Jefferson and Oconee County are an even 4-4 against one another since October of 2014, but not for long. The Jefferson Dragons will take on the Oconee County Warriors at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Oconee County is hoping to do what Cherokee Bluff couldn't on Friday: put an end to Jefferson's winning streak, which now stands at four games. Jefferson blew past Cherokee Bluff, posting a 35-7 victory.
Gavin Markey continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 206 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 9.0 yards per carry, and also throwing for 75 yards and two touchdowns. His rushing production has been exceptional recently as that marked his fourth straight game with at least 105 rushing yards.
Jefferson was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 298 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 289 rushing yards in four consecutive matches.
Jefferson didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. In fact, those interceptions all came courtesy of defensive juggernaut Chance Payne.
Meanwhile, Oconee County got themselves on the board against Monroe Area on Friday, but Monroe Area never followed suit. They were the clear victor by a 20-0 margin over the Purple Hurricanes.
It was another big night for Caiden Wood, who rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.8 yards per carry. Darius Darden handled things on the ground, rushing for 91 yards and a rushing touchdown.
Another reason for the win was Oconee County's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for five sacks. In that department, Zach Weeks was the leader with two.
Jefferson pushed their record up to 7-2 with the win, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season. As for Oconee County, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Jefferson has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 235.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Oconee County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 197.3. It's looking like Friday's game might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Everything came up roses for Jefferson against Oconee County in their previous meeting back in September of 2023, as the team secured a 44-7 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Jefferson since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
