Daily Dive: Flowery Branch and North Oconee meet with the Region 8-4A championship

The title race in Region 8-4A will be decided when North Oconee treks to Flowery Branch Friday with a league title on the line.

The quarterback position is one where both teams thrive.

Flowery Branch’s Brett Sturm has shown the poise you would expect from a four-year starter. The 6-foot, 190-pound signal-caller has shown the ability to take over games. He has 1,649 yards through the air this season, along with 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He also adds a dynamic aspect on the ground, rushing for 453 yards and an additional five touchdowns.

North Oconee’s Harrison Faulkner needs no introduction. The son of Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, Harrison is a dynamic passer who is extremely skilled with the finer aspects of the position. The Georgia Southern commit has made very few mistakes this season and will look to continue his perfect starting record.

The two starting running backs could not be more different.

North Oconee’s J.T. Doster is a prototypical power back. Standing 6-1 and weighing 195 pounds, he is hard to bring down and gives the Titans’ offense consistency. On the other side of the field, the Falcons’ Griffin Harper is a bit smaller but still extremely powerful, with an explosive side to his game that was on full display in this matchup last year when he took a handoff 83 yards to the end zone early in the game.

The wide receiver position is where both teams are at their best.

Flowery Branch’s Tre Shields has been a surprise this season. The 6-3 receiver transferred in from Gainesville in the offseason and has been one of the most productive in the classification. So far this year, he has made 37 catches for 753 yards and seven touchdowns. Out of the slot, the Falcons have Tyler Robinson. While undersized at 5-5, Robinson is a shifty receiver who excels at route running and making plays with the ball in his hands. North Oconee has its own dynamic duo in Dallas Dickerson and Braxton Goolsby. Dickerson is one of the fastest players in the state, running a sub-10.2 in the 100-meter dash. He provides a big downfield threat that is hard to cover. Goolsby, much like Robinson, is the Titans’ slot receiver who they try to get the ball to in any way possible.

Both offensive lines are underrated units.

The Titans, while not having any elite recruits, have a solid group that plays well and does its job. With players like Nate Hiers and Bryant Kingston McCants leading the way, they consistently get the job done. For the Falcons, the offensive line is extremely experienced. Four players saw significant time last year, and the one new addition, Landon Nash, has sky-high potential. The 6-4, 275-pound sophomore has shown remarkable improvement throughout the season and may grow into a major recruit.

On defense, the Titans have been suffocating, giving up only 4.75 points per game. However, the loss of Khamari Brooks raises some questions about the front seven. The team’s leader will now have to be Harrison Luke. Luke, a class of 2027 Clemson safety commit, is extremely talented and one of the most impactful, if sometimes overlooked, players on the team. Across the field, the Falcon defense has been very opportunistic this season, led by Ryland Garrison, whose 95 total tackles lead the team. Flowery Branch will look to get the Titans in third-and-long situations to let its pass rushers have shots at game-changing plays.

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