Football Recap: Flowery Branch Starts Season with Defeat on the Road + How To Watch

Flowery Branch had to hit the road for their first game and it wasn't the result they were hoping for. They came up short against the Jackson County Panthers on Friday, falling 36-13. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Falcons of the 31-2 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in August of 2024.

Defeat or not, Flowery Branch got some senior leadership from Brett Strum and Tre Shields. Strum threw for 251 yards and two TDs while completing 86.7% of his passes, while Shields picked up 102 receiving yards and one score. The bulk of those receiving yards came from one huge play: a catch that gained an incredible 57 yards.

This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Daylan Maxwell and Jayson Lee. Maxwell gained 177 total yards while Lee rushed for 61 yards and one touchdown on only seven carries.

Flowery Branch wasted no time getting back out on the field and has already played their next game, a 31-28 win against Habersham Central on the 22nd. As for Jackson County, they have also already played their next matchup, a 10-3 loss against Jefferson on the 22nd.