Rabun County is on a four-game streak of home wins, while Athens Academy is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Wildcats will host the Spartans at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Last Friday, Rabun County came up short against Oglethorpe County and fell 28-19. The loss was the Wildcats' first of the season.
Rabun County might have lost, but man, Ty Truelove was a machine: he rushed for 82 yards and one TD, and also threw for 193 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Another player making a difference was Reid Giles, who gained 109 total yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Athens Academy was fully in charge on Friday, breezing past Elbert County 48-14. Considering the Spartans have won seven matchups by more than 20 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
A big part of Athens Academy's win came down to the chemistry between Chap Chapman and his top target Keyon Standifer. Chapman threw for 198 yards and four touchdowns while completing 75% of his passes while Standifer picked up 73 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
Athens Academy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 214 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 189 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Athens Academy didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Grayson Stafford and Standifer.
Athens Academy's victory bumped their record up to 8-1. As for Rabun County, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 7-1.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Rabun County has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 252.1 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Athens Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 258.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Rabun County came up short against Athens Academy when the teams last played back in October of 2024, falling 34-28. Will the Wildcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
