The Panthers magic runs out against the Hornets
Featured Stories, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football November 20, 2022
Unfortunately for Union County, their Panthers football season came to an abrupt end as they fell to the South Atlanta Hornets 42-14. The Panthers came out strong and posted 14 points in the first quarter, but then the Hornets figured it out as they shut down and shutout Union the rest of the way. The Panthers defense once again came up short resulting in the blowout and the exit.
Photo from Union County QB Club Facebook Page
Game Notes
QB Caiden Tanner finished 26/36 for 276 yards and one touchdown. He led the Panthers run game as well as he finished with 44 yards on 13 carries. Connor Schuknecht finished with 40 yards on eight carries. WR Jensen Goble had a good showing as he finished with 44 yards on six receptions and even threw a big 40-yard pass to WR Griff Young for a touchdown as the Panthers dug deep into the playbook for that one. Young ended his Panthers career with a huge game finishing with 120 yards and two touchdowns on five catches.
For the Hornets they finished with over 450 yards of offense and never let up. The run game proved to be the big hitter here as the team finished with 224 yards on 30 carries which is an incredible 7.5 YPC. Senior Keyjuan Brown led the way with 177 yards on 21 carries and finished with two touchdowns while adding another touchdown to his name with as he caught one of his QB’s two touchdown passes. Like the Panthers trickery, Brown also threw a big 34-yard touchdown pass and he finished with the touchdown-trifecta. QB Jontez Adams finished 10/15 for 204 yards and two touchdowns while also adding a touchdown in the ground game. WR Steven Moore finished with 97 yards on three catches and two touchdowns. The Hornets advanced to the Elite 8 and will take on the Thomson Bulldogs.
Union finishes third in the region
FYNTV, Team FYN Sports, UCHS Football, Union County High School November 6, 2022
The Panthers fell to the Fellowship Christian Paladins 35-14 on Friday night to wrap up the regular season. Union struggled to find the endzone in this one despite totaling just under 400 yards of offense. Union County finished third in the region standings with a 3-2 region record while Fellowship Christian claimed the region title after finishing 5-0 in region play.
Photo from Union County QB Club Facebook
Game Notes
Unfortunately for the Panthers, they only mustered 14 points in this one and their defense was unable to keep them in the game. QB Caiden Tanner finished 29/46 for 280 yards and 2 TDs and added 11 yards on the ground. The run game did not fare well, but Connor Schuknecht led the team with 61 yards on 15 carries. WR Griff Young balled out in his final regular season game as he finished with 12 catches and 110 yards with a TD. Jensen Goble caught the other Tanner TD pass and finished with 105 yards on nine catches. Neither Hudl nor MaxPreps had individual defensive stats for the Panthers.
Neither Maxpreps nor Hudl had individual stats posted for Fannin County. However, both Conrad Givens and Evan Haynes recorded two TDs for the Paladins. The defense for the Paladins did a good job forcing two turnovers and keeping this dynamic Panthers offense off the board.
Look Ahead
Union will travel to Model to take on the 6-4 Blue Devils in the first round of the AA playoffs. As for the Paladins, they will host the 6-4 North Murray Mountaineers.
The Union Win Streak Ends at 6
FYNTV, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football October 30, 2022
Unfortunate news for Panthers fans as their six game win streak has come to an end. The Panthers were shut down on both sides of the ball this last Friday night as the Athens Academy Spartans took this one 38-7. This was a big win for the Spartans as they now find themselves second in the region standings. Union was outgained by just 95 yards despite the big 31-point loss. Two huge Pick-6’s really put this game away late.
Team Notes
After dominating over the course of the season, QB Caiden Tanner was stifled in this one. He was just 16/30 for 160 yards and threw two interceptions. He did record a TD on the ground but finished the game with -7 yards. Connor Schuknecht led the team with 50 yards on the ground on 11 carries. WR Jensen Goble led the WR room with 68 yards on six catches while Griff Young and Ethan McBride both finished with 35 yards on four catches. Union’s offense had one of their worst performances of the season as they finished with just 225 yards of total offense. The defense failed as well as the 38 points allowed were the second most, they have allowed in a game all season.
Photo from Union County QB Club Facebook page
Athens Academy showed up big and now sit ahead of Union in the region standings. Senior Sam Bush had himself a night throwing for 79 yards and a TD while leading the ground attack finishing with 104 yards on just nine carries and another TD. Tre Hawkins had a good night as well as he finished with 76 yards on 14 carries and another TD. Preston Darden led the team in receiving yards with 62 yards on two catches and a touchdown.
