Thomson proved Friday night why it remains No. 1 in Class AA after winning the state title last year.
The Bulldogs (7-1, 5-0, Region 4-AA) demonstrated their superiority over Putnam County, leaving Al Reaves Field in Eatonton with a 56-6 victory and the top spot in region standings. The War Eagles (5-3, 4-1) came out fighting but a few early mistakes let Thomson run away with the game.
Putnam head coach Joel Harvin said he was happy to see his team come out fighting but acknowledged a few key errors gave Thomson the early advantage.
“Offensively, we were moving the ball,” Harvin said. “Not consistently explosive, but we were moving the ball and then it got to be where we shot ourselves in the foot about every single series.”
The Bulldogs received the ball first and scored quickly, with senior Jamere Roberts scoring on a direct snap. However, Putnam County answered in a matter of plays as senior wideout Kaleb Crawford rushed 61 yards to the end zone; however, the extra point from kicker Alex Jimenez was wide right.
It didn’t take long for Thomson to score again. Senior running back Jordan Lane caught a swing pass out of the backfield from quarterback Jahkiaus Jones and then scored from 65 yards out.
The Bulldogs went up two scores on their next drive after forcing a Putnam County punt. Jones tossed his second touchdown pass, but this time it was senior Kasai Jones on the receiving end.
In the last minutes of the first quarter, the War Eagles trailed 21-6 but returned the kickoff to the Thomson 33, followed by a horse-collar penalty to the Bulldogs that moved Putnam inside the red zone.
Nevertheless, Putnam County made its first costly mistake on the first play of the second quarter.
A botched snap over War Eagle quarterback Jamarion Robertson’s head was recovered by Roberts, who returned it all the way for six, although a penalty on the Bulldogs negated the defensive score.
A few plays later, Thomson faced a 4th-and-3 situation and went for it, and while Jones’ pass was incomplete, Putnam County was flagged for pass interference, moving the chains for a first down.
The Bulldogs went up three scores soon after as Roberts scored his second rushing touchdown of the game. They held a 28-6 advantage over the War Eagles with 8:28 remaining in the second quarter.
Harvin explained that to beat an opponent such as Thomson, the team needs to play mistake-free.
“When you’re playing a team like Thomson, or the No. 1 team in the state, you’ve got to be on your Ps and Qs. We weren’t,” Harvin said. “We didn’t take care of the football. I thought we moved the ball well when we needed to, but we’d always get down there and shoot ourselves in the foot, whether it be a dropped snap, fumble, or whatever it may be. It seemed to be one of those games that if something bad could happen, it was going to happen. We have a lot of stuff to work on.”
The Bulldogs led Putnam County 36-6 at the half. They continued rolling on offense in the second half, adding 20 points to their total. Their defense also didn’t let up in the last two quarters.
Jones passed for 276 yards, completing 10 of 14 attempts with three touchdowns.
Thomson running back Anthony Jefferey rushed for a team-high 139 yards and a score. Roberts rushed for 31 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Roberts also had 12 total tackles and 6.0 tackles for loss.
Per Harvin, Roberts was a difference-maker. The coach knew he would be trouble for the War Eagles coming into the game.
“Watching him play on film before the game, we knew he was probably one of their better players – if not their best player,” Harvin said of Roberts.
“He’s relentless, is always hustling to the ball and was making a big play. He’s a true football player. He’s very good. We knew that going in he was hard to stop on offense. Defensively, he does a great job of getting to the ball regardless of where he’s at.”
Putnam County has a chance to rebound in Augusta this Friday against region opponent Laney (5-2-1, 4-1).