PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Union to visit Metter in second round

Union Co. made history last week in their first-round state playoff win against South Atlanta. The post-season victory was the first state playoff win for the Panthers since the school began playing football in 1957.

If they want to keep the momentum going, and continue to make even more school history, they’ll have to do it Friday night against a strong Metter team from Region 2-AA.

The Tigers (10-1) come in as a region champion that defeated Screven Co. 27-19 in the first round last Friday.

The Metter offense is an in-your-face, power running option, with a stable of strong and quick running backs able to take off for big gains at any moment.

Last week against Screven, the Tigers were led by Ahmod Collins who had 147 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, including runs of 61 and 41 yards.

Antwan Coney netted 102 yards and two scores on just seven carries, one of them a 64-yard touchdown run.

Aaron Collins had 83 yards on 16 carries, while Kaliq Collins added a 55-yard run out of the back field.

The Tigers regularly set up with three backs in the backfield under the direction of junior quarterback Taj Hobbs.

The playoff win was the first for the school since 2003.

The Tigers won their first game of the season by forfeit. Excluding that game, the team is scoring slightly less than 27 points per game, while the defense is giving up just 8.6 points per game.

But if anyone in the state has the defense to stop such a potent running attack, it’s Union Co.

The Panthers (10-1) are led on defense by a pair of seniors: defensive back John Mancuso and middle linebacker Sloan Sutton.

Mancuso has a team-high 117 tackles this season to go along with two sacks. Sutton is right behind him with 104 total tackles, two sacks, and an interception.

Union Co. has playmakers all over the defense, including juniors Noah Underwood (80 tackles) and Kaston Hemphill (78 tackles).

The defense will also get a boost from star offensive players Pierson Allison, Sawyer Drake, and Jonah Daniel, who have begun playing both ways for head coach Brian Allison.

Last week, senior quarterback Pierson Allison threw for 218 yards and a touchdown. He’s got 2,804 yards and 28 touchdowns so far this season.

Daniel, junior running back, has 1,470 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground this season. He clinched the game last week with a 22-yard touchdown run on the second play of the fourth quarter that proved to be the game winner for Union Co. He finished the game with 95 yards and a score on 21 carries, which is tied with most time he’s carried the ball in a game this season.

Drake, senior wideout, has 1,184 yards and 10 touchdowns 72 catches this season. Last week he led the team with 146 yards and a touchdown on 12 catches, the most catches he’s had in a game this season.

Fellow senior wideout Kyle Morlock, who was leading the team in receiving yards before being injured more than a month ago, was a full-go for the Panthers last Friday. While he pulled in just two catches for 15 touchdowns, he had several drops that would have normally been catches for him. With another week to shake off the rust, Morlock should have the opportunity this Friday against Metter to show why he has already received multiple Division-I offers.

The Panthers and the Tigers are set to kick-off at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 22, in Metter, which is about 65 miles west of Savannah and nearly five hours of travel time away from Blairsville.

For a recap of Union Co.’s playoff win last week, click here.

For information on Metter’s season, click here.