JEFFERSON — It seems almost impossible, at the very least improbable.
Despite combining for 1,173 wins, 36 region titles and three state titles, the tradition-rich programs of Gainesville and Jefferson High football have never once faced each other on the gridiron.
It is an anomaly the two northeast Georgia powers will remedy tonight -- and both communities are anticipating fireworks.
"Everyone's loving it, all the towns... We're right beside each other, and I feel like all the communities are coming together, and it's a big-time game and we're looking forward to it," said Jefferson senior lineman Dontae Wilson.
"There's a lot of hype around it. Jefferson, Gainesville -- they have a lot of good offense and good running backs; they're known for that. And Gainesville's known for being a good, athletic, very good team, so it's going to be a pretty good game to watch," Red Elephants junior receiver Jim Barnett said.
Indeed, this contest has been circled on several calendars for some time.
"There's been a lot of local interest in this game since the schedule came out in the spring. And I didn't realize till just the other day that the two schools have never played," Dragons coach Ben Hall said. "I've known (Gainesville) coach (Bruce) Miller for a long time, and we got together back in the spring when we were both trying to pick up five non-region games and though it'd be a good game and the communities excited. And I hadn't realized they hadn't played, but we should have a great atmosphere out here Friday night."
Certainly both programs are used to winning, and both enter the showdown with plenty of motivation to notch the victory.
After sitting through two straight bye weeks Gainesville (2-1) is just happy to be playing any team. Yet the fact that they are traveling to battle Class AAAA No. 6 Jefferson adds even more weight for the Red Elephants.
"We have a lot of doubt against us, against Jefferson. It's an away game too, so that'll be really good if we get a win," Gainesville senior receiver Andy Hayes said. "Coming off these two bye weeks we're rested up, so we have a lot of confidence going in this Friday, so hopefully we'll get that win."
To do it, Gainesville knows it must improve on its performances from the first three weeks -- contests that saw the Red Elephants (2-1) mix moments of brilliance with disappointment, as they knocked off West Hall and Clarke Central but fell to Alpharetta. Over that span, Gainesville averaged 252 yards of offense but just 16 points per game.
"I felt like what we were doing defensively on that side of the ball was pretty sound," said Gainesville coach Bruce Miller, who added that his team spent its off weeks honing its spread offense. "Offensively we tried to go back and just get some things and try to establish an identity of who we are on offense. And I think we were able to do that. I watched our skilled people and our linemen get better and better each day."
The play of the offensive line and quarterback D.J. Irons (595 yards passing, 61 percent completion rate, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) is certain to be magnified against a Jefferson defense that has been dominant at times this campaign.
The Dragons (3-1) are allowing just 14 points per game -- 4.6 per contest in its three wins. Class AAAA No. 2 Thomson experienced the only true success against Jefferson so far in a 42-20 win (and several of those points came via special teams play), and the Dragons responded to the setback with a shutout performance in which they allowed just 32 total yards in a 33-0 defeat of Flowery Branch.
"We have seven seniors on that side of the ball and a number of returning starters, and they've gelled early and they play well, and they're playing hard," Jefferson coach Ben Hall said. "We pride ourselves on having 11 hats to the ball, and they did that on Friday night, and you didn't really realize it till after the game but I don't know that Flowery Branch advanced the ball past the 50-yard line. And, for the defense, you can't say much more than that."
That said, the Dragons know they must be vigilant against a Red Elephants offense that features plenty of big-play potential at receiver, including Barnett (team-high 17 receptions, 10.9 yards per reception), Martavious (Red) Davis (19.3 yards per reception), RD Timmons (8.4 yards per reception) and Andy Hayes (8.1 yards per reception). Gainesville could also be boosted by Trey Blackwell's (14 yards per reception) return from injury.
"Gainesville's more a vertical threat team than Flowery Branch was Friday night so we need to work on containing their skill guys and eliminating the big play as far as our defensive is concerned -- and try to control the line of scrimmage on offense," Hall said.
Jefferson's imposing offensive line has done just that for much of the campaign, paving the way for a run game averaging 219 yards per game -- led by junior Colby Wood (111 rush yards per game, 50 receiving yards per game, 8 total TDs).
"I think they are very much like Buford, a lot of I formation, coming right at you, a lot of shifting and moving and trying to out-balance you," Miller said. "And we've got to be ready for that defensively. We've got to be able to take them coming straight off the ball and hitting us upside the head and saying, 'OK, we can stop this.' I think defensively we've got to slow down their running game. And I think offensively we've got to do what we do and move the football and keep their offense off the field."
Do that, and the Red Elephants will vault themselves into one last non-region game (next week versus Marist) with plenty of momentum. Jefferson, meanwhile, would love nothing more than to close out their non-region schedule with a victory before beginning Region 8-AAAA play next week.
"You would like to generate as much momentum as possible before you take on a five-game region schedule that we feel is very competitive," Hall said, "and we've played a challenging no-region slate. And Gainesville is the last of the five, and they're very competitive. It would be a big win for us and our program."
There will be plenty at stake on Friday night -- and that's not even counting community pride and bragging rights.
"We've just got to keep getting better and better at this point of the season," Miller said. "You hate to have a game where you don't improve some, and the opponents are getting tougher, and everyone's getting a good look at you now and knowing what you're doing, so it's at that point of the season where you better be improving or you're going to be hurting."
GAINESVILLE at JEFFERSON
- WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday
- WHERE: Memorial Stadium, Jefferson
- RADIO: 1240 AM ESPN Radio
- GAINESVILLE (2-1, 0-0 Region 8-AAAAAA): Coming off two straight bye weeks; defeated Clarke Central 21-14 on Sept. 2
- JEFFERSON (3-1, 0-0 Region 8-AAAA): Defeated Flowery Branch 33-0 last week
- HISTORIC PROGRAMS MAKE HISTORY: Despite being two of the area's traditional powers, this will be the Red Elephants and Dragons first meeting.
