n a thrilling matchup that came down to the wire, the North Oconee Titans edged the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes 28-26 to advance to the Final Four of the GHSA State Playoffs to end a terrific season from the Canes. Cartersville finishes the season as region champions and a 12-1 record.

First Half Highlights:
North Oconee capitalized on Cartersville’s early turnover to set the tone. After an interception gave the Titans possession at their own 25-yard line, Brooks Benton punched in a touchdown run with 10:21 left in the second quarter, giving North Oconee a 7-0 lead. A second interception by the Titans’ defense later in the quarter halted another Cartersville drive, allowing North Oconee to maintain its slim advantage heading into halftime.

Third Quarter Action:
North Oconee came out strong in the second half, extending their lead to 14-0 on an 8-yard touchdown run by Dallas Dickerson. Maddox Brice added a 7-yard rushing touchdown late in the third quarter to give the Titans a commanding 21-0 lead with just over a minute remaining.

Cartersville finally broke through before the quarter ended, as Nate Russell connected with Brady Marchese for a 43-yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 21-7 heading into the final frame.

Fourth Quarter Fireworks:
The Hurricanes roared back in a thrilling fourth quarter. Marchese found the end zone again on a 27-yard pass from Russell, trimming the North Oconee lead to 21-13 after a missed PAT. Moments later, the dynamic duo struck again with an electrifying 90-yard touchdown to bring the Hurricanes within one score, trailing 28-20 with six minutes left.

With time winding down, Cartersville’s Adarrian Taylor-Wilson delivered a clutch 70-yard touchdown on fourth down, closing the gap to 28-26 with just over three minutes to play. However, a failed two-point conversion left the Hurricanes needing one last chance to complete the comeback.

Final Moments:
Despite Cartersville’s valiant rally, North Oconee’s defense held strong in the closing minutes to secure the victory. The Titans converted a key third-and-one with just over two minutes left to force Cartersville to use its remaining timeouts. Unfortunately, the ground attack from North Oconee was able to get key yards and grab another first down to ice the game away.

Key Takeaways:

  • North Oconee’s balanced offense and opportunistic defense were pivotal in building an early lead.
  • Cartersville’s explosive fourth-quarter performance showcased their resilience but fell just short in the end.

North Oconee advances to the Final Four, riding the momentum of a hard-fought victory.