The Carver Tigers will square off against the Burke County Bears at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Carver sitting on 26 straight victories dating back to last season and Burke County on six.
Carver is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They breezed past Thomson to the tune of 38-10. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won 11 contests by 26 points or more so far this season.
Zach Watts
| 11/28/25 vs Thomson | 168 |
| 10/10/25 @ Sumter County | 126 |
| 08/29/25 vs Harris County | 123 |
| 11/21/25 vs Stephens County | 110 |
| 08/22/25 @ Spencer | 95 |
This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Zach Watts and Jakobe Caslin. Watts rushed for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns while picking up 9.3 yards per carry while Caslin rushed for 70 yards and two TDs. Those 168 rushing yards gave Watts a new career-high.
Carver didn't let much get past them through the air: they limited Thomson to a completion percentage of just 31.2%. The team can thank Jaiden Taylor for the heroic effort on defense: he. Sadly, that's becoming something of a trend for Carver; they were averaging 62.5%completion percentage earlier this season, but in their last three matchups they've fallen to only 62.5% (which corresponds perfectly with their time in the postseason).
Carver's defense didn't let the opposing QB, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for four sacks. Leading the way was Tristian Givens with two. He is also on a roll when it comes to total tackles, as he's now made six or more in each of the last three games he's played. Another thorn in Thomson's side was Taylor, who made 12 total tackles (2.0 for loss) and defended three passes.
Meanwhile, in a tight game that could have gone either way, Burke County made off with a 41-40 win over Rockmart. Things were looking grim for the Bears in the second quarter (they were down by 20) but they stormed back to get the contest.
Carver better keep an eye on Sean Vandiver. He was instrumental in Burke County's win, rushing for 110 yards and three scores, while also throwing for 221 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 11.1 yards per attempt. Their leading receiver Will Joyner was Vandiver's top target yet again, picking up 56 receiving yards and a pair of TDs.
Carver's victory bumped their record up to 13-0. As for Burke County, their win bumped their record up to 11-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Carver has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 187.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Burke County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 214.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for Carver against Burke County when the teams last played back in December of 2024, as the team secured a 52-14 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
