The Jefferson Dragons remain unbeaten after a big win Friday night over Riverside Military Academy, as the Dragons decimated the Eagles 47-20.
The win puts Jefferson alone at the top of 8-AA standings and puts them in the catbird seat as they enter an off week this week.
Their next challenge will come from Banks County in Homer on Oct. 17. Banks enters the pairing with a 3-2 region record. The Leopards lost 35-7 to the Dragons in their most recent match up in September of 2001.
Early Start
Jefferson drew first blood against the Eagles, getting their first seven points on the board early on off of a 66-yard drive that ended with Virgil Appleby scoring.
Riverside wasn’t just going to roll over, however, and with 6:10 remaining in the quarter, an Eagle interception on the Jefferson 29 yard line set up a Riverside touchdown one minute later. A failed PAT by Riverside allowed Jefferson to hold a 7-6 lead.
Jefferson turned on the heat and a little over a minute of play later, Lucas Redd ran the second touchdown of the night in for the Dragons.
Late in the quarter, the Jefferson defense held fast to stop a Riverside drive and took possession of the ball with 28 seconds left in the quarter.
It looked as if Zach Crosby had scored the third Jefferson touchdown of the night from 37 yards out, but it was called back on a holding penalty.
With the final seconds of the quarter ticking away, Darius Minor again passed to Crosby, who ran in for a touchdown on a 50-yard pass play. Riverside was able to block the PAT, keeping the score locked at 20.
Jefferson stayed just as hot in the second quarter as Tab Martin broke into the end zone from 20 yards out. The Eagles managed to prevent the Dragons from making a two point conversion, leaving the score 26-6.
From there, Riverside began trying to work their way back into competition and made it all the way to the Jefferson 15 yard line before the Dragons’ defense made a big stop to take possession.
With just over two minutes left in the half, Riverside intercepted a pass on the Jefferson 32 yard line and with 35 seconds remaining, finally broke into the end zone for the second time of the night to make the score 26-13 going into the half.
Pushing Forward
The Dragons came out swinging in the second half, and added to their lead with just over six and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter with a touchdown. Minor ran in for the two-point conversion, and Jefferson held a commanding 34-13 lead.
But the Eagles came clawing back, and with under a minute left in the quarter, and made their third touchdown of the night to move to within 14 points of the Dragons by the end of the quarter.
Jefferson wasted no time in working to put Riverside away once and for all, and with nine minutes and 41 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, moved themselves into scoring position.
Minor ran into the end zone on a keeper to put the Dragons up 41-20.
With just under four minutes remaining, Jefferson put the final nail into the Eagles’ coffin with another touchdown.
The Eagles tried to mount another frontal attack on the Dragons, but Jefferson’s defense held their ground and the night ended with a 47-20 final score.
