The Jefferson High Foundation and the Dragon football team will honor the 1971 region championship team along with coaches, cheerleaders and band members on Friday before the Jefferson-Flowery Branch game at Memorial Stadium.
Although relatively small in size and number, the 1971 squad is considered one of the best in school history. The Dragons were 9-3, won the first region football title and qualified for the state playoffs for the first time ever. In 1971, a team had to win the region to qualify for the playoffs.
The Seniors that year never had a losing season in four years of high school and never lost to arch-rival Commerce. Many were multi-sport athletes and helped the Dragons to success in wrestling, basketball and track-and-field, winning various state places and titles along the way.
In addition to successful careers in business, teaching, coaching, journalism- athletically, people from that team went on to play at major colleges, with at least one spending some time in the NFL; and another winning National and World Championships in disciplines of powerlifting.
The Jefferson football team that year had the late Jim Lofton as its head coach and the late Jim Stoudenmire as his top assistant. Lofton would win a state championship in Alabama before returning to coach in Georgia at East Hall, North Hall and GAC.
Stoudenmire took over for Lofton, won two more region championships at Jefferson, and his teams played for the state championship in 1975 and 1977.
