Defending state runner-up Jefferson (13-1) takes on unbeaten Sandy Creek (14-0) for the Class AAA state championship on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at approximately 5:25 p.m., at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Game was delayed because of previous title games running long.

The Jefferson Dragons and Sandy Creek Patriots meet for the first time but both schools are postseason veterans. The Dragons finished as Class 3A state runner-up last year and are looking to take the next step this year and win their first title since 2012. Unbeaten Sandy Creek is aiming to win its fifth state championship.

Jefferson is located in Jackson County in Northeast Georgia, about 1 hour northeast of Atlanta. Sandy Creek is located in Fayette County, about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta. The schools are about 1 1/2 hours apart.

(Please refresh this page repeatedly for live updates and analysis throughout the game.)

Sandy Creek wearing all red with white helmets, and Jefferson is wearing all white with red helmets.

1st Quarter

Jefferson kicks off to Sandy Creek.

QB Caleb Hill big run for 1st down on 3rd and long.

Caleb Hill hits Khaylin Stevenson for 19-yard pass for first down

Caleb Hill runs for 1st down on 4th-and-1. 1st down from the Jefferson 30

INC PASS

Amari Latimer finding running room difficult.

Long pass from Sandy Creek QB Caleb Hill to Corey Hadley Jr. is broken up nicely by Chance Payne in the end zone!

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! 4th and 8: Caleb Hill sacked by fast Jefferson defense! Turnover on downs after driving to Jefferson 28-yard line!

Jefferson 3-and-out. Booming punt to Sandy Creek 13, short return.

Sandy Creek pass for nice gain, face mask penalty on Jefferson afterwards.

Consecutive false start penalties on Sandy Creek. Timeout by SC.

Penalty on Sandy Creek star Amari Latimer for running out of bounds and catching ball for 1st down.

3rd and 27: Sandy Creek QB Caleb Hill runs but is short of 1st down. Howeve, personal foul called on Jefferson’s Eli Primm for late hit. 1st down.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: Jefferson 0, Sandy Creek 0

2nd Quarter

Designed run for SC Caleb Hill. Stopped short of 1st down.

3rd and 3: Hill runs for 1st down! Ball at Jefferson 28.

Caleb Hill runs for 1st down, but then penalty on Patriots.

Amari Latimer no gain and then 5-yard run.

Timeout. Sandy Creek dominating time of possession with 27 plays for 112 yards, more than 11:00 off the clock. Jefferson only 3 plays so far.

West Virginia signee Amar Latimer explodes 15 yards around right end for TD! PAT good. Sandy Creek 7, Jefferson 0, with 8:01 left in 1H.

Jefferson KO return to 27-yard line.

4-yard run by CJ Hays and then QB Colton Grant sacked.

Jefferson 3 straight runs, forced to punt. High snap and Sandy Creek’s Evan Harvey slaps ball down. Jefferson recovers. Sandy Creek takes over at Jefferson 15!

Caleb Hill runs ball to 4-yard line for 1st down

TOUCHDOWN! Hill runs right, then cuts back and zips straight up for 3-yard TD! PAT good. Sandy Creek 14, Jefferson 0, with 2:53 left!

TOUCHDOWN! Jefferson’s Chance Payne takes kickoff, cuts left and sprints 82 yards for touchdown! Blazing speed! Sandy Creek 14, Jefferson 7, with 2:39 left in 1H.

Sandy Creek QB Caleb Hill throws it up for grabs and Avohn Florence comes down with ball, but then is stripped by Shyne Parham, who recovers the ball! Jefferson takes over the ball at 26-yard line.

Jefferson brings in QB Boone Horn and he throws INC pass. Two short runs by CJ Hays follow. Time runs out in first half.

Jefferson runs only nine plays for 17 yards in the entire first half but trails by only 7 points! Sandy Creek has run 36 plays for 199 yards.

END OF FIRST HALF: Sandy Creek 14, Jefferson 7

3rd Quarter

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4th Quarter

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Colton Grant, Sr., QB — 886 yards passing, eight TDs, six interceptions; 422 yards rushing, 12 TDs.

Logan Edmunds, Sr., WR/SS — 25 catches, 487 yards, four TDs; offer from Catholic University.

CJ Hays, Fr., RB — 833 yards rushing, eight TDs;

Dylan Beradinelli, Jr., OLB/FB — 116 tackles, including 66 solo and 11 for loss.

Eli Primm, Jr., WR/MLB — 100 tackles, including 62 solo and three for loss.

Darren Pinkard, Sr., OLB/TE — 77 tackles, including 45 solo and 17 