NORCROSS — Stellar veteran quarterback play is paramount for any football team hoping to make a deep postseason run.


North Gwinnett head coach Eric Godfree has the luxury of boasting two experienced players under center that make life hard on opponents.

Elam Rahman senior and junior Banks Halcomb threw two touchdown passes apiece on Friday to help North Gwinnett cruise to a 46-7 victory over Norcross.

The duo has combined for 25 passing scores (17 from Rahman, eight from Halcomb) for a North (8-1, 4-1 Region 7-AAAAAAA) offense that looks dangerous with either quarterback.

“It’s very valuable when you talk about having that kind of depth,” Godfree said. “When you only have one quarterback, you’re scared all the time. When you’ve got two, everything’s wide open. They both play so hard. You trust both of them and it makes it tough on the defense. Every time I talk to opposing coaches, they’re really having to prepare for two different styles of quarterback and it’s not easy. They can’t go in with one game plan. They basically have to have two, so it’s definitely to our advantage.”


The Bulldogs entered play ranked seventh in the Class AAAAAAA PSR rankings and didn’t need to win to secure a spot in the state playoffs, which begin in two weeks. What Godfree’s team did need to continue to prove, though, was that the 50-24 loss to Brookwood on Oct. 9 was an anomaly.


“We talked about wanting to play fast and play hard,” Godfree said. “Which means be well-prepared and play physical and we did both of those things tonight and really the last two games as far as a response. I really love that about our team. But we got beat up some tonight, too. So we’ve got to come back and take care of our bodies. It’s a long season and it’s a toll when you’re playing this physical.”

North Gwinnett pushed its commanding halftime lead to 32-7 on Will Rogers’ 37-yard field goal with 6:07 left in the third quarter.

Norcross quarterback Luqman Baig was then dropped by C.J. Cardona on a fourth-and-one at the Bulldogs’ 21.

Halcomb rushed for 24 yards and then hit Wilson Taylor Jr. on a screen pass that went for a 35-yard touchdown as the third quarter expired, giving the visitors a 39-7 advantage.

Baig’s fumble on the next possession was recovered by Jackson Hayes, before Rahman reentered and found a wide-open Josh Williams for a 38-yard score to make it 46-7.

Junior defensive back D.J. Moore returned an interception to Norcross’ 2-yard line, where North kneeled the ball to end a dominating night and an eighth straight win over the Blue Devils.


It also marked Godfree’s third straight year without a regular season loss on the road.

“I didn’t even quite realize that,” Godfree said of the Bulldogs’ 16-game road streak. “That is really strong and powerful. To be in this county and this region and the games that we play consistently, that says a lot about the grit and tenacity of how our players prepare both in the offseason and during the season. My coaches do such a great job with the preparation year-round here for those guys.”


Taylor returned the opening kickoff to Norcross’ 38-yard line. Rahman hit Evan Hawkins for a 26-yard gain two plays later and Taylor took the next play for an easy 12-yard score to give North its first touchdown just 78 seconds in. Jake Godfree caught the ensuing two-point conversion to make it 8-0.

Norcross’ Kosta Andjelkovic missed a 40-yard field goal attempt on Norcross’ first drive.

Halcomb entered at quarterback for North Gwinnett and hit Stephen Brown for a 62-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 15 with 10:01 left in the first half.


Baig hit Tyler Ruffin for a 43-yard pass on Norcross’ next play, but consecutive losses forced a second Blue Devil punt.

Backed up in the shadow of its own goal line, Rahman fired a pass to Christian Jackson, who eluded a pair of defenders and sprinted for a 91-yard touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 22-0 edge.

The Blue Devils answered with their best drive, stamped with Baig’s back-shoulder 33-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Crye, cutting the deficit to 15 with 4:36 remaining before halftime.

Rahman trucked his way for a 23-yard keeper on the next North possession, but Drew Noelsaint then picked off the senior’s pass in the end zone.

After a Norcross three-and-out, Taylor rushed for 17 yards and North Gwinnett pushed in its fourth first-half touchdown on Josiah Saunders’ 8-yard run with 32 seconds left, giving the Bulldogs a 29-7 lead.

Ewan Glass’ last-second sack of Baig punctuated a near-perfect defensive half from North.


Norcross (4-5, 2-3), which ranked 28th entering its final home game, dropped its second straight by a combined 73 points. The Blue Devils finish their regular season next week at Duluth.


While next week’s meeting with Parkview won’t be North Gwinnett’s last home game, it will serve as Senior Night, honoring an outstanding senior class, which includes Godfree’s son and star linebacker, Jake.

“It’ll be one of the more emotional Senior Nights I’ve ever had,” Godfree said of his son. “To honor him, and of course all of our seniors, will be special. But at the end of the day, it’s about the task at hand and beating Parkview. It is just another game, but at the same time, it’s a celebration for all the time and efforts that they have put into North Gwinnett and our community as a whole.”