Jefferson exploded in the third quarter with 21 points as the #1-ranked Dragons won 45-28 against #2 Stephens County. The visiting Indians held a 14-10 halftime lead.
In a game against two of the top defenses in the state, the offenses flexed throughout the second half. The first was much more to plan. Stephens County opened with a pick-6 by Davon Swinton for a 7-0 lead. The Indians added to it on the first play of the second when Javin Gordon scored from 4 yards out, making it 14-0.
The Dragons midway through the quarter fired back when Mickell Pittman notched a 10-yd TD run, cutting the deficit in half. Jefferson added a 32-yd field goal courtesy of Taylor McCall just before the break, leaving Stephens County up 14-10.
Jefferson was dealt a huge blow when star sophomore Max Brown came up with a knee injury, and was out the rest of the game on crutches. In his place, the defense rallied to hold the Indians to 14 points the rest of the way.
Jefferson wasted no time in the second half, going ahead on a Rett Hemphill 7-yd TD. The seesaw battle continued, as on the ensuing drive the Indians got an improbable 44-yd TD from Tripp Underwood to Brock Tankersley to reclaim the lead at 21-17.
However, Jefferson went back on top on a Dallas Russell 2-yd plunge. Near the end of the third, Jefferson found pay dirt again as Gavin Markey pulled a magic trick out his hat. He hooked up with Hemphill on a 19-yd TD, but evaded a sure sack in the backfield to complete the pass. That gave the Dragons a 31-21 advantage heading into the final stanza.
In the fourth, Markey’s 1-yd TD pushed it to 38-21. Though Stephens responded immediately with an Underwood-Gordon 32-yd TD, it was still too much to overcome. Jefferson capped the scoring on a 68-yd TD run by Hemphill.
The Dragons are now 3-1 and on a 3-game win streak, while the Indians’ 3-game win streak comes to a halt. Stephens is now also 3-1. Markey had a TD pass and rush, while Underwood threw for 2 TDs. Gordon had a couple scores, while Hemphill had 3.
SEE ALSO
