Jonesboro, GA – The Mt. Zion Bulldogs entered Friday night’s Region 5-3A matchup against the visiting Stephenson Jaguars with a sharp game plan and early momentum. But despite controlling much of the first half, the Bulldogs couldn’t hold off a second-half surge from the undefeated Jaguars, ultimately falling 22-17.
Mt. Zion struck quickly on its opening possession when quarterback Khi Mitchell connected with Jordan Fabian for a touchdown, putting the Bulldogs up 7-0. Their defense followed with a strong effort, including a key interception of Stephenson quarterback Zay Boler late in the second quarter. The Bulldogs capitalized with a field goal to extend their lead to 10-0 at halftime.
The opening half belonged to Mt. Zion, as their defense bottled up Stephenson’s high-powered offense and exploited injuries in the Jaguars’ defensive backfield. But the second half told a different story. Stephenson leaned heavily on its ground game after the break, with Anthony Booker showing patience and explosiveness, breaking free for several key runs. Complementing him was the Jaguars’ standout junior running back Jayden Johnson, who continued his dominant season by surpassing the 100-yard rushing mark once again and finding the end zone. He now leads all running backs in DeKalb County with eight touchdowns this season. Behind the resurgent run game and clutch throws from Zay Boler, the Jaguars clawed back into the contest, scoring 22 unanswered points at one stretch. Though Mt. Zion managed another score, Stephenson’s composure and physical play down the stretch secured the 22-17 comeback victory.
The win keeps Stephenson perfect on the year, improving to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in Region 5-3A. Mt. Zion, despite a valiant effort and strong defensive showing in the first half, fell just short in what was a pivotal regional test. Next week, Stephenson will travel to face the North Clayton Eagles (4-1) in another Region 5-3A showdown on Friday, September 26.
