Senior receiver breaks two state marks as Wildcats stifle Elbert County 41-21
Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. TD CATCH ESTABLISHES TWO STATE RECORDS: Rabun County senior wide recevier Jaden Gibson catches his fourth touchdown of the night, breaking both Georgia state career touchdowns record and the career receiving yards record with the same catch. Gibson has 49 touchdown catches for his career.
In the first region game of the season, the No. 3-ranked Rabun County Wildcats defeated Elbert County 41-21 as senior wide receiver Jaden Gibson broke two records with one catch.
Gibson ended with 13 receptions for 285 yards and four touchdowns; the yardage and the touchdowns both broke career receiver records for Georgia history.
The career receiving yards record had been held by Stan Rome from 1970-73, with the closest anyone had gotten back in the early 2000s with Jermaine Allen from Americus.
Gibson now sits at 4,537 career receiving yards with two more regular season games to add to his record. Gibson also broke the career receiving touchdowns record, held by Travis Hunter of Collins Hill.
With Gibson’s fourth touchdown catch, he broke both records on a 10-yard back corner fade from senior quarterback Keegan Stover.
“People like Jaden come around once in a lifetime,” RCHS head coach Michael Davis told The Clayton Tribune. “I’ve been fortunate to coach two with Jaden and Gunner Stockton. They’re both unbelievable players but even better kids. Jaden comes into practice every day, he never has a bad day.”
The Wildcats now host their Homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 pm against Athens Christian. Region foe Athens Christian is 3-4 for the season after losing to Commerce 49-24. Athens Christian is led by senior Antonio Finch who averages 133 rushing yards a game with 13 touchdowns. The Eagles play two senior quarterbacks, Navy Curry and Dominic Walker, who combine for 164 passing yards a game. Curry is more of a rushing threat, averaging 70 yards a game with six touchdowns on the ground.
The Wildcats’ region slate and regular season concludes the next week at home against Commerce.
In one of the biggest games of the regular season, the Wildcats took on Elbert County to begin region play. Both Rabun County and Elbert County were 7-0 and ranked in the top 10 of Class A Division I, with Elbert led by senior running back Quan Moss.
With the Blue Devils’ loss, Elbert dropped from sixth to seventh in the state poll.
The Wildcats looked right at home in the Granite Bowl, scoring first on an out route from Stover to Gibson.
The two teams went back and forth with possession, with junior Willie Goodwyn picking off Javyn Hickman right after the touchdown but the Wildcats stalled and punted.
The defense stepped up again, with senior Emiliano Ortiz recovering a fumble between Hickman and Moss. Senior Cesar Cruz pressured Hickman right as he threw the ball and senior Nicholas Baloga intercepted it, racing back 35 yards for a pick-6 to go up 14-0.
After Elbert County punted on their first possession of the second half, the Wildcats turned on the burners, scoring on four straight possessions.
On the 20-yard line, Stover found Gibson for an 80-yard touchdown to go up 21-0.
Moss bowled his way into the endzone to put Elbert County on the board, but Stover and Gibson connected yet again for a 24-yard pass to complete a six-play, 66-yard drive that only took up 49 seconds.
The Wildcats pulled off an onside kick to put the game away, with senior Lang Windham rewarding their efforts with a 35-yard run to go up 35-7.
Hickman scrambled for a 12-yard touchdown to get Elbert County into double digits, but Gibson and Stover once again responded, this time with the record-breaking catch.
Finishing off a 10-play, 74-yard drive, Stover found Gibson on a 10-yard back corner fade with Gibson finishing off the catch clutching the ball with both hands.
“I knew what touchdown that was,” Gibson said. “There was no way I was dropping that ball.”
Stover, Gibson’s best friend since middle school, helped Gibson pass the two records after transferring to Rabun County this year.
“It’s something we’ve always dreamed of,” Gibson said. “Just to have him here and to throw me these deep balls for me to break these records, it’s one of the best feelings in the world.”
Stover finished the night with only seven incompletions, going 21-for-28 for 366 yards and four touchdowns. Stover has 27 touchdowns on the season with 2,400 yards and no interceptions. His quarterback rating is a stellar 141.7 throughout eight games.
Windham, heating up over the past two weeks, ended with 20 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown. He has gone over 100 yards the past two weeks.
Gibson ended with 13 receptions for 285 yards and four touchdowns. His 285 yards are the eighth most in state history, topping his previous career high of 273 that he set earlier this season against Haralson County.
Among others, Gibson recently has received a scholarship offer from Power-5 school Virginia.
Over the past few weeks, the Wildcats offense has been moving around Gibson and the other wide receivers to try and get more matchups for all the weapons on offense.
“I love it,” Gibson said. “Hopefully they’ll give me some runs soon. Our goal is still to win the state championship, and we’re gonna do it.”