Behind multiple offensive sources, Jackson County scored a season-high 41 points in a 41-7 demolition of Rabun County Friday to close the season.
The Panthers threw for 168 yards and ran for 161 in their most convincing win of 2011.
“We were very balanced on offense,” coach Billy Kirk said. “That is one of the things that we like to try and do, balance the run and the pass, and Friday was what we wanted to do most of the year.”
Panther quarterback Kyle Daniel, who got the starting nod in the season finale, was 18-of-21 for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
He also ran six times for 66 yards and two touchdowns. Kirk said the junior quarterback had a great week of practice.
“We did a lot of screens and some underneath stuff,” Kirk said. “He was dead-on, but I saw it all week during practice.”
Daniel finished as Jackson County’s leading passer on the season, completing 77-of-136 passes for 861 yards and seven touchdowns.
Running back Dustin Scott — who finished the season with 807 yards on the ground — added 70 yards rushing and two more touchdowns, while receiver Xavier Harper hauled in eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.
“Xavier had a show-out night,” Kirk said. “We just kept feeding him.”
Jalen Banks also had a rushing touchdown, while Preston Esco caught a touchdown pass.
The Panthers (3-7) broke the game open with 21 second-quarter points after leading 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Combined with last year’s 41-14 thrashing of Rabun County, Jackson County has scored an aggregate 82 points the last two years on the Wildcats.
Defensively, Garrett Holt had two interceptions as Jackson County gave up a season-low seven points. “It was just a great team defensive effort,” Kirk said. “The defense played so well. I don’t think they cross the 50 yard line until the fourth quarter.”
From the quarterback play to the defense, Kirk noted that “Friday is definitely something we can build on,” he said.
As for the past year, Kirk said he believed his team “grew up a lot” during the 3-7 campaign. While both the overall record and Jackson County’s 1-5 mark in subregion play won’t turn any heads, Kirk was proud of how this team grew and evolved from game one to this past Friday night.
“It’s a completely different football team,” Kirk said.
“We did some things that I’m very proud of as far as our kids and our program growing up,” Kirk added.
Which will allow Jackson County to focus eagerly on 2012. The Panthers will have 20 starters returning — including much of the offensive line, their backfield, their leading passer and several players on defense.
“We’ll be a very senior-laden team for the first time since I’ve been here,” Kirk said.
Exactly who those Jackson County seniors will line up against remains to be seen. Next year’s new classifications (there will now be six) and new regions aren’t yet set.
The Georgia High School Association is still waiting for fall FTE counts.
Projections have Jackson County moving back up to a Region 8-AAA that would look very similar to the AAA region Jackson County played in from 2008-2009. But Jackson County may have other options, including a lateral transfer to Region 7-AAA, which would contain several schools from neighboring Hall County as well as state power Buford.
