DAHLONEGA — Mistakes are costly against any team.
Combine mistakes with an opponent who can capitalize on them quickly, and the result will be somewhat similar to Lumpkin County’s 55-13 loss to Class AAA’s No. 10-ranked Creekview on Friday night at the Burial Grounds in Dahlonega.
The Grizzlies Jake Barclay had two interceptions for touchdowns and Alex Tatum had one interception with a 20-yard return to lead Creekview (8-1, 4-1 Region 7A-AAA) to its fifth-straight win.
"Unfortunately we made too many mistakes against a great football team," Lumpkin County coach Tommy Jones said. "When you do that, the outcome isn’t going to be what you want it to be."
Barclay’s first interception of the game on the Indians’ first play from scrimmage, and the subsequent 21-yard return, accounted for Creekview’s first points of the game. After an Indians’ (4-5, 1-4) three-and-out, the Grizzlies scored quickly again, going 50 yards in two plays, capped by a 25-yard touchdown run by Hunter Livingston.
Livingston finished as the game’s leading rusher with 76 yards on nine carries and three touchdowns on three-straight Grizzlies’ possessions.
With the score 14-0 just four minutes into the first quarter, the Indians proved their resiliency, capping an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a Michael Flanagan touchdown from 7-yards out.
After the Grizzlies responded with another score, Lumpkin was bitten by the mistake bug again, fumbling on its second play from scrimmage on its ensuing possession.
The fumble was recovered by Creekview’s Tanner Gilleland and five plays later, Livingston had his third touchdown run and the Grizzlies held a 28-7 lead.
"I thought at times our offense clicked as well as we have all year," Jones said. "But when you play against a good football team, you have to execute and unfortunately we made too many mistakes."
Creekview quarterback Cody Allen ended the first half with a 25-yard passing touchdown to Brett Morrell to make the score 34-7.
Allen finished 10-of-15 passing for 149 yards and one touchdown.
Creekview scored on two more interceptions in the second half and on a 5-yard run by Taylor Temples.
Lumpkin County scored its second touchdown on the game when senior defensive back Chad Fulton intercepted an Allen pass and returned it 35 yards for a score.
Flanagan led the way for the Indians’ ground game, which amassed 218 yards, carrying the ball six times for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Junior quarteback Taylor Guthrie was 5-of-16 passing for 73 yards. Trey Parker was the team’s leading receiver on the night with two receptions for 26 yards.
Lumpkin County plays its season finale at North Hall at 7:30 p.m. next Friday while Creekview plays host to Chestatee in its regular-season finale at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.