Whatever it tried, Dawson County couldn’t slow down Tanner Plemmons on Tuesday night in an 81-68 loss to Rabun County in the Region 8-AA third-place game at East Jackson High.

The Rabun County sophomore and 8-AA Player of the Year scorched the Tigers for 48 points, including nine 3-pointers, on a night when he rarely missed and scored 16 of his team’s 18 points in the first quarter.

With the loss, Dawson County (20-8) assumes the No. 4 seed and will travel to play Callaway in the first round of the state tournament Friday.

Stephen Scaife paced the Tigers with 25 points, and freshman Tyler Dominy added 15 before fouling out late in the third quarter.

Corey Page added 12 points for the Wildcats (19-8), who as 8-AA’s No. 3 seed will be on the road against Lamar County on Friday.