Lumpkin County eyeing historic start, but Gilmer stands in the way … again

It’s Week 8 of the high school football season, and one Class 3A team is chasing history.

In 1967, coach Don Thompkins coached Lumpkin County to eight victories before losing the final two games of the season, marking the greatest start in program history. The Indians started 5-0 in 1988 under coach Brad Hunt before losing to Gilmer 14-0, thwarting the chance to tie Thompkins’ record. Last year, it started 5-0 before losing to Wesleyan.

Lumpkin County is 6-0 this season, two victories away from tying the program’s best start. And Gilmer, once again, stands in the way.

Lumpkin County (6-0, 2-0) is three seasons removed from an 0-10 finish. In Heath Webb’s second season as coach, the Indians will try to maintain its flawless record when it hosts Gilmer (4-2, 1-1) in a Region 7 game.

The Indians have beaten Union County 44-27, Franklin County 47-7, Temple 35-0, Hart County 30-10, Pickens 49-14 and Wesleyan 30-21 last week. The team averages 278 rushing yards and 100 passing yards and is led by quarterback Cal Faulkner.

Faulkner, a junior, is 50-of-77 passing for 573 yards and five touchdowns and has run for 446 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior Mason Sullens has 158 carries for 1,119 yards and 18 touchdowns. Luke Evans leads the receivers with 25 receptions for 321 yards and three touchdowns.

Gilmer has beaten Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 42-14, Murray County 35-7, Ringgold 31-7 and West Hall 35-6. The Bobcats lost to Fannin County 38-14 and Wesleyan 50-28.

Gilmer averages 310 yards per game and is led by seven different players with touchdown runs. The leaders include Hunter Britain, Isaac Rellinger and Kyle Cowart with four touchdown runs each and Wyatt Stokes, Grant Bellew and Douglas Callihan with three each.

In other key games:

• Top-ranked Cedar Grove will host Alabama’s Carver before Region 5 play against Douglass on Oct. 13.
• No. 2-ranked Calvary Day will look to move to 4-0 in Region 3 play when the Cavaliers host Groves (1-5, 0-3).
• No. 3 Stephens County (6-0, 1-0) will be at home against Franklin County (1-5, 0-1) in a Region 8 game. The Indians are tied with Hart County and No. 10 Oconee County in the Region 8 standings. Oconee will travel to Hart County Friday, each with a chance to remain tied atop the league with Stephens.
• No. 4 Mary Persons (5-1, 0-0) will bea at home against Jackson (1-5, 0-0) to open Region 2 play, a week removed from its 45-28 victory against Class A Division I No. 1 Prince Avenue Christian.
• No. 5 Savannah Christian (4-2, 2-1) will travel to Johnson-Savannah (2-4, 1-2) for a Region 3 game. Calvary Day leads the league (3-0), ahead of the Raiders (2-1), Savannah Country Day (2-1) and Liberty County (2-1).
• Sixth-ranked Thomasville (3-3, 1-0) will fight for the lead in Region 1 when it travels to Carver-Columbus (3-3, 1-0). Thomasville and Carver are tied with Crisp County (4-2, 1-0) at the top of the league standings.
• No. 9 Morgan County (5-1, 1-0) will be at home against Salem (1-5, 0-1) in a Region 4 game. The Bulldogs are tied atop the standings with Hephzibah (5-1, 1-0) and Harlem (4-2, 1-0).

Class 3A Top-10 schedule

1. (1) Cedar Grove (2-4) vs. Carver (AL)

2. (2) Calvary Day (6-0) vs. Groves

3. (3) Stephens County (6-0) vs. Franklin County

4. (5) Mary Persons (5-1) vs. Jackson

5. (6) Savannah Christian (4-2) at Johnson-Savannah

6. (7) Thomasville (3-3) at Carver-Columbus