METTER, Ga. — Jeff Davis continued its unbeaten start Friday night with a 40-0 road win over Metter, combining several explosive offensive plays with another strong defensive performance.
The matchup carried a little history with it. The last time Jeff Davis and Metter met was in 2023, when the Yellow Jackets won a rare 2-0 defensive battle. Three years later, Jeff Davis returned to the series and controlled the game from start to finish.
The Yellow Jackets entered Friday night 2-0 after wins over Vidalia and Clinch County, while Metter was looking for its first win of the season in its home opener.
Jeff Davis struck first late in the opening quarter after taking over in Metter territory. Garrison Coleman opened the drive with a 12-yard run before a broken play turned into the first touchdown of the night. Quarterback Mark Durden was wrapped up behind the line and tried to get the ball to Jacob Laney. The ball came loose, but Laney recovered it and broke down the sideline for the opening score.
Metter moved the ball at times with its spread offense and short passing game, but the Jeff Davis defense continued to come up with stops when the Tigers reached Yellow Jacket territory.
The offense added another score in the second quarter when Durden found #10 Jai-den West open for a 31-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 13-0.
Senior, Kobe Hill followed with one of the biggest runs of the first half, breaking free for a 53-yard touchdown to make it 19-0. Jeff Davis had several explosive plays erased by penalties during the night, including two apparent touchdowns that were called back. One being a beautifully executed pitch out from Durden under pressure to Hill.
Jeff Davis added another explosive play just before halftime. With the ball at its own 20-yard line and less than 30 seconds remaining, Durden kept the ball on the option, found open field and went 80 yards for a touchdown. Calderon’s extra point sent the Jackets into halftime with a 26-0 lead.
At the break, Jeff Davis had 253 total yards on just 17 plays. Durden had 97 rushing yards on four carries, Hill had 63 yards on four carries and Laney had 40 yards on four attempts. Metter finished the first half with 127 total yards.
The Jeff Davis defense continued to hold in the second half. One thing that was glaringly evident throughout the game was the speed of the Jeff Davis defense, which gave the Tigers very little breathing room and consistently closed down plays before they could develop.
One of the defensive highlights came with Metter inside the Yellow Jacket red zone. Brice Bohannon, who had been hunting a sack throughout the night, finally got his opportunity when Metter’s quarterback tried to escape toward the near side. Bohannon and Jamari Wilcox brought him down for a two-yard loss, with Bohannon losing his helmet during the play.
The Tigers were able to move the ball at times, but Jeff Davis continued to keep them out of the end zone.
Durden added to the lead late in the third quarter on defense. He stepped in front of a Metter pass and returned the interception for a touchdown. Calderon’s extra point made it 33-0.
Jeff Davis closed the scoring in the fourth quarter. Laney helped move the Jackets deep into Metter territory before Hill finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown run. Freshman Justin Torres made the final extra point to bring the score to 40-0.
Durden made an impact on both sides of the ball, finishing the night with an 80-yard rushing touchdown, a 31-yard touchdown pass to West and a pick-six. Hill added two rushing touchdowns, while Laney scored on the early loose-ball recovery.
The 40-0 win moves Jeff Davis to 3-0 and gives the Yellow Jackets their second shutout in three games. Through the opening three weeks, the defense has yet to allow an offensive touchdown.
NEXT: Jeff Davis will have a week off before returning to the road Sept. 18 against McIntosh County Academy in Darien. The Yellow Jackets will enter this year’s matchup 3-0 and looking to continue their unbeaten start.
McIntosh County Academy lists 12 seniors on its current roster. That gives the Buccaneers a fairly experienced senior group, especially with several of those players lining up at key spots along the defensive front, at linebacker and on the offensive line.
Final: Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets 40, Metter Tigers 0
-- Sophia Allen | GameFace Media