Stephenson quarterback Xavier Sheppard passed\\ for four first-half touchdowns and led the No. 5 Jaguars to a 55-0 win over Southwest DeKalb Friday night at Hallford Stadium in Clarkstton.
Sheppard connected on five of his six passes and tossed two touchdowns each to fellow juniors Hassan Littles and Khalil Newton to give Stephenson a 35-0 halftime lead.
Linebacker Nigel Grant’s interception of Southwest DeKalb quarterback Justin Tomlin led to the first touchdown pass from Sheppard to Littles, a 22-yard connection with 3:00 to play in the first quarter. Sheppard found Newton for a 29-yard score with 9:44 to play in the second quarter and a 48-yard touchdown pass on the next possession. With 32 seconds to go before halftime, Sheppard and Littles connected for a 10-yard touchdown.
Senior running back Trestan Kinsler added 143 yards rushing on eight carries by halftime, including an 86-yard touchdown run to put Stephenson ahead 7-0.
Stephenson added two scores in the third quarter when backup quarterback Richard Gray found running back Darius Debose for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 7:28 to play and Shaun Jolly returned an interception 33 yards two plays later.
Jayvon Hilton scored on a 37-yard run with 5:43 to play to put Stephenson ahead 55-0.
With the win, No. 2 Stephenson wrapped up the Region 6-AAAAA Division A title and at least one home playoff game. The Jaguars will aim for their first region title since 2009 next week against No. 2 Mays.
“(Mays) does not have any weaknesses,” Stephenson head coach Ron Gartrell said. “It will take great play on both sides of the ball and a great plan to beat them.”
Stephenson (8-1 overall, 5-0 in Region 6-AAAAA Division A) beat Southwest DeKalb for the fourth-straight time and maintained a spotless record this season against in-state teams. The Jaguars’ only loss was a 36-8 defeat to American Heritage of Plantation, Fla. in August. Before last week’s 27-13 win over M.L. King, Stephenson had shut out its three previous subregion opponents 133-0.
The Jaguars defense hurried Southwest DeKalb Tomlin into a 5-for-12 passing performance for 17 yards and an interception in the first half. Tomlin entered the game as DeKalb County’s leading passer with over 1,700 yards. The sophomore finished 9-of-24 passing for 93 yards.
Southwest DeKalb (4-5 overall, 3-2 in Region 6-AAAAA Division B) fell into a three-way tie for second place with M.L. King and Miller Grove.
Stephenson 55, Southwest DeKalb 0
S 14 21 14 6 55
SWD 0 0 0 0 00
S - Trestan Kinsler 86 run (Darien Tisdale kick)
S - Hassan Littles 22 pass from Xavier Sheppard (Tisdale kick)
S - Khalil Newton 29 pass from Sheppard (Tisdale kick)
S - Newton 48 pass from Sheppard (Tisdale kick)
S - Littles 10 pass from Sheppard (Tisdale kick)
S - Darius Debose 5 pass from Richard Gray (Tisdale kick)
S - Shaun Jolly 33 int ret (Tisdale kick)
S - Jayvon Hilton 37 run (kick failed)
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