Class 4A Blog: Defending champion North Oconee not rebuilt, but reloaded

After a very successful season for North Oconee last year that featured the Titans bringing home their first ever Class 4A football state championship, the off-season didn’t slow down the Titans whatsoever as they have picked up right where they left off from a year ago.

North Oconee hasn’t lost a regular season game since the 2021 season and there are no signs of them slowing down following the program's first state championship in the 21st season of Titan football.

Coming off of  the schools first-ever undefeated season, where they finished 15-0 including a state championship victory over Marist, North Oconee has continued its impressive play by scoring 97 points in the first two games of the season, while only allowing seven points to its first two opponents in Oconee County and Dalton.

It has been a dominant effort on both sides of the ball for the Titans through the first two weeks of the season as they shutout Oconee County 41-0 followed by a 56-7 victory over Dalton.  

The Titans are led by senior quarterback Harrison Faulkner who is in his second season starting for Titans. Faulkner is the son of Georgia Tech Offensive Coordinator Buster Faulkner and has been a reliable option at the most important spot on the field.

Faulkner committed to Georgia Southern in March of 2025 and held offers from many Group of 5 schools, ultimately deciding on the Eagles.

Last season 4-star wideout and current Georgia Bulldog Landon Roldan led the Titans in receiving yards last season and was a real difference maker for Faulkner and the North Oconee offense.

With him in Athens, Dallas Dickerson and JT Doster have provided a spark in the passing game and continue to make a difference for the offense. Dickerson is a 3-star wideout in the Class of 2026 and is committed to continue his football career at Kentucky next season.

When it comes to the North Oconee defensive unit, 4-star edge rusher and Georgia-commit Khamari Brooks has been dominant, leading a strong defensive unit for the Titans.

Brooks plays on both sides of the ball for North Oconee as he plays tight end, providing another trustworthy option for Faulkner and adding more talent to an already loaded receiving core.

Coming off of a bye week last week, North Oconee will have two straight out-of-region road games where they will take on Clarke Central this Friday before traveling to Jefferson to take on the Dragons when that matchup will be broadcast live on the Peachtree Sports Network (cable and YouTube TV), and streamed live on the Atlanta News First app.

Following its televised matchup against Jefferson, the Titans begin region play where they will face East Forsyth, Cedar Shoals, Madison County, Eastside, Flowery Branch and Walnut Grove before postseason play.

While Class 4A is one of the toughest classifications in Georgia high school football, the Titans have continued to impress this season as one of the top teams in the classification as they look to win back-to-back state championships.

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