The Dawson County Tigers easily handled the Union County Panthers 57-26 for their second region win in the rain and drizzle on Friday night.
The Tigers defense was able to come up with three turnovers including a pick six and Dawson County never trailed.
The Tigers scored on their second possession of the night after a long Coey Watson completion to Nick Murphy to the 48-yard line.
Taylor Cronan, who was back for the first game since his injury against West Hall, was a difference maker again in the run game.
A Watson pass to Austin Young was tipped, but Young pulled it down for the first touchdown of the game with 6:06 in the first quarter.
On the Panthers next possession, Dylan Nix intercepted a tipped pass and returned it to the 13-yard line.
After Watson connected with Kolton Brumbelow to the 2-yard line, Watson would get in on a keeper making it 14-0 with 2:38 in the first.
The Panthers were able to move the chains on the next outing after a long pass completion from Cole Wright to Bo Lynch at the 36.
Wright scored on a keeper with 11:31 in the second to get it to 14-7.
When the Panthers got the ball back again, an interception by the Tigers turned out to be a pass interference negating the turnover. On the next play, however, Jeremy Whalen intercepted and the Tigers drove behind Cronan and Myers' running.
A Watson pitch to Cronan on the outside showed patience by Cronan as he followed the block into the end zone to make it 22-7 after the 2-point conversion.
The Tiger defense would hold on the next possession before Watson would scramble for another Dawson touchdown with 3:53 until the half making it 29-7.
After the half the Panthers first drive was propelled by Tiger penalties. Multiple flags were thrown at midfield for back-to-back dead ball fouls. Union would start from the 48-yard line.
Another penalty on the Tigers came after a first down for Union to give the Panthers great field position at the 21. Wright would score on a keeper. With 8:55 in the third, the score was 29-14.
Dawson countered quickly after a Brumbelow kickoff return to the Tigers' 40. Watson connected with Young before he would scramble for a 34-yard touchdown.
Union had a sustained drive on the following possession that ended with a rushing touchdown by Lynch and a failed extra point attempt. With 4:33 in the third quarter, the Tigers led 36-19.
Brumbelow returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown for the second week in a row. This time it was for 90 yards. The point after was good and the Tigers went up 43-19.
Another defensive stand for the Tigers gave the ball back to the potent offense that stayed with the ground game of Myers and Cronan all the way to the 1-yard line. Watson's keeper would take the score to 50-19 with 48 seconds in the third.
Twenty-two seconds later, an already deflated Union County was undone when Luke Martin added his pick six.
A long Panther drive would give them one more score on the night and the running clock did not relent.
Dawson County moves to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in decisive region wins. Next week the Tigers will travel to Blue Ridge to face Fannin County who is 2-4 and 0-2 in region play.