The Week Nine Game of the Week takes us to White County for the first visit this season.
WHITE COUNTY
The Warriors have been decimated by injuries since day one. They’ve been noticeably different since some guys have come back, particularly Gaines Clark. After scoring nine combined points in the first three games, they have 35 over the last three. That’s four times the output. Still looking for that first win, Reid Penrose will lead a defense that hopes to limit Dawson County.
DAWSON COUNTY
The Tigers are fresh off a momentum game, a 48-0 thrashing of lowly Johnson. Dawson County has a skill player trio of QB Gunnar Weaver, RB Cody McBrayer, and WR Dylan Edwards that is among the most experienced and athletic in our area. Others have contributed well on that side of the ball, and defensively, the team has allowed under 23 points in four of six games.
BY THE NUMBERS
WHITE COUNTY
- 0-6 (0-3 IN 6-AAA)
- Region Standings: T-7th
- 7.33 OFFENSE AVG
- 37.5 DEFENSE AVG
- N/A State Ranking
DAWSON COUNTY
- 2-4 (1-2 IN 6-AAA)
- Region Standings: T-5th
- 25.8 OFFENSE AVG
- 22.2 DEFENSE AVG
- N/A State Ranking
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Be looking for highlights post-game later tonight as well as a story recapping the contest. BLITZ partners with Fox 5’s 11 PM “High 5 Sports” show throughout the season. We make sure to get White County and Dawson County coverage on the big market show! You can also follow us on Twitter (@BlitzSportsGa) for live score updates (5G pending).
HOW THEY STACK UP
Let’s begin with the Warriors. We need to see a huge game on the ground from Noel Lammers, and for Alex Freeman to manage the game with a solid rhythm to keep the chains moving. That means connecting often with Gaines Clark, Zach Godfrey, and even Lammers. The defense will need to sprinkle in a turnover or two in combination with the offense playing at its best to win this game. Dawson County would need to score 25-plus to win. That should be enough, and Cody McBrayer might be the guy to do it. Gunnar Weaver will get his passing yards, but chewing up the clock in the ground game will be the key.
STATS
For White County, the Warriors have gone 17-22 overall in our 29 games covering them. The last four have been losses. Meanwhile, Dawson has gone 13-8 in the 21 we’ve been to for the Tigers.
DETAILS OF THE MATCHUP
TIME: 7:30 PM Kickoff
PLACE: White County High School / Cleveland, GA
LAST MEETING: 2024: Dawson County 14, White County 0
ALL-TIME RECORD: White County leads the all-time series 7-6
RECORDS: White County Warriors (0-6) vs Dawson County Tigers (2-4)
HEAD COACHES: Chad Bennett (12-25; 4 Seasons); Jaybo Shaw (56-25; 7 Seasons)
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
Despite these teams being neighbors, they really haven’t played nearly as much as you would think. Just 13 all-time games going back to 1980. White County won the first two and five of the initial six through 2013. After 1980-81, they didn’t square off again until 2000. Dawson won that game before the Warriors rebounded with three in a row. Since 2016, the Tigers have gone 5-2 in the series and have won four of the last five meetings.
TEAM LEADERS (2025 Stats)
*Stats accumulated by team-published data on Ga MaxPreps
WHITE COUNTY
PASSING
Alex Freeman – 682 yds, 5 TD, 6 INT, 53% completion
RUSHING
Noel Lammers – 270 yds, 0 TD
Savion Anderson – 118 yds, 0 TD
Jack Clark – 94 yds, 0 TD (out for season)
Zach Godfrey – 10 yds, 1 TD
RECEIVING
Zach Godfrey – 234 yds, 2 TD, 17 rec
Gaines Clark – 141 yds, 2 TD, 12 rec
John Jarrard – 94 yds, 0 TD, 9 rec
Davey Waller – 82 yds, 1 TD, 2 rec
Reid Penrose – 72 yds, 0 TD, 7 rec
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Reid Penrose – 48 TKL, 4 TFL, 2 Sacks, 2 INT
Savion Anderson – 38 TKL, 1 FR
Casey Crane – 32 TKL, 1 TFL
Zach Godfrey – 28 TKL, 1 FR
Josiah Williams – 24 TKL, 4 TFL, 1 FF
Kody Tuhey – 23 TKL, 1 FF
James Hart – 22 TKL, 2 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 INT, 1 FF
DAWSON COUNTY
PASSING
Gunnar Weaver – 1,090 yds, 5 TD, 1 INT, 64% completion
RUSHING
Cody McBrayer – 585 yds, 8 TD
Gunnar Weaver – 161 yds, 5 TD
Aden Bannister – 80 yds, 0 TD
Brody Sorensen – 12 yds, 1 TD
RECEIVING
Dylan Edwards – 446 yds, 3 TD, 40 rec
Paxton Phillips – 347 yds, 0 TD, 26 rec
Brody Sorensen – 177 yds, 1 TD, 13 rec
Cody McBrayer – 88 yds, 0 TD, 6 rec
Cash Watkins – 37 yds, 0 TD, 9 rec
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Jadyn Mattie – 41 TKL, 1 TFL, 1 FR, 1 BLK
Josiah Holtzclaw – 41 TKL, 0.5 Sack
Owen Wooten – 25 TKL, 2 TFL
Jayden Cohen – 24 TKL, 3 TFL
Brody Eason – 20 TKL, 3 TFL, 1 FR
Tripp Fuerstenau – 20 TKL, 4 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 FF
