Jefferson’s star-studded defense was spectacular in a historic 27–17 win over #3 North Oconee (8-2; 4-1). The #7-ranked Dragons (8-2; 5-0) outright won the bona fide Region Championship game, as both teams came in with long region title streaks.

The Dragons never trailed, and came up with two stops in the final minutes to put the game away. There were half a dozen Power 4 players on the field between both teams and what was billed a heavyweight bout.

Jefferson received the opening kick and marched down the field with a drive that bled five minutes off the clock. Boone Horn had a big pass and run, followed by a huge gainer by CJ Hays and then Max Brown. The latter rumbled in from two yards out. The extra point was blocked, giving Jefferson a 6-0 lead.

It took until midway through the second for the Titans to punch back. It came on a 45-yd field goal by Oliver Buckley that bounced off the crossbar and fell in, bridging the gap to a 6-3 game with 5:53 left in the half.

With 18 seconds left, Horn dialed up a long pass to Austen Kitchings for a 40-yd touchdown to give Jefferson a 13-3 lead going into the half.

Immediate the Dragons added on to open the third, but it happened on defense. A punt was blocked by Amire Barnes and recovered by Caleb Graham, who waltzed in for a touchdown and a dominant 20-3 lead.

The Titans had to draw up a trick play to get a touchdown, when a flea flicker resulted in a 27-yd TD from #9 to #6, making it a 20-10 game with 1:09 left in the third.

But the Dragons countered at the horn, when Boone Horn checked one down to Kitchings, who beat defenders on a 57-yd race to push the advantage back up to 27-10 heading into the fourth.

North Oconee wouldn’t go down without a fight. Joby McCannon went untouched around the end on a 6-yd touchdown to open the fourth, again making it a 10-point game at 27-17.

The Titans had two more drives that got deep into Jefferson territory, but the Dragon defense came up with a fourth down stop and then Bo Parker closed the game out with h an interception in the end zone.

The win simultaneously stretched Jefferson’s region title run to five in a row while snapping North Oconee’s five-year run.

Horn had two touchdown passes, both to Kitchings. The Dragons’ regular season is over, and now they await next week’s results to determine the playoff seeding.

Jefferson becomes the fourth school in Georgia history to win region championships in six different classifications – a feat only matched and surpassed by Buford, Roswell, and Carrollton.