Jefferson Dragons Football ~ 1955

Season football tickets went on sale in August for $ 5.00 each.

1955 Jefferson Dragon Starting Lineup and their 1955 review;

LE - Gus Johnson, LT - Wilmer Finch, LG - Hoyt Harris, C - Gilmer Glenn, RG - Johnny Gooch, RT - Webster Samples, RE - Woodrow Stewart, QB - Wayne Wages, LHB - Billy Ricks, RHB - James Black, FB - Benny Tompkins.

September 9 in Jefferson - Winder-Barrow - 0 - 8

Maybe it was just bound to happen. The Dragons came out flat against a fired up Winder team and was beaten 8 - 0 on a drizzling night in Memorial Stadium. Fumbles and interceptions proved to be the Dragons nemesis as they lost the ball 5 times on three fumbles and two pass interceptions.

September 16 in Lawrenceville - Lawrenceville - 13 - 6

Billy Ricks stepped up for the Dragons in the game as he scored both Dragon touchdowns on a 57-yard run and a 31-yard pass from Wages. The score could have been worse, but turnovers still plagued the Dragons with two lost fumbles, one at the Lawrenceville 3-yard line.

September 23 in Commerce - Commerce - 27 - 13

A tremendous crowd had gathered for the annual county championship battle over at Shankle Field in Tiger-town. Jefferson faithful swore this would be the year, while Commerce fans expected the Tigers to find a way to win the game.

The Jackson Herald version of the game was reported by Nat Hancock in the September 29 issue . . .

It read ~ A fighting Dragon team that wouldn’t quit even though they trailed at one point of the game 13 - 0, came from behind to beat Commerce 27 - 13 for the first ever Dragon victory over the Tigers in eight tries. Two of the previous games ended in ties.

The precision passing of Wayne wages who completed 10 out of 17, the great offensive play of Woodrow Stewart and Gus Johnson, the hard running of backs like Black, Tompkins and Ricks, and the outstanding defensive play by Webster Samples, Monk Tolbert and Gilmer Glenn were all factors in the first Jefferson victory over Commerce.

Commerce scored the first time they got their hands on the football. The Tigers took a Tompkins punt at heir own 10 and worked the ball out to midfield. Gene Brake, Commerce halfback, took a pitchout and raced wide around right end for a 50-yard touchdown run. The attempted conversion kick was wide.

Early in the second quarter Commerce took the ball at their own 30 and moved to the Jefferson 16. From there, Richard Crocker covered the remaining yards for the Tigers second score. The point after kick was good and Jefferson trailed 13 - 0. It looked bleak for the Dragon Squad.

The Dragons finally got rolling in the closing moments of the second quarter. The score came on a pass from Wages to Gus Johnson. The Jefferson end literally dragged the Commerce defender into the end zone reminesant of his touchdown against North Habersham the previous season that clinched a sub-region title for the Dragons. Wages passed to Stewart for the extra point and at the half it was Commerce 13 - Jefferson 7.

The Dragons tied the score midway in the third quarter on a Billy Ricks 40-yard touchdown scamper. James Black drove for the conversion point and Jefferson had its first lead of the night.

Early in the fourth quarter, a fumbled snap from punt formation gave Jefferson the ball at the Commerce 10-yard line. The Dragons scored on the first play when Wages faked to Tompkins and pitched out to Ricks who scored untouched just inside the end zone goal line flag. Another Wages to Stewart pass converted the extra point and Jefferson led 21 - 13. A desperate Commerce came out throwing with six minutes left in the game. Ricks picked off a bobbled Commerce pass at the Commerce 49 and behind some beautiful blocking and sharp cuts carried it in for an insurance touchdown. The extra point was missed but Jefferson Led 27 - 13 with around four minutes left in the game. Jefferson could feel the victory. A resounding roar went up as the final second ticked off the scoreboard. Jefferson had finally broken the Commerce jinx. They had beaten the Tigers in their own house.

Ricks led the ground game with 102 yards, plus his long interception return. Tompkins rushed for 56 yards, Black 42 and Wages had another 40 yards.

Commerce led in first downs 12 to 10, but Jefferson won the ground battle 254 yards to the Tigers 240. Most importantly the Dragons had won the scoreboard battle 27 - 13.

September 30 in Jefferson - Tallulah Falls - 14 - 6

The Dragons won a thrilling 14 - 6 victory with Billy Ricks scoring the first Dragon touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Wages. In the second half with Jefferson leading 7 - 6 Benny Tompkins ran up the middle of the field 85 yards for a clinching score. James Black Kicked both Dragon extra points. Tompkins rushed for 170 yards while Ricks had 68 yards.

October 7 in Cornelia - South Habersham - 18 - 6

Against a very good South Habersham team the Dragons were never threatened. After running out to an 18 - 0 lead on touchdown runs of 1 and 5 yards by Black and a Tompkins 10-yard run, the Dragons surrendered a single score late in the game in their 18 - 6 win.

October 14 in Jefferson - Rabun County - 7 - 13

With Dragon running back Billy Ricks watching from the sideline with a pulled calf muscle, the Dragon were not able to sustain any momentum after a second quarter score tied the Wildcats of Clayton 7 - 7. Rabun punched across a score early in the fourth quarter and made it hold up for the 13 - 7 win.

October 21 in Crawford - Oglethorpe County - 14 - 13

The Dragons rebounded from the Rabun loss with a strong effort 14 - 13 win against the Oglethorpe County Indians. The win enabled the Dragons to remain tied with South Habersham for the Region 4-B North title.

The Indians took the opening kickoff and seemed to easily march down the field. Smith scored a touchdown on a 30-yard run, then plunged for the extra point, to put the Indians out front early 7 - 0.

Jefferson took the following kickoff and fumbled on the first play from scrimmage. Oglethorpe recovered on the Dragon 15. Three plays later the Dragons big All-State tackle Webster Samples crashed into the ball carrier, knocked the ball loose and recovered for the Dragons at his own 20-yard line.

Tompkins ran for 35, only to see it erased by a clipping penalty. On the next play, a returning from injury Billy Ricks took a short pass from Wages and out ran two defensive backs to the goal line for the 35-yard Dragon score. Wages passed to Stewart for the extra point making the halftime score 7 - 7.

Again in the second half the Indians scored on their first possession when quarterback Zack Frost plunged in from the 3-yard line.

Cornerback Ricks broke through blocking to stop the wide sweep on the extra point attempt. It would turn out to be possibly the biggest play of the game.

The Dragons winning touchdown came late in the third quarter on a 40-yard drive with Tompkins and Ricks doing most of the leg work. After bogging down on the Indian 8-yard line with a fourth and goal, Wages called for the inside screen pass. Ricks took the pass behind the line of scrimmage and scored standing up. James Black ran for the extra point and Jefferson led 14 - 13.

The Dragon defense stepped up and held off the Indians for the rest of the game. Again Ricks may have saved the game when he tacked an Indian halfback that had broken free at the Dragon 40. Ricks brought him down at the Dragon 32, where the defense held on downs.

October 28 in Jefferson - Lavonia - 6 - 0

It appeared to be a game nobody wanted to win. Mistakes, fumbles, interceptions and strong defense was the norm for over three and one-half quarters before the Dragons were able to punch in a score. The drive started from the Jefferson 30-yard line. Ricks, Black and Tompkins ground out 3 or 4 yards-per-carry down to the Lavonia 3-yard line where Tompkins drove in for the score with less than three minutes remaining in the game.

Jefferson won the hard fought 6 - 0 game and remained tied with South Habersham for the 4-B North title.

November 4 in Jefferson - Stephens County - 7 - 27

Just like the previous year, Jefferson faced a superior and much heavier line on defense. Stephens raced to a 14 - 0 halftime lead and other than a Wayne Wages to Billy Ricks pass for a 5-yard touchdown, the Dragons really never threatened to make a game of it.

November 11 in Clarksville - North Habersham - 14 - 21

A second half comeback by the North Habersham overcame an early 14 - 0 Dragon lead as the Clarksville team scored 21 points in the third and fourth quarters. The 21 - 14 loss by Jefferson eliminated them from tying south Habersham for the Region 4-B North title.

Jefferson got both of their scores early as they scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the game.

The Dragons won the toss and elected to receive. After an out-of-bounds kickoff placed the ball on the Dragons 40-yard line. A Wages to Charles Gilbert pass carried the ball to the home team 20-yard line. Tompkins ran for 5 yards before Ricks took a pitch and dashed the final 15 yards for the first Dragon score. Wages passed to Gus Johnson for the extra point.

The Dragons ran their lead to 14 - 0 after a Bobcat punt when Wages passed to Ricks for a 35-yard score halfway through the first quarter.

There was no scoring in the second quarter as Tompkins and Thrasher of North Habersham exchanged seven punts. Jefferson went into the half with a seemingly secure 14 - 0 lead.

After an exchange of punts in the third quarter saw North Habersham move to their first score. Thrasher scored from the 8-yard line. He was stopped short on the extra point attempt.

After the kickoff the Dragons failed to gain a first down in three attempts so Tompkins went back to punt. The snap sailed far over his head. He was able to recover the ball in the end zone to prevent a Bobcat touchdown, but the result was a safety reducing the Dragons lead to 14 - 8.

After the kickoff from the Jefferson 20-yard line, the Bobcats drove 60 yards to tie the game. Loggins ran the final 30-yards for the touchdown. Again the extra point failed so the score remained at 14 - 14 entering the fourth quarter.

With 10 minutes left in the game, Wages went back to pass, was hit and fumbled the ball. North Habersham recovered at the Dragon 25-yard line.

Four plays later Loggins scored from the 3-yard line to give North Habersham a 21 - 14 lead they never relinquished.

One last effort to tie the score was thwarted when Thrasher intercepted a pass intended for Stewart at the North Habersham 35-yard line. The Bobcats were driving as the game ended.

Eight seniors played their last game for Jefferson. Webster Samples, Woodrow Stewart, Gus Johnson, Wendell Finch, Hoyt Harris, Frank Gilbert, Wayne Wages and James Black closed out their Jefferson football careers on this night.

Morgan would defeat South Habersham the next week on their way to the State Class B Championship. Morgan would win Class B State titles under Coach Bill Corry in 1955, 56, 58 and 59.