It all comes down to one game.
The Jefferson football team was one win away from an appearance in the Class 5A state title game last season but fell to Creekside in the semifinals.
Spin the clock forward one year, and the Dragons will get a shot to win the program's second state title.
Calhoun and Jefferson will tee it up Wednesday afternoon in Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Class 3A state title. You can hear the game live on AM 550 & FM 102.9 WDUN.
CALHOUN VS. JEFFERSON
Records: Yellow Jackets (11-3, No. 6 seed); Dragons (11-3, No. 1 seed)
Last week: Calhoun beat Stephenson, 35-13; Jefferson beat LaGrange, 21-13
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Radio: WDUN AM 550/FM 102.9
Time: 4 p.m.
The Statisticals: Series tied 1-1. Ironically, the last time the two teams met was in the 2012 Class 2A title game, won 31-14 by the Dragons at the old Georgia Dome. It was Jefferson’s 1st-ever state title. The Yellow Jackets won 39-6 in 2011 in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs on the way to their 2nd state title. They won state titles in 2014 and 2017 in Class 3A.
What to watch for: The Calhoun offense vs. the Dragons defense. The Jackets offense also has picked up the pace, averaging 36.7 ppg during a 10-game win streak, including scoring 31 or more in 6 straight games. Calhoun Fr. QB Trace Hawkins (1,893 yards, 23 TD, 1 INT) had a near-perfect game last week, going 14-of-16 passing for 231 yards with 4 TD passes. TE Emaree Winston (17 rec., 74 yards, 4 TD, Texas commit), who missed more than half the season with an injury, had six receptions for 93 yards and scored on two short runs vs. Douglass. He had six receptions for 128 yards vs. Stephenson. Justin Beasley is their leading receiver with 18 TD catches. Hudson Chadwick, for injured starter Isiah Nalls, rushed for 126 yards. The Dragons are yielding just 13.25 ppg in the playoffs behind one of the state’s most talented LB groups. As a team, the Dragons have 85 TFL, including 19 sacks, and have forced 23 turnovers (15 INT, 8 fumbles). They snagged 3 LaGrange turnovers last week. LBs Max Brown (140 tkl, 13 TFL, ), Rett Hemphill (131 tkl, 11 TFL, 4 sacks, 7 INT), and JD Lang (88 tkl, 4 TFL), along with DL Kelan Butler (85 tkl, 12 TFL, 5 sacks) have a matchup nightmare for most teams this season.