Look Ahead
Union’s offense will need to show up next week as they will host Fellowship Christian 6-3 (4-0). The Paladins are undefeated in region play, but a win for the Panthers could create an interesting three-way tie if Athens win as well. The Spartans will travel to East Jackson to take on a tough Eagles defense to end the regular season.
Panthers Win Streak Hits 6
FYNTV, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football October 24, 2022
Union County escaped with a big region win on Friday night, 21-17 over the East Jackson Eagles, as their win streak now sits at six. The Panthers were able to erase their first half deficit and used a big TD in the 4th to give themselves the lead and the win. Union County now moves to 7-1 (3-0) on the season and sits in a first-place tie with Fellowship Christian. East Jackson falls to 4-4 (1-2) and they now sit at fourth in the region.
Photo from Union County QB Club
Team Notes
Union County tallied 429 yards of offense on Friday night, but it was their defense who were the big winners for the Panthers. Neither MaxPreps nor Hudl has individual stats for the Panthers defense. On offense, QB Caiden Tanner was 25/35 for 308 yards and three TDs. Sophomore Conner Schuknecht led the team in rushing with 66 yards on six carries. WR Jensen Goble led the team in receiving with 146 yards on ten catches and two TDs. Ethan McBride had the other TD while Griff Young tallied 83 yards on six catches.
As for the Eagles, they played well but their offense failed to get much going in the second half. Their defense did a good job keeping their team in it for most of the game. Gardy Maddox III led the team with ten tackles and also had a TFL. Their offensive box score is incomplete, but it was JR. Talan Jackson who brought in the two Eagles TDs and finished with 66 yards on five catches. Maddox III also led the team in rushing with 77 yards on 21 carriers.
Look Ahead
Union County will travel to Athens Academy 6-2 (2-1) who will be a tough opponent. The Spartans have a +69-point differential in region play which is higher than Union’s +46-point difference. As for East Jackson, they will now travel to Lilburn to take on PCA who sits at just 2-6 (0-3) this season.
Panthers Weather the Storm, Win Shootout Over PCA
Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football, Union County High School October 16, 2022
Union County holds off a big 2nd half by PCA to outlast the Storm 56-49 on Friday night. The Panthers could seemingly do whatever they wanted, as they totaled over 700 yards of offense according Maxpreps box score for this game. QB Caiden Tanner totaled 7 TDs in this one for Union. The Panthers went to half up 35-7, but PCA did not let up and they made this a ball game, before ultimately falling short.
The Panthers now sit at 6-1 (2-0) after this big region win and have averaged 47.4 PPG over their current 5-game win streak. PCA now falls to 2-5 (0-2) on the year after their 2nd half efforts came up short.
Photo from Union County QB Club Facebook
Team Notes
735 yards of offense for the Panthers. 735 yards. This Union offense is ridiculously good as they have scored more than 42 points over the course of their 5-game win streak. Caiden Tanner accounted for 7 of the 8 Panthers TDs. Tanner was 24/31 for 403 yards and 4 TDs in the air and he added 59 yards on 16 carries and added 3 more TDs on the ground. Braylen Rader was a nice compliment for his QB as he added 210 yards and one rushing TD on 17 carries while also bringing in a receiving TD. Griff Young led the way for the Union receivers as he had 8 catches for 138 yards and 2 TDs while Jensen Goble has 8 catches for 130 yards and 1 TD. Caiden Tanner did turn the ball over twice with an INT and a lost fumble. The Union defense will need to play better down the stretch, but this Panthers team is primed for a run at the region title.
PCA gave it their best, especially with a big 42-point 2nd half, but unfortunately Union had to many playmakers for the Storm to handle. Neither Maxpreps nor Hudl had individual stats posted for Providence Christian Academy.
Look Ahead
PCA will host the Fellowship Christian Paladins (4-3) who are looking to remain undefeated in region as they move to 2-0 after a big win over Athens Academy 28-6.
As for Union they will host East Jackson who sits at 4-3 (1-1). The Eagles who are coming off a Bye Week will look to slow the Panthers offense and play spoiler next Friday night.
Union Begins Region Play in Dominating Fashion
FYNTV, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football, Union County High School October 9, 2022
After a two-week hiatus, the Panthers returned to the field and dominated Banks County on Friday night, winning 42-7. The Panthers held the Leopards to just 218 yards and only 75 yards in the air. Union was trailing after the first quarter 7-6, but after a 21-point 2nd quarter and a second half shutout, Union ran away with it. The Panthers now sit at 5-1 overall and 1-0 in region play, while Banks County they fall to 4-3 on the season and 0-2 in region play.
