College Park, GA – Friday night’s showdown at Southern Crescent Stadium was everything a battle for first place in Region 3A 5 promised to be. The North Clayton Eagles (5-1, 2-0) and defending region champion Stephenson Jaguars (6-1, 2-1) traded big plays and momentum swings all evening, but when the dust settled, it was quarterback Justin Murphy and the Eagles who stood tall with a thrilling 42-41 victory. The fireworks began early. Stephenson struck first, taking the opening kickoff to the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead. North Clayton responded immediately as running back Javion Johnson powered in for a rushing score, tying the game at 7-7. The Jaguars answered back later in the first quarter on a touchdown run by Anthony Booker, regaining the lead 13-7. The second quarter brought more highlights. Murphy knotted things up for North Clayton with a 15-yard rushing touchdown, only for Stephenson’s Jayden Johnson to break free for a 30-yard touchdown run. The Jaguars carried a 19-14 advantage into halftime.
The second half opened with a bang for North Clayton as Dre’von Glass electrified the crowd with a 65-yard kickoff return touchdown to put the Eagles ahead 21-19. Moments later, Murphy delivered perhaps the biggest play of the night—a dazzling 90-yard touchdown run—stretching the lead to 28-19.
But Stephenson refused to fold. As the reigning region champs, the Jaguars leaned on Jayden Johnson, who scored from 4 yards out and later added a 20-yard touchdown plus a two-point conversion, swinging the lead back in Stephenson’s favor at 33-28 heading into the fourth quarter.
North Clayton’s resilience showed again. Murphy capped another drive with a short 3-yard touchdown run, giving the Eagles a 35-33 edge. Then Javion Johnson added his second score of the night on a 4-yard run, extending the margin to 42-33.
The Jaguars weren’t done yet. Quarterback Zabrian Boler connected on a 46-yard touchdown pass, and the successful two-point try closed the gap to 42-41. With momentum on their side, Stephenson had one final opportunity, but the North Clayton defense came up with the crucial stop to seal the victory.
The win marks one of the Eagles’ biggest triumphs in recent memory, pushing them alone to the top of the Region 5-3A standings. Head coach Cap Burnette praised his team’s fight and composure in a back-and-forth battle.
“I’m the best in the world,” Murphy said after the game. “Shout out to my offensive coordinator and my teammates”
Now 5-1 overall and 2-0 in region play, North Clayton will look to carry its momentum into next week’s matchup with Luella. For Stephenson, the narrow loss is a setback in their bid to repeat as region champions, but the Jaguars remain firmly in the playoff race.
Photo Credit: Kenny Revere Jr/ @revshot_z
