Central’s late scores not enough for comeback in 27-12 loss to Jefferson County

The Central Chargers managed to avoid a shutout in their 27-12 loss against Jefferson County, scoring two passing touchdowns late in the fourth quarter to gain a bit of momentum on Homecoming. 

Central fell to 0-7 on the season with the loss, while Jefferson gained their first win and moved up to 1-6 after the GHSA Region 2-A Division I matchup.

Either way, head coach Jarrett Laws was proud of his team for not giving up while they were down.

“It ain’t all success. We keep them motivated everyday, and I’m so proud of them because they don’t quit and they’re learning life lessons,” Laws said. “And even the little victories, we consider them a victory.”

Even with the large deficit for a majority of the game, the Chargers fought consistently to get points on the board.

“The kids didn’t quit. It’s been a long time since I saw them fight for four quarters, and that’s something that I think they can build on,” Laws said. “And for us, we play in one of the toughest regions of the state so we gotta have that resiliency, and tonight they showed a little bit.”

Jefferson County was up early 12-0 late in the second quarter when quarterback Jacquez Brown ran in for a three yard score. The Warriors went for a two-point conversion, but failed to cash in the points which left them at 18-0.

The Chargers fumbled the kickoff with 17 seconds left in the first half, but Jefferson County failed to convert, and neither team was able to reach the end zone again before half time. 

That changed late in the third when Jefferson County tallied a safety off a high snap by Central, which gave them a 20-0 lead over the Chargers.

With 3:46 to go in the third quarter, defensive tackle Kameren Porter recovered a fumble for the Chargers, but they once again failed to march down the field.

Early in the fourth, the Warriors found the endzone and pushed the lead to 27-0. Soon after receiving the kickoff, the Chargers fumbled the ball again as their offensive struggles continued.

For a majority of the fourth, both teams struggled to reach the opponent’s endzone.

However, Central managed an explosive 50-yard throw to wide receiver Kamryn Johnson for their first touchdown of the game with 1:38 to play. 

Despite the 27-6 deficit, the Chargers recorded yet another touchdown as time expired on a long pass from quarterback Tyquez Floyd to kick returner Ontario Covington, making the final score as 27-12. 

The Chargers will host the Dublin Fighting Irish, one of the region’s top teams, next week. Jefferson County, with its first win of the year under its belt, will host Dodge County.