On Friday at home, the Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets beat Metter 2-0, moving to 2-2 on the season.
Metter, out of Class A Division I, went 9-4 year and reached the quarterfinals. The Jackets are trying to steer the program back into a winning direction after finishing 1-9 last year. They were 10-2 in 2021.
The Jackets scored the game’s only points in the fourth quarter on a special teams play. As Metter attempted to punt, the snap went over the punter’s head, resulting in a safety.
“Both teams played their tale off in that game,” Jackets coach Lance Helton said. “The game was a field position battle, and both defenses bowed their necks when the opposing offenses were in scoring position. Late in the fourth, when we were able to flip the field and pin Metter deep, we knew that something good needed to come from it. The fourth down play with the errant snap was one that you feel extreme excitement for your team, but you must also focus on getting a kickoff return team on the field in an unusual alignment, and focus on maintaining possession of the ball to end the game.
“Metter is a good football team that is rugged and well-coached, and (Metter coach Lee) Shaw does a fine job. When we finished in the handshake line and got with the team, we all just smiled and said, ‘Wow.’ Those moments are the types of things our kids will remember forever. A true battle.”
The Jackets are on bye this week, then open Region 1 play at No. 10 Cook (1-2) on Sept. 22.
Banks County moves to 3-0
With their 34-16 win over Franklin County, the Banks County Leopards are 3-0.
Earlier, they beat Johnson-Gainesville 53-13, and Oglethorpe County 19-14.
“The win over Franklin not only has boosted our confidence, but matured us a great bit as well,” Leopards coach Jay Reid said. “It’s always good to have some tough, physical games early in the season where you have to win deep into the second half, as it prepares you for the region battles that are ahead.
“I always preach to our guys to play for 48 complete minutes, and they proved last night they are capable of doing that. Really excited about the high level of play we’re getting out of some guys, and where our program is overall at this point of the season. We are healthy and getting better each week.”
They have two more non-region games against GISA’s George Walton (2-2) and A Division I’s Commerce (2-1), before their 8-2A schedule, which begins with East Jackson (3-1).
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