BLUE RIDGE, GA – Despite being called for a flurry of penalties on both sides of the ball, the Union County football team took down area-rival Fannin County, 33-14, Friday, September 13, in Blue Ridge.

The win is the sixth in a row for the Panthers over the Rebels, and moves Union County to 3-0 on the season.

“All we heard all week was that they were bigger and faster, but you can’t measure heart and you can’t measure effort,” head coach Brian Allison said after the game. “We played hard, and we earned the win. We made a lot of mistakes, but that’s something we are going to clean up over the next week.”

The Panthers were led by senior quarterback Pierson Allison, who threw for 230 yards and four touchdowns on 14-for-24 passing, while adding 34 yards on the ground and an interception on defense.

While the Panthers led 20-0 with 1:46 left in the third quarter, the home team Rebels wouldn’t go quietly. Fannin County scored with 8:54 to go in the fourth, then again with 4:40 to go, to pull within a touchdown.

But the Panthers responded immediately, with Allison tossing a 55-yard touchdown pass to fellow senior Kyle Morlock on the first play from scrimmage during the ensuing possession.

Morlock finished the night with two touchdown catches on 86 yards receiving.

Leading 26-14 with 4:22 to go, the Panthers defense stood tough against a rapid passing attack from the Rebels.

After several passing completions from the Rebels, Panthers senior Sloan Sutton managed to step in front of a pass and pull down an interception to give Union County the ball back with less than three minutes to go.

Senior running back Jonah Daniel did the rest from there, busting off a 32-yard touchdown run to put Union County up 33-14 with 1:23 left in the game.

Senior Josh Orr managed to pick off the Fannin County quarterback against with less than a minute remaining to seal the deal for the Panthers.

Daniel finished the night with 159 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Sutton and juniors Aaron Helton and Clayton Lester each added sacks on the night for the Panther defense.

Junior Mason McCombs added 69 yards receiving and a touchdown, while fellow senior Sawyer Drake hauled in 48 yards and a touchdown catch in the air.

Union County will open the Region 8-AA at home next Friday, September 20, against Monticello, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Blairsville.