Team Notes
Union County did everything they wanted to on offense as they totaled 390 yards on 49 plays and took this one 42-7. Union has now scored 42 or more points in each of their last four games. Caiden Tanner led the way for the Panthers as he threw for 217 yards and two TDs as well as adding 3 TDs on the ground. Senior Griff Young led the team in rushing yards with 75 yards on 6 carries while Braylen Rader also had a good game with 73 yards on 8 carries and a TD. Jensen Goble led the Panthers in receiving yards with 89 yards on 6 receptions, Young added another 56 yards receiving and caught a TD, and junior Zach Taylor brought in 3 receptions for 48 yards and a TD. The defense showed up in a big way limiting the Banks County offense to just 218 yards and kept them off the board for 3 quarters.
Nothing went right for Banks County after the first quarter, and they now fall to 0-2 in region play. They did win the turnover battle, but that was it. The offense was unable to find any momentum and their defense could not stop Tanner and the Panthers. Neither Maxpreps nor Hudl had individual stats posted for Banks County.
Look Ahead
Union will play host to Providence Christian Academy (2-4) next week and the Leopards will travel to Athens to take on the 4-1 Athens Academy Spartans.
Offense Goes Crazy, Panthers Light Up the Indians
FYNTV, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football, Union County High School September 12, 2022
Caiden Tanner and Braylen Rader stepped up this last Friday night as they led the way for the Panthers offense as they destroyed the Indians 42-10. The defense deserves some credit too as they held the Indians to just 166 total yards in this one and forced 3 turnovers with one of them being taken back to the house for a big Pick 6.
Picture from the Union County High School Facebook
Team Notes
The Panthers came out ready in this one as they owned the Indians on both sides of the ball. Tanner was 19/29 for 242 yards, and 2 TDs as the signal caller has continued to dominate secondaries all season. Braylen Rader also dominated in back-to-back weeks as he put up another +100-rushing yard game. He went for 153 yards on 15 carries, 10.2 YPC and 2 TDs and added another 42 yards in the air on 5 receptions. Griff Young and Jensen Goble were heavily targeted in this one as the two combined for 141 yards with Young grabbing a big 51-yard TD pass. Zach Taylor also added another receiving TD and backup RB Connor Schuknecht added a rushing TD. The offense had 453 yards on offense and outgained the Indians by 287 yards.
The Indians had very little go right. They totaled a very poor 166 total yards on 56 plays while converting just 2/13 3rd down tries. They also threw three interceptions while the defense gave up over 450 yards of offense and allowed 35 points. Neither Maxpreps nor Hudl had individual stats posted for the Armuchee Indians.
Look Ahead
Union will return home for their last non-region game as they take on the West Hall Spartans (1-2) who are coming off a Bye. As for the Indians they will take on Southeast Whitfield County (2-1).
Union storms into Hiawassee and blows out the Indians
Team FYN Sports, UCHS Football, Union County High School September 5, 2022
Photos courtesy of Union County Schools Facebook page
The Union County Panthers move to 2-1 on the season after blowing out Towns County 42-7 on Friday night. The Panthers were led by a trio of juniors on offense in this one as QB Caiden Tanner, RB Braylen Rader, and WR Jensen Goble led the Panthers to this big victory. Union’s defense does deserve the spotlight however, as they totaled 18 TFLs, and were credited with 19 QB hurries, while also forcing 3 turnovers.
Team Notes
It was all Union all game. They outgained the Indians by 158 yards and finished the game scoring 35 unanswered points while shutting out Towns in the second half. As mentioned, the offense was led by the trio of juniors; Tanner was 20/29 for 190 yards and 3 TDs, Rader totaled 125 yards and 2 TDs on 18 carries and averaged 6.9 YPC, and Goble had 88 receiving yards and a TD on 5 receptions. WR’s Griff Young and Zach Taylor caught the other two TD passes, while Connor Schuknecht added a TD on the ground. The defense however deserves most of the attention as they held Towns to just 210 yards and the one early score. Led by Elijah Helton, who led the team in tackles (12), the Panthers were all over the backfield in this one. They had 4 different players who each got 3 TFLs and Taylor Whitehead added 9 more tackles and 3 PDs. The Panthers should carry over a lot of momentum into next week after this blowout win.
Towns was happy to see the clock hit 0 as they were unable to get anything done in this one. They were held to only 53 yards on the ground and totaled only 8 first downs in this one, going 3-13 on 3rd downs. Neither Maxpreps nor Hudl had individual stats posted for Towns County.
Look Ahead
Union will travel to Rome to take on the 2-0 Armuchee Indians who are coming off a Bye Week after squeaking out two wins by a total of 7 points combined. As for Towns they will welcome their upcoming Bye Week this week as they look to fix up the defense before heading to Rome to take on Coosa (1-2) on 09/16.