Thomson 27, Jefferson 6: Bulldogs run away with rematch in semifinals

The GHSA moved this rematch of top-5 teams to Thomson due to seating capacity issues at Jefferson’s Memorial Stadium. Jefferson, hoping to avenge its 42-20 loss to Thomson Sept. 2, was limited to a pair of Hayden Kilgore field goals (22 yards and 30 yards) in this loss as the Dragons saw two drives inside the Thomson 10-yard line stall due to penalties.

“We go down and we get inside the red zone and we get two drive-killing penalties and have to settle for field goals,” Hall said. “It’s just a tough loss … That’s a very talented football team.”

Colby Wood finished with 100 yards on 16 carries, closing his junior season with 1,634 yards. Quarterback Colby Clark added 71 yards on 16 carries. Jefferson did not complete a pass.

Kilgore’s first field goal put the Dragons up 3-0 in the second quarter before the Bulldogs reeled off 20 consecutive points to take control of the game.

Thomson hit some big plays in the passing game in doing so.

Mills Ridings connected on passes of 30 yards and 40 yards to set up the Bulldogs’ first two scores.

“You see the guys they have,” coach Ben Hall said. “It’s just they threw it up and our guys were in great position and just couldn’t make the play.”

Standout Bulldog tailback Mike Thomas, who finished with 99 yards, capped the first touchdown drive by diving into the end zone from one yard out. Ridings carried the ball in from 14 yards out, running free on a quarterback keeper, for Thomson’s second score.

Thomas, a 2,000-yard rusher on the year, contributed to the passing game by throwing a 30-yard touchdown on a halfback pass to Trey Parker to put the Bulldogs up 20-3 at the 8:55 mark in the third quarter.

Kilgore connected on his second field goal with 4:17 left in the third quarter, but the Dragons still trailed by two scores, 20-6.

“Offensively, we moved the ball on them, but like I said we get down there on the condensed end of the field and we get two penalties that kill drives and have to settle for field goals,” Hall said. “That’s tough.”

Bubba Murray put the game out of reach, scoring from two yards out with 10:08 left after setting up the touchdown with a 40-yard run.

This was only the third time this season that the Dragons had given up more than 21 points.

“I don’t think it was a lack of our game plan,” senior linebacker Blake Wright said. “We just allowed a couple plays that got out of our radar, and that hurt us in the end.”

The defeat denied Jefferson its second trip to the state finals in the last five years, but the Dragons still managed to reach the semifinals in their first year in Class AAAA.

“We didn’t finish up where we wanted to – that’s obvious,” Wright said. “Everyone wants to win a state championship, and we’re no different. But going to the final four in a classification that we are smaller than pretty much every school, I think that really speaks to our character. I know for a fact that all those boys and myself, we played our hearts out.”

Hall said he’s proud of what this team accomplished.

“I think we have a lot of momentum , thanks to this team, and we will build on their effort and we’ll be back again next year,” he said.

Jefferson’s senior class now moves on after compiling a 44-8 record with two trips to the quarterfinals and one to the semifinals.

“We set the bar high,” Kellum said. “I believe in the class that’s coming up, and I know they will compete and they will do just as good if not better.”