Jefferson Dragons Football ~ 1953

Billy Beale came to Jefferson to replace Coach Billy Henderson, who had accepted a coaching position with Athens High school. He would serve as backfield coach and coach the boy’s basketball team.

The 1953 Jefferson Dragon Football Team:

Ends - Hoke Elrod, Woodrow Stewart, Jerry Johnson, Locke Potts, Gus Johnson, Tackles - “Bruiser” Davis, Webster Samples, “Tank” Cooper, Gilmer Glenn, Jerry Johnson, Guards - Billy Wilbanks, Dwight Howard, Robert Taylor, Bobby Manus, Backs - Marvin Hall, Wayne Wages, Hoyt Harris, Donald Cole, Eugene Pearson, Eugene Dickens, Don Marlowe, Benny Tompkins, Edward Stancil and Billy Cutts.

Starting Players were:

LE - Hoke Elrod, LT - J . Johnson, LG - Dwight Howard, Bucky Johnson - C, RG - Billy Wilbanks, RT - Webster samples, RE - Locke Potts, QB - Marvin Hall, LHB - Donald Cole, RHB - Wayne Wages, FB - Bennie Tompkins.

September 11 in Jefferson.

The Thompson Bulldogs rolled into Jefferson and dominated the Dragons to the tune of 26 - 6 on a beautiful Friday Evening. Don Cole rushed for 96 yards on 15 carries. A 6.4 yard per carry average. The only Dragon score came on a 29-yard pass from Marvin Hall to Hoke Elrod in the second quarter.

September 18 in Jefferson.

The Winder-Barrow Bulldogs were not much of a test for the high flying Dragons at Memorial Field as they won easily 20 - 7. Don Cole carried 10 times for 76 yards. Hall had 11 carries for 72 yards. Touchdowns were scored by Hall on a 6-yard run and two Hall touchdown passes to Elrod and Potts for 54 yards and 34 yards.

September 25 in Commerce.

The Dragons crossed the river for the annual Tiger-Dragon tussell. In a hard fought battle the Tigers won 14 - 7. Cole was held to 26 yards on 9 carries. The Tigers controlled the ball and scored on two long touchdown drives in the second half for the victory. Jefferson had gone ahead 7- 0 in the second quarter on a Wages 4-yard run. Tompkins kicked the extra point.

October 2 at North Habersham.

In Clarksville on a rainy night the Dragons won a hard fought 12 - 6 game on two touchdowns by Hall on 2 and 8-yard runs.

October 9 at South Habersham

The Rebels of Cornelia put the clamps on the Dragon offense in a 21 - 7 win. The only score for Jefferson was on a Hall to Potts pass of 6 yards late in the third quarter.

October 16 in Jefferson

Former Jefferson Coach Frank Snyder brought his Wildcats to Jefferson and could only watch as Don Cole and Marvin Hall combined for all four Dragon Scores in a 28 - 0 Dragon Victory. Cole scored on an 8-yard run, while Hall had touchdown runs of 54, 48 and 2 yards. Benny Tompkins kicked the four conversion points.

October 23 in Jefferson

The longstanding Jefferson-Lavonia rivalry saw the Bulldogs win a thrilling 14 - 13 game in which the Dragons dominated the statistics, but could not cash in enough with points. Don Cole rushed for 130 yards on 23 carries, Marvin Hall ran for 52 yards in only 8 carries and Donald Marlowe rushed for 28 yards on 7 carries. Cole scored on a 9-yard run and Potts scored on an 11-yard pass from Hall. The first extra point attempt by Tompkins went wide to the left.

October 30 at Oglethorpe County

In Crawford the Dragons ran roughshod over the Indians by a 45 - 0 score. Don Cole scored on 32 and 21-yard runs, Hall on a 2-yard run and Tompkins on a 7- yard run. Wayne Wages rushed for 117 yards including two touchdown runs of 29 and 21 yards.

November 6 at Tucker

The Dragons roared over Tucker with a 54 - 0 blasting of the Tigers. Cole rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns, Marlow 52 yards and a score and Tompkins scored twice on 44 yard and  14-yard touchdown runs. Elrod and Potts scored on Hall passes as the Jefferson quarterback passed for 109 yards. Reserves pushed across two late touchdowns for the Dragons.

