JEFFERSON — With the Region 8-3A crown on the line, Monroe Area showed that, indeed, quarterback Chandler Byron and the Purple Hurricanes are as good adverstied, defeating Jefferson 35-21 in Jefferson.
Byron had a hand in all five Monroe Area touchdowns, piling up 241 yards rushing and four scores, while also throwing for 52 yards and a touchdown to lead the No. 3 Purple Hurricanes past the eighth-ranked Dragons.
Jefferson also found tough sleding in moving the ball against the Monroe Area defense, scoring just one first half touchdown and never pulling within two scores in the second half.
Byron used touchdown runs of 9 and 38 yards to stake the visitors to an advantage they would not yield. The Dragons (7-2, 4-1 Region 8-3A) responded through a 17-yard touchdown pass from Carter Stephenson to Garmon Randolph in the second quarter to cut the Purple Hurricanes (9-0, 5-0) lead to 14-7 with just 4:20 remaining in the first half.
It was too much time for the quick-strike Monroe offense, however, which scored two touchdowns in the time to take full control of the contest into the locker room -- Byron completing a 52-yard scoring strike and ripping off a 17-yard touchdown run.
Turnovers helped doom the Dragons and stunt their offensive momentum, including two interceptions.
Paxton Corkery and Stephenson led the Dragons’ ground attack. Corkery ran for 60 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown, while Stephenson rolled up 66 yards on 13 carries and one touchdown, and also threw 11-for-15 for 106 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Hurricanes’ running back Jakia Thompson also added 61 yards on 12 carries, and led the final Monroe Area drive to put the game away.
Jefferson can still secure a home playoff game when it travels to face Jackson County next week.
SCORING SUMMARY
MONROE AREA....14....14....7....0 -- 35
JEFFERSON............0.....7.....7....7 -- 21
First Quarter
MA -- Byron 9 run (Ferguson kick) 7-0, 3:34
MA -- Byron 38 run (Ferguson kick) 14-0, 1:12
Second Quarter
JHS -- Randolph 17 pass from Stephenson (Kilgore kick) 14-7, 4:20
MA -- Okwudili 52 pass from Byron (Ferguson kick) 21-7, 2:53
MA -- Byron 17 run (Ferguson kick) 28-7, 0:59
Third Quarter
JHS -- Corkery 1 run (Kilgore kick) 28-14, 4:44
MA -- Byron 1 run (Ferguson kick) 35-14, 1:38
Fourth Quarter
JHS -- Stephenson 1 run (Kilgore kick) 35-21, 6:01
