After last year’s 47-46 track meet game between Jefferson and Alpharetta, it seemed like a complete 180 after a low-scoring first half in which both defenses were constantly disruptive. Jefferson had a pair of costly turnovers in the second quarter that resulted in a 17-7 Alpharetta lead going into the break. However, the Dragons scored three times in the first four minutes of the second half to go up for good.

Sammy Brown made plays all over the field in his first game of his final season before the 5-star and #1 linebacker in the country goes on to Clemson. His 7-yd TD in the opening quarter had the Dragons up 7-0, and he made several plays on defense including a 4th & 2 stop inside the 10-yard line after the Raiders had picked off Gavin Markey.

However, Alpharetta turned a muffed punt and fumbled kickoff return in the second quarter into points. The first came on a DJ Bordeaux to Sean Wilson 35-yard TD to tie the game early in the second. A 28-yard field goal with 12 seconds left gave the visitors a slim 10-7 lead. The ensuing kickoff was botched though, and a passing TD of 18 yards by Bordeaux stunned the Dragons as Alpharetta led 17-7.

The second half took just three plays for the Dragons to get back into it. Two big passing plays set up a 7-yd TD run again by Brown to pull within 17-13. Moments later, Rhett Hemphill blocked a punt and it rolled out at the 4-yard line. Markey kept it for the TD on the next play, giving the Dragons a 20-13 lead.

It didn’t stop there though. Hemphill recovered a fumble just a couple of plays later, which led to a 17-yd TD by Brown, his third of the contest and the 27-17 lead. Another fumble recovery came before the quarter ended, and Brown eased into the end zone from a yard out to cap the Jefferson scoring at 34-17. Alpharetta added a TD in the final quarter to bring the 34-24 final tally. Brown finished with 4 TD runs, as Jefferson is 1-0 on the season.