Panthers struggle, fall to Rabun County in Blairsville
Sports, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football November 9, 2019
Senior quarterback Pierson Allison evades defenders during the game Friday night.
Ten drives and just seven points told the story Friday night for the Union County football team in Blairsville.
The Panthers (9-1, 6-1 Region 8-AA) lost to top-ranked Rabun County (10-0, 7-0) for the second-straight season in the region championship game, this time by a score of 49-7.
While the weather was cold, the sky was clear and the conditions seemed poised to help the Panthers rushing attack.
Instead, Rabun County quarterback, sophomore Gunner Stockton, put on a show, accounting for seven touchdowns. Six of those came on the ground as the Wildcats came to town and beat the Panthers at their own game.
The seven points are the fewest Union County has scored in a game this season.
The game was still in reach for the Panthers at the start of the second half. Rabun County held a 21-0 lead after a rough start for the Union County defense.
In the third quarter, the Panthers turned the ball over on down and were forced to punt, but kept the Wildcats off the board to stay within striking distance at 21-0 heading into the final frame.
Junior Kaston Hemphill (No. 3) and senior John Mancuso (No. 9) make a tackle Friday night against Rabun County.
The defense, which had held strong for nearly a quarter and a half, finally broke in the fourth, giving up four scores in the final quarter in the blowout loss.
The one offensive bright spot for the Panthers came with 2:22 to go in the game as senior quarterback Pierson Allison hit junior Mason McCombs for a 15-yard score that moved the score to 42-7.
Apparently offended that Union County scored, the Rabun County coaching staff decided to keep in the starters and march down the field to score with just 55 seconds left. The Wildcats could have taken a knee and let the clock run out, but decided that Stockton needed just one more score as he ran in his sixth rushing touchdown of the night to end the game.
Union County had seven turnovers on the night, including three fumbles, two interceptions, and two turnovers on downs. The Panthers were forced to punt twice and scored once to account for all 10 drives on the night.
Union County will have to clean up the turnovers before next week. The Panthers, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AA, will face South Atlanta (7-3, 5-2 Region 6-AA), the No. 3 seed from that region, next Friday in Blairsville for the first round of the Class AA state playoffs.
The Hornets are coming off of a 20-6 victory against KIPP Atlanta Collegiate on Thursday, Nov. 7.
TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week: No. 9 John Mancuso
Player of the Week, TeamFYNSports, UCHS Football November 9, 2019
While there were very few brights spots for the Union County Panthers in a rough, 49-7, loss to Rabun County on Friday night, there were some.
One of those, the biggest one, was the play of senior defensive back John Mancuso.
Despite going up against the top-ranked Wildcats offense, Mancuso was all over the field Friday night.
There were very few stretches when Mancuso’s name wasn’t being called over the loudspeaker for making tackles. Without Mancuso, the score could have been much worse for the Panthers, who now turn their focus to the state playoffs.
For his efforts, Mancuso is the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week!
The Panthers Sink The Vikings Ship
Business August 25, 2018
The smell of hamburgers cooking on the grill and the sound of the band playing the Panther hymn meant it was finally football season again. Your Union County Panthers (0-0) took on the East Hall vikings (0-1) last night in a non-conference game. It was finally time for the football season to official start.
The big question for the Panthers this year was, how were they going to replace Cole Wright (Army Commit). That would quickly be answered in the first quarter by Junior quarterback, Pierson Allison. After the panther defense shut the Vikings down it was time to see if the junior was the answer. Allison would lead the panthers down the field. The drive would be capped of by a 9 yard touchdown run by Senior running back Chad Buzzard. It was like deja vu because the next two touchdown drives would start and end like the first with Buzzard running it in. The Panthers defense was all over the place and would not give the Vikings an inch to work with. With the panthers up 21-0 we would head into halftime.
