In a top-3 battle for the Region 8-AAA title, host and #2-ranked Jefferson showed Cherokee Bluff the door in a 35-7 statement win in Week 11.
The Dragons (7-2; 4-0 in 8-AAA) virtually locked up the championship, as Gavin Markey accounted for 4 TDs. The #3-ranked Bears (8-1; 3-1), previously unbeaten, couldn’t claw their way out of a 21-0 hole.
Jefferson scored on its opening drive when Gavin Markey dialed long distance to Talan Childress on a wide-open post route for a 38-yd TD. Markey had a huge run to set up the pass. The score held til the second.
The Bears got life when Ben Craig blocked a Jefferson punt and took it down to the 12-yard line. However, Brooks Brien’s pass was picked off in the end zone by Chance Payne. Markey had a breakaway run on third down of the ensuing possession but fumbled it away near the red zone.
The craziness continued when Payne blocked a punt a couple minutes later to put the Dragons in prime position to build on their lead. Markey scored from 3 yards out for the 14-0 lead with under 4 minutes on the clock in the first half, leaping over the pile for pay dirt. The Dragons added insurance with a 22-yd TD pass from Markey to Dalton Dye just before the break, making it 21-zip.
Jefferson subsequently drained the clock to start the second half, as the offense nickel and dimed its way down the field, shaving nearly 9 minutes off the scoreboard. The drive resulted in a missed 38-yd FG. A quick 3-and-out had Bluff punting. It didn’t go well, as it was blocked by Max Brown and Jayden Yang recovered it at the 6-yd line. Dallas Russell scored moments late from 5 ticks out to put the game out of reach at 28-0.
Payne continued his huge night with his second TD-saving pick, and Markey had a 62-yd TD run to blow it open at 35-0. Cherokee Bluff added a late score.
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