For the first time since 2011, Jefferson’s football season is over before Thanksgiving.
The Dragons fell 38-12 in the second round against Blessed Trinity Friday after the Titans’ Garrett Dupuis scored four touchdowns — three in the fourth quarter alone — to end Jefferson’s streak of three consecutive quarterfinals appearances.
The visiting Dragons, who finished at 10-2, trailed 17-12 after three quarters before being outscored 21-0 in the fourth.
“They played a very disciplined ball game,” Jefferson senior offensive lineman Alex Corbett said of Blessed Trinity. “I think that’s the best team we’ve seen all year, all-round. Not really athleticism-wise but discipline. They were a really good football team.”
The Dragons had some missed opportunities in the loss.
Jefferson twice drove inside the Titan 10-yard line but had to settle for Hayden Kilgore field goals (27 and 25 yards) both times. Zack Boobas provided the Dragons’ only touchdown, scoring from 13 yards out in the third quarter.
The Dragons’ 12 points were the fewest they’ve scored since a 22-7 loss to Commerce in 2012. Jefferson also turned the ball over three times against the Titans.
“It’s just one of those games,” Dragon coach Ben Hall said. “When you play a good team like that, you have to do the little things right, and we didn’t do that.”
Still, Hall said his team enjoyed a good season despite the disappointment of the loss.
“Our kids have battled this week and they battled all season, and I’m proud of them for the effort they’ve given us this year,” he said.
Blessed Trinity won despite losing starting quarterback Conor Davis and star tailback Milton Shelton to injuries in the first quarter. Shelton was tended to for an extended period of time and taken away in an ambulance with an apparent neck injury.
But his back-up, Dupuis, entered the game and scored on a seven-yard run three plays after the injury to give the Titans a 7-3 lead.
Jefferson later trailed 10-3 at the half, and then 17-3 early in the third quarter after Blessed Trinity's Elijah Hamilton scored on a six-yard run. That touchdown was set up with a 43-yard completion on third-and-15, putting the Titans at the Dragon 6.
Jefferson answered with Boobas' 13-yard touchdown (the PAT was no good) but saw its next drive stall at the Titan eight. Kilgore booted a 25-yard field goal to cut Blessed Trinity’s lead to 17-12 late in the third quarter.
But Dupuis took over after that, catching a three-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Jake Smith (who took over for Davis) early in the fourth quarter and then scoring on runs of 10 and 12 yards to put the game away.
Jefferson, which will jump to Class AAAA next year, finishes its two-year run in Class AAA with a 22-3 mark, two playoff appearances (including a trip to the quarterfinals last year) and one region title.
Though it fell short of another quarterfinals appearance, Jefferson’s seniors leave as the winningest class in program history. Its four-year run includes a state title, three quarterfinals appearances and 46 victories.
Hall praised this class’s leadership this year in particular.
“Our seniors, I’m proud of them for leading the way when not many were giving them a shot,” Hall said. “They heard a lot of naysayers around, and they kept their nose to the grindstone and they were determined to be successful and they were.”
Corbett said this senior group had a lot grit.
“We've never been the biggest or most talented bunch … but I know for sure that we had one of the biggest hearts,” Corbett said. “We fought hard every game, no matter what our size was or our matchup.”
As for this season, Corbett said he “doesn’t see any regrets at all.”
“You can’t win them all,” he said. “It’s football, and it’s just like life. Things sometimes just don’t go your way … We tried our best, and sometimes you just can’t win them all and just accept that we gave it our all. I know that was a for sure thing.”