If the Vikings felt like the had any hope to make a comeback it would quickly be diminished. On the opening kickoff Senior safety, Chayton Schafer, would take it 80 yards to bring the score to 28-0. The Panthers would throw one more punch in the 3rd quarter with a 7 play, 70 yards touchdown drive topped of by a 7-yard run by Allison. The Vikings would throw a punch of their own in the fourth with 11 yard passing touchdown, but would miss the extra point. The game would end with Panthers victorious over the vikings 35-6. Some of the key performers from the game were: Chad Buzzard, Pierson Allison, Chayton Schafer, and the entire Panthers defense.
The Panthers look to build on this performance next week when they travel to Hiwassee, Georgia to take on the Towns County Indians (1-0).
Preseason Clash At The Mike
UCHS Football August 11, 2018
The Union County Panther (AA) took on the Habersham Central Raiders(AAAAAA) in a preseason scrimmage last night in Blairsville, Georgia. Both teams were looking to get some great practice in while competing like a regular game and they did not disappoint. The Raiders struck first with a 40 yard passing touchdown in the first quarter, but then it would be all Panthers for the rest of that quarter. The Panthers would drive the ball 70 yards and cap it off with a Pierson Allison 10 yard throw to Kanon Hemphill to get the Panthers even with the Raiders. The defense would come up big for the Panthers on the next possession.
With the Raiders driving, Union forced the quarterback to make a bad throw which resulted in a Chayton Schafer interception. Schafer’s interception set the Panthers up for a quick drive, resulting in a touchdown run by Chad Buzzard. The Raiders would answer on the next two possessions with two rushing touchdowns of their own. Union got the ball back before halftime and quarterback Pierson Allison did what he does best, make things happen. Pierson made a fantastic throw on 4th down to Cayden Rich to keep the drive alive. The drive would end with a touchdown pass to Chayton Schafer. This would take the two teams to halftime with three scores each.
Union County would get the ball after halftime and it would not take long for them to score. Allison found Kyle Morlock for a 25 yard touchdown to cap a 6 play drive. The Raiders would answer yet again with two more touchdowns of their own. This would conclude the varsity playing time and now the younger guys would get a chance to showcase their talent.
Quarterback Holden Heltcher would lead the Panthers on a long drive ending in a rushing touchdown by Payton Ivester. The younger Panthers defense would not budge or break which would take the game to the end of regulation. With the clock reading 0:00 the Panthers and Raiders would both end with 5 touchdowns each. The score was not kept because of it being a scrimmage. The Panthers looked very promising and will look to build on this moving into the regular season opener against East Hall on August 24th in Blairsville, GA. Go Panthers!
The Legacy Continues
Business September 1, 2018
The Union County Panthers(1-0) took on the Towns County Indians(1-0) in a non-conference match up last night in Hiwassee, Georgia. This rivalry series has been on halt the last 3 years, but was finally re-instated this year.
Junior Quarter back, Pierson Allison, did what he does on the next possession. He would lead the Panthers offense down the field and find Junior wide receiver, Kyle Morlock, for a 3o yard touchdown. The Panthers defense would come up big on the next possession. Senior,Ean Harkins, would pick off a Indian pass to set up a Panthers scoring drive topped of by Chad Buzzard leaping over a defender for a rushing touchdown.
The Panthers offense would keep it going with a reverse to Junior, Sawyer Drake, for a 22 yard touchdown. Union County’s defense was not done just yet. Senior, Ean Harkins, would pick off another pass and return this one for a Panthers touchdown. Before half, Brian Smith would kick a 27 yard field goal and Buzzard would score another rushing touchdown to bring the score to 38-7 in favor of the Panthers at the break.
The second half would be pretty quite for both offenses until the fourth when Allison connected with Drake for a 37 yard screen for a touchdown. The game would end quick due to a running clock. The Panthers would win the game 45-7 and bring their record to 2-0. Union County will return home to take on the Fannin County Rebels at Mike Memorial Stadium next Friday. stats towns 2018