June 16. ly stalled inside the five when sporting a red “no-contact” Daniel, didn’t dress for the Williams, then break free into ing strike with 1:40 to play in

Rising junior defensive end / outside linebacker Kyle Williams shows off Coach Allison addresses his players after the scrimmage and praises them for one of the most productive springs in years. Photo/Todd Forrest his vertical leap attempting to swat a CHS pass. Photo/Todd Forrest

Union County track star Riley Barrett is bringing his record-breaking Freshman quarterback Kasten Hemphill is fired up after plowing his Kicker Brian Smith and holder Pierson Allison watch the extra point sail speed to the gridiron, providing the coaching staff with another weapon way into the endzone during the fourth quarter of Union County’s spring through the uprights. Smith brings a stronger leg into his junior year and at wide receiver as well as cornerback. Photo/Todd Forrest scrimmage at Chestatee. Photo/Todd Forrest even drilled a 60-yard field goal during practice last week. Photo/Todd Forrest