Zylan Coley and McKenzie Graham halt a Jaguar for a short gain.

TIFTON — A much-improved Gadsden County upended Tift County’s win streak Friday night, winning a 45-7 contest on homecoming.

Tift won its first game of the season over Griffin Aug. 16, 43-0, but saw a Gadsden team Friday that looked very different than in years past.

Gadsden was shut out by the Blue Devils in 2024, but reversed that on their opening possession. A 12-play drive went 63 yards, ended by 14-yard pass over the middle by quarterback Landon Dougherty to Jeremiah Thomas at 4:54. The kick was good a quick 7-0 lead.

By the end of the first quarter, the Jaguars doubled that on a 25-yard run by Kemarrion Battles that saw him muscle his way through the Tift defense. A bad snap on the kick kept the score at 13-0.

Dameion Dixon had a 13-yard pass to Kaden Lawson late in the quarter, but could not sustain a drive. Deep in their own territory, even a 40-yard punt by Corey Howard meant that Gadsden had good starting field position.

Battles rammed his way through for two big gains to end the period, then Dougherty found Alijuan Bleechington for a 14-yard score at 11:15. Ahmadre Woods continued the excellent special teams play by blocking the point-after.

Gadsden picked off a pass to start their next drive, with Battles going in from seven yards out at 7:32. The Jaguars opted to go for two, Dougherty completing the pass to Zhilyn Martin for a 27-0 lead.

It was Battles again late in the half, the recipient of a 42-yard screen pass from Dougherty that saw him rumble up the Tift sideline for the touchdown. The kick missed, leaving it 33-0.

Gadsden had one more score in them before the break.This time it was Tristin Davis going over from the 4 with 33 seconds left. Tift stopped a conversion run. It was 39-0 at intermission.

Davis scored to make it 45-0 at 9:51 in the third. The special teams nightmare continued for Gadsden as the snap went awry.

From there, however, the Blue Devils began finding their footing.

They stopped Gadsden at its own 21 and the punt went only 21 yards.

Dai’jon Hayes caught a Dixon pass for eight yards and a first down at the 31. Dixon moved the sticks again on a scramble that picked up eight more.

Tift shook off lost yards on a lateral for Dixon throw for the end zone, where Hayes made a diving catch for a touchdown at 1:50. David Olguin came in for the extra point and the Devils were on the board at 45-7.

The fourth quarter saw the Devils bottle up Gadsden’s run game for two yards. Tift had another long drive in the fourth before running out of downs at the 36. Hayes caught two passes in the drive and Davieon Dixon had a first down reception.

Damieon Dixon completed 10-of-17 passes for an official 79 yards. Hayes had four receptions for 52 yards and a score.

Tift alumnus and longtime referee Bubba Harrison served as honorary team captain and flipped the coin before the game.

Tift will take on Lee County Friday.