Jefferson Dragons Football ~ 1952

Early August the Jefferson Football team attended a fall football camp at Dahlonega. This would become a Jefferson Tradition until the 1960s.

September 12 in Jefferson; Clarkston fell to the Dragons 13 - 6 in a downpour. There were 17 fumbles in the game by both teams. Jefferson fumbled nine times and lost 3. The Angora’s fumbled eight times and lost four. Donald Cole scored both Dragon Touchdowns on runs of 11 and 16 yards. He rushed for 130 yards on 11 carries.

On September 19 the Dragons traveled to Winder-Barrow. They won the game 7 - 6 as Cole rushed for 128 yards on 13 carries. He scored the Dragons touchdown on a 30-yard run in the fourth quarter. Carithers kicked the conversion.

September 25 saw the Commerce Tigers come into Jefferson on a Thursday night. In a game that Commerce ran for over 240 yards saw the Dragons hold on for a 6 - 6 tie. Cole scored for the Dragons on a 27-yard run in the second quarter. Commerce tied it at 6 - 6 in the third quarter and threatened on two other occasions inside the Jefferson twenty during the fourth quarter. Cole rushed for 118 yards on 16 carries.

October 10 in Jefferson. North Habersham fell to the Dragons 19 - 13. Marvin Hall ran back a punt 58 yards in the first quarter and would later run back another for 60 yards and the third Jefferson Touchdown. Earle Carithers crashed in for the second Jefferson touchdown after a Don Cole run of 36 yards to the eight-yard line. Cole was injured on the play and did not return.

South Habersham was next up for the Dragons in Jefferson. Playing without Don Cole, who had a badly sprained ankle, Earle Carithers crashed in for two short touchdowns on two and five-yard runs as the Dragons prevailed 12 - 7.

On October 17, Coach Frank Snyder entertained his former team in Clayton. The Dragons were still without Cole as Y.D. Maddox played his best game of the year with 105 yards rushing and a six-yard touchdown. His efforts were not enough as the Wildcats defeated Jefferson 19 - 6.

The Dragons took to the road on October 24. They visited Lavonia with a recovered Donald Cole and a need for a victory. Cole burst back on the scene with 91 yards in 10 carries including a 13-yard touchdown run. Marvin Hall returned a punt for 70 yards and a touchdown and Earl Carithers kicked two conversions, but Jefferson fell 21 - 14.

On October 30, Oglethorpe County visited Jefferson. The Dragons won the game 33 - 27. Marvin Hall, Donald Cole and Y. D. Maddox had outstanding offensive games in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score. Jefferson had a 33 - 13 lead entering the fourth quarter, but two long Oglethorpe touchdowns within two minutes of the quarter against Jefferson reserves made the final score look respectable for the Indians.

On November 7, Tucker came to Jefferson under the leadership of Dorsey Brooks, a Martin Institute Graduate and a man who was later to be my ( Cecil Buffington ) basketball coach at Jefferson High school. The Dragons and the Tigers fought to a 12 - 12 tie on a cold, wintry night at Memorial Stadium. Cole rushed for 142 yards and scored both Dragon touchdowns. Both conversion kicks by Carithers were blocked by the hard charging Tiger line.

On November 14. The Dragons closed out a 6 - 2 - 2 season with a 28 - 6 win at Stone Mountain. Marvin Hall scored on a 60-yard run. Y. D. Maddox scored on a 13-yard run and Donald Cole scored two touchdowns on a 40-yard run and a 51- yard pass from Hall. Earle Carithers was good on four conversion kicks.

LE - Jimmy McMullan

LT - Tom Williamson

LG - Dwight Howard

C - John Anderson

RG - Billy Wilbanks

RT - Webster Samples

RE - Locke Potts

QB - Marvin Hall

LHB - Y. D. Maddox

RHB - Don Cole

FB - Earle Carithers

Billy Sailors was chosen “Most Valuable Player” of the team, with Ray Adams being names “Best Blocker’ and Y. D. Maddox selected as the “Best Defensive Player.”

1952 football cheerleaders were;

Gail Roberts, Rachael McEver, Nora Gilbert, Jackie Marlowe, Caroline Storey, Joyce Venable, Pat Venable, and Pam Cutts.

Former Jefferson star Curtis Segars, after transferring from Georgia Tech, won his letter at halfback at Virginia Military Institute.