Jefferson’s Deshona Gaither led a trio of scorers in double figures as the Dragons moved to 3-1 with a 78-47 win at Banks County Thursday (Dec. 3).
Commerce plays on the opposite side of the state as Gordon Lee and has only faced the Trojans once before. But these two unfamiliar foes appear to be kindred spirits as far as their football philosophies are concerned.
After a first-round breather, the Jefferson football team begins its playoff journey in earnest this week.
While it will only be a one-day deal this year due to GHSA restrictions, Jackson County is set to host the annual Panther Invitational Saturday (Dec. 5, 9 a.m.).
The moment stands out vividly to Rob Brown.
This season marks the 20th anniversary of Commerce's 2000 state championship football team. Here's a look back at images from the Tigers' state title win over Buford on Dec. 15, 2000.
The East Jackson basketball teams hosted Cherokee Bluff Tuesday (Dec. 1), with the boys winning 68-59 and the girls falling 41-37.
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The Jackson County basketball teams hosted East Hall Tuesday (Dec. 1) with the boys winning 67-58 in overtime and the girls falling 72-26.
A dominant second-half effort from East Jackson gave coach Jarvis Smith his 200th career coaching victory.
Following a delayed start to its season due to COVID-19 quarantine, East Jackson tried to shake off the rust in its Tuesday (Dec. 1) opener, but fell short in a 41-37 home loss to Cherokee Bluff.
Commerce got 19 points from Collin Veal, but suffered a 68-56 loss to Banks County on the road Tuesday (Dec. 1).
Jackson County’s Kalib Clinton produced 26 points, 12 rebounds and an incredible 13 blocked shots in a career night, yet the Panthers got past the finish line without him.
Missing its two starting post players, the Commerce girls’ basketball team fell to 0-2 with a 48-44 loss at Banks County Tuesday (Dec. 1).
The Jefferson football team improved to 11-0 with a 65-0 state playoff win over Mt. Zion-Jonesboro. The Dragons led the Bulldogs 56-0 at the half.
Other than an odd day and start time for a high school football game, everything else about Jefferson’s first-round playoff pairing with Mt. Zion-Jonesboro went as expected.
Commerce blasted Manchester 52-20 Friday (Nov. 27) to open the Class A-Public football playoffs.
Chalk it up to a post-Thanksgiving turkey malaise, but Commerce coach Michael Brown said he didn’t witness the sharpest effort from his team Friday night.
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Commerce coach Michael Brown said this past Friday that his team would celebrate its region title win for 48 hours and then turn its attention to its first-round playoff opponent.
Jefferson’s football bus received a police escort through town on the way home last Friday night after completing a 10-0 regular season. The No. 2-ranked Dragons hope more rides like that are forthcoming.
Jefferson’s Gene Cathcart has been a football coach for nearly 30 years. But what he witnessed Friday night was a first.
With four-straight state titles to its credit, Buford is, no doubt, one of the state’s elite basketball powers. But if Tuesday is any indication, Jefferson isn’t far behind.
Behind a 20-point, 17-rebound performance from Ian McConnell, the Commerce boys’ basketball team beat Class AAAA Madison County 70-66 in overtime Tuesday (Nov. 24) in its season opener.
Jefferson’s J.T. Fulkrod hit four fourth-quarter 3-pointers to fuel a late comeback, but the Dragons fell short in a 57-52 loss to T.L. Hanna (S.C.) Tuesday (Nov. 24) on the final day of the Jackson EMC Tip Off Classic.
Jefferson’s shooters have the green light, and that was never more evident than Monday.
Jefferson's Riley Holliman nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer as the host Dragons beat Franklin County 48-45 Monday in the losers' bracket of the Jackson EMC Thanksgiving Classic.
East Jackson’s Austin Ackerman took first in the boys’ 200-yard freestyle and fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke to lead East Jackson Saturday (Nov. 21) at the Turkey Splash in Watkinsville.
Livi Blackstock got one senior-season milestone out of the way rather early. The standout guard recorded her 1,000th point Saturday (Nov. 21) in the Jefferson girls’ basketball team’s season-opening, 81-30 rout of Morgan County in the first round of the Jackson EMC Tip-off Tournament at The …
East Jackson fell to Stephens County 61-12 Friday (Nov. 20) on the road to close the season at 1-8, ending on an eight-game losing streak.
Heading into his team's finale, Jackson County football coach Rich McWhorter wanted his squad’s best week of the season. He got it.
Dreylan Martin broke free from the grasp of Lincoln County tacklers, and Commerce broke free from a string of 17 years without a region title.
If the dream of every punt returner is to “take it to the house,” then Jefferson’s Kam Robinson started a mini-subdivision Friday night.
The Commerce football won won its first region title since 2003 with a 17-7 win over Lincoln County Friday (Nov. 20).
Commerce High School softball player Rachel Morgan signed her letter of intent with Truett McConnell during a Thursday (Nov. 19) ceremony at the school.
Jefferson star guard Livi Blackstock will play collegiate basketball at the University of North Georgia next year after signing with the Division II school earlier this month. Blackstock, who scored her 1,000th career point on Nov. 21, will play either point guard or shooting guard at the ne…
As Commerce coach Michael Brown points out, he and his team weren’t even sure back in the summer if they’d get to a Game 10 this year with the COVID-19 pandemic threatening the season.
Kalib Clinton has, no doubt, been the driving force for Jackson County the past three seasons. But it might not be Clinton alone powering this year’s Panthers.
It’s been an odd season, but Jefferson’s football team has a chance to join some select company.
Christi Thomas may be a new coach, but her coaching philosophy is very much old-school.
Jackson County coach Rich McWhorter said he hopes his team both practices with and plays for pride this week with its postseason fate seemingly decided.
With only one senior graduating from last year’s lineup, the East Jackson wrestling program continues to build a lineup under coach Andrew Gaddy.
Jefferson may not have won a state title this past February, but coach Kyle Baird learned a lot about his squad.
Cherrelle Pullen is no longer a first-year coach, and she’s already seeing the benefit.
Each of Commerce’s state wrestling championships has its own legacy, perhaps none more compelling than last year’s title run.
Commerce coach Russ Gregg remembers when he could only expect about 40 to 50 points a night from his team when he first arrived.
The Jefferson boys’ basketball team’s goal last year was to “change the banner,” and the Dragons did so resoundingly, winning a region title and advancing to the state finals for the first time in program history.
East Jackson went 14-11 in Jarvis Smith’s first season with the Eagles and were one of the better teams in a tough and rugged Region 8-AAA.
Last year, a 15-11 Commerce girls’ basketball sat at home during the state tournament, having missed the cut under the old power-rankings system.
Not that Jefferson hasn't been playing its best basketball at end of the season the past two years, but coach Greg Brown will certainly make that a point of emphasis for the 2020-21 campaign.
The Jackson County wrestling team’s jump to Class AAAAA won’t be easy, and that’s just fine with coach Jason Powers.
Jackson County High School softball standout Madison Miller signed her letter of intent with Kennesaw State. A signing ceremony was held Nov. 18 at the school.
Commerce softball teammates Gabbie Deaton and Maggie Mullis both signed with ABAC on Monday (Nov. 16).
The Jefferson girls' swimming team won Saturday's (Nov. 14) high school meet at Frances Meadows Aquatic Center, while both the boys' and girls' middle school teams won their meets. North Hall High School hosted the event.
The Jackson County swim team produced several top-five placers this past Saturday (Nov. 14) in Gainesville as it placed second overall in the afternoon portion of the North Hall Invitational at Frances Meadows Aquatic Center.
Jefferson coach Tess Nunnally said her team’s “next man up” mentality was on full display this past Saturday (Nov. 14) in the team’s second meet of the year.
Commerce rushes for 343 yards and outscores Washington-Wilkes 14-0 in the fourth quarter as the Tigers win 28-17 in a battle of region unbeatens
The Commerce football team took sole possession of first-place in Region 8-A Public with a 28-17 road win over previously unbeaten Washington-Wilkes.
Playing in their final home game, the East Jackson Eagles fell to the Hart County Bulldogs 49-9 in a penalty-heavy contest on Friday Night (Nov 13).
East Jackson lost 49-9 in its home finale to Hart County Friday (Nov. 13).
Here's a rundown of local high school football for Nov. 13:
For the second time this year, the Jefferson football team has had an opponent call off a game due to COVID-19 related issues.
If the high-school football adage of “they remember November” is true, then those crucial games now begin in earnest for Jefferson.
There’s certain to be plenty of hype surrounding Commerce’s major region clash with Washington-Wilkes. The Tigers aim not to get caught up in any of it.
The Jackson County football team has a chance to earn its way into the playoffs with wins in its last two games.
It’s cliché. It’s also true. East Jackson would be hard-pressed to find a better 2-4 team around than this Friday’s (Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.) home opponent, Hart County.
The Jefferson cross country teams both earned podium finishes during the Nov. 6 state meet with the girls taking second in Class AAAA and the boys placing fourth.
The Commerce boys' cross country team won its second-consecutive Class A-Public state title on Nov. 7, while the girls took third, earning their second-straight podium finish.
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