Gavin Markey’s 5-TD night led the Dragons to a thrilling 42-28 win, lifting Jefferson back into the Semifinals for a second straight season. #1 Jefferson (10-3) scored twice in the final 7 minutes to scoot past a pesky Cherokee Bluff (11-2), ranked #5 in the state.
Markey wasted no time, carving up yards on the opening drive all the way to a 31-yd TD dart to Talan Childress. The Bears retaliated on the ensuing drive, converting a 4th down on Brooks Brien’s 27-yd TD to Dylan Haley. The extra point missed to keep the Dragons up 7-6.
Jefferson went right back to work, as Markey had another couple of chunk yardage plays that set up a 12-yd sprint to the end zone by Rett Hemphill, pushing the lead to 14-6 late in the opening quarter. Cherokee Bluff had a chance when Brien opened the second quarter with a run deep inside Dragon territory, but Kelan Butler forced a fumble that Jefferson recovered at the 7-yd line.
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The Bears got even on their next possession, capitalizing on a costly penalty to extend their drive. Brien linked up with Bryce Fontenot on a 19-yd TD. The 2-point try was successful, as Brien found Malcolm Millsap on a slant in the end zone, knotting the contest at 14 apiece.
Garrett Hyder had a 21-yd field goal for Cherokee Bluff moments later to give the Bears a 17-14 lead. Looking to add to it, Jefferson’s Hemphill denied the quest with an interception to put the Dragons in a position to take the lead before the half. Markey connected with Joshua Causey on a 7-yd TD with 6 seconds on the clock, giving the home team a 21-17 lead at the break.
The Bears opened the second half with the ball and drained nearly half the clock in the third, finishing with a 27-yd field goal by Hyder to get within 21-20. Market and company responded again, with Mickell Pittman notching a pair of big runs that led to a 13-yd rushing score for Markey to stretch the lead up to 28-20.
Cherokee Bluff ran its next drive down to the 1-yd line to end the third, courtesy of a long pass from Brien to Millsap. On the first play of the fourth, Brien kept it for the TD. KT Thompson ran the 2-point try in from a Wildcat formation to tie the game at 28.
Not to be outdone, Markey got the go-ahead TD a couple yards out with 7:06 remaining. He then put the game on ice with just over 2 minutes left on a 68-yd TD for the 42-28 lead.
Both of Cherokee Bluff’s losses came at Memorial Stadium, both within a month’s span. Markey had a hand in all but one Dragons TD, rushing for 3 and passing for 2. Hemphill had the rushing score, 2 interceptions, and a sack to his credit.
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