JEFFERSON — It was the kind of battle typically not seen until the cold nights of November.
But Friday night’s showdown of Class AAAA titans Jefferson and Thomson certainly gave a glimpse to anyone that was paying attention of what is in store down the road for the rest of the classification.
Both teams created big plays and turnovers but it was a pair of fourth quarter kickoff returns that was the difference as No. 4 Thomson left Memorial Stadium with an impressive 42-20 victory over the third-ranked Dragons.
The two big returns for Thomson (3-0) answered Jefferson (2-1) scores in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs then sealed the win via a sack and a 48-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 2:23 left in the game.
Despite the outcome, Jefferson coach Ben Hall did not display the look of a disappointed coach. The Dragons battled cramps most of the game and were forced to shuffle their defensive alignment throughout.
“(Our guys) fought their tails off and didn’t quit when faced with a lot of adversity,” Hall said. “It was great to have a test like this in Week 3. We were able to get out of here injury-free and we had a lot of the younger guys grow up tonight. I think they’re a little bit tougher than they were when we started this game.”
And yet, it may not be the last time the two squads face off in 2016.
“There’s a chance we could see them again,” Hall said. “That was a quarterfinal matchup right there. They’re expected to win their region so we could see them again for sure.”
In the end the Bulldogs defense was able to force a pair of Jefferson field goals after the Dragons had driven deep into their territory. Their stand early in the second quarter after Cale Compton blocked a punt to set the Dragons up at the Bulldogs 6 gave them some obvious momentum.
However, on the play, three Jefferson players had a chance to scoop it up and waltz into the end zone but could not corral the ball and the Bulldogs pounced on it at the 6. That would prove costly.
The Thomson defense stuffed Colby Wood twice inside and quarterback Bryce Moore’s rollout pass on third down was incomplete forcing a Hayden Kilgore 20-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3 with 9:08 left in the first half.
“You’d like to punch that in right there and we weren’t able too,” Hall said. “You kick the field goal right and it’s still a one-score game.”
The Bulldogs needed less than 40 seconds to answer. Michael Thomas, who finished with 182 yards and three touchdowns, ripped off a 55-yard gain to the Dragons 12 to set up Bubba Murray’s 12-yard scoring run on the next play to make it a 14-3 lead and it would stay that way until halftime.
The Dragons got their next opportunity early in the third quarter when Colby Clark picked off a Thomson pass giving Jefferson the ball at the Thomson 43. This time the Dragons would cash in when Wood’s 1-yard plunge capped an 8-play drive, highlighted by a 16-yard run by Zack Boobas to the Bulldogs 9, that cut the lead to 14-10.
But Boobas, who doubles as a linebacker and had made three tackles for loss up to that point to help contain the Bulldogs, had to leave the game with sever cramps. It was a big blow for the defense and a turning point.
Thomas ripped off runs of 11, 19, 6, and 10 on consecutive plays and then capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to push the lead back to 21-10 with just 2:04 left in the third quarter.
But again the Dragons answered, only it could have been so much more. Ignited by a 50-yard slant pass to Wood from Moore, they got to the Thomson 14 but the Bulldogs stiffened again and forced a 35-yard Kilgore field goal.
And Christian Tutt put the first dagger through the Dragons’ heart 13 seconds later taking the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a score to push the lead back to 28-13.
Again Jefferson answered. This time, Moore was the catalyst going 4-for-5 for 40 yards to move them to the Thomson 7 and Boobas finished it with a 7-yard touchdown run to pull back within 28-20 with 4:54 left.
Thomas provided the second dagger grabbing a bouncing onside kick and outraced the Dragons defense for a 48-yard kickoff return to push the lead back to 35-20 just 5 seconds later.
Thomson then nailed it shut sacking Moore, who fumbled, and Zack Johnson scooped it up for 48-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown on Jefferson's next possession.
“It was a one score game most of the night. We had the special teams breakdowns which we can’t have but (Thomson) made plays. That was a good football team,” Hall said.
Thomson was able to contain Wood, who came in averaging over 150 yards a game, to just 49 yards on 17 carries. But Wood caught six passes for 108 yards.
SCORING SUMMARY
Thomson....7....7....7....21 -- 42
Jefferson....0....3...7....10 -- 20
First Quarter
THS -- Thomas 3 run (Gergen kick) 7-0, 3:35
Second Quarter
JHS -- Kilgore 20 FG 7-3, 9:08
THS -- Murray 12 run (Gergen kick) 14-3, 8:31
Third Quarter
JHS -- Wood 1 run (Kilgore kick) 14-10, 5:30
THS -- Thomas 2 run (Gergen kick) 21-10, 2:04
Fourth Quarter
JHS -- Kilgore 35 FG 21-13, 10:57
THS -- Tutt 95 kickoff return (Gergen kick) 28-13, 10:44
JHS -- Boobas 7 run (Kilgore kick) 28-20, 4:54
THS -- Thomas 48 kickoff return (Gergen kick) 35-20, 4:49
THS -- Johnson 48 fumble return (Gergen kick) 42-20, 2:23