November 13 in Jefferson

The final game of the year was against Stone Mountain in Jefferson. It was all Cole and Hall. Cole ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns, while Hall capped off his Dragon Career with two touchdowns runs of 17 and 26 yards and a 41- yard touchdown pass to Donald Marlowe. The Dragons won easily 40 - 7.

Jefferson closed out a 6 - 4 season.

Finals stats for the season were;

Scoring - Hall - 11 touchdowns, 2 extra points for 68 points, Cole - 10 touchdowns, 8 extra points for 68 points, Potts - 6 touchdowns, 2 extra points for 38 points, Tompkins - 2 touchdowns, 9 extra points for 21 points, Wages - 3 touchdowns, 0 extra points for 18 points, Elrod - 3 touchdowns, 0 extra points for 18 points.

Rushing - Cole 128 carries for 795 yards - a 6.2 average, Hall - 72 carries for 244 yards - a 3.4 yard average, Marlowe - 31 carries for 148 yards - a 4.8 yard average and Tompkins - 10 carries for 49 yards - a 3.1 yard average.

Pass receiving - Potts - 19 catches for 398 yards, Elrod - 11 catches for 228 yards, and Cole - 6 catches for 44 yards.

The Jefferson B-team had an outstanding season with a 5 - 1 record. The only loss was in the first game of the season 13-7 to Athens in Athens. Jefferson then beat Winder-Barrow 40 - 0 as Billy Ricks scored on runs of 45 and 38 yards. Washington fell 13 - 7 and a rematch with Athens saw Jefferson win 30 - 0 as Ricks ran for three touchdowns. Winder again was soundly trounced 27 - 0 and a rematch with Washington saw the Dragons win 45 - 6. Billy Ricks scored four touchdowns including a 90-yard touchdown run. He rushed for over 200 yards in less than three quarters.

Players from that B-Team that would become impact players for the Dragon varsity as early as the next year were Quarterback Tommy Henderson, Full Melvin “Monk” Tolbert, Halfback Daniel Gasaway, Tackle Columbus Williamson, Fullback Bobby Patton, Halfback Billy Ricks, and End Gus Johnson.

Three Dragon Football players made the All-Region team. Don Cole, Marvin Hall and Locke Potts were selected by a region coaches vote.

Coach Davis published a statement in the Jackson of the football team income and expense that showed football making $ 1,840 for the season. Ticket sales brought in over $ 2,500. The biggest area of spending was on equipment with $ 1,800.

The 1953 Jefferson High School Band consisted of;

Bryan Thomas - Flute, Mercier Davis - Clarinet, Jane Jones - Clarinet, Judy Whitmire - Clarinet, Jane Melvin - Clarinet, Walter Tonge - Clarinet, Tommy Elrod - Clarinet, Danny Allen - Alto Saxophone, Bobby Hooper - Tenor saxophone, Bevo Shropshire - French Horn, Larry Strickland - Alto Horn, Johnny Melvin - Trumpet, Sarah Shropshire - Trumpet, Henry Fite - Trumpet, Toney Fowler - Trumpet, Billy Cutts - Trombone, Howard Crowe - Trombone, Helen Williams - Baritone, Nelson Shumake - Drum, Omer Whitmire - Drum, Nat Hancock - Drum, Hale Duke - Drum, Roger Maddox - Cymbals, Beverly Davis - Bell Lyre.

New Members were - Lois Smith - Flute, Sara Freeman - Clarinet, Glenda Brothers - Clarinet, Margaret Hancock - Clarinet, Paddy Williams - Clarinet, Dickie Storey - Clarinet, Edward Powell - Melophone, Ned Shumake - Cornet, Jenny Wilson - Cornet, Ola Freeman - Cornet, Jean Wilkes - Cornet and Mary Frances McNeal - Trombone.

Majorettes were;

Jackie Brooks, Libby Whitmire, Mary Ellen Wilhite, Mildred Bone, Catherine James, and Annie Ruth Stockton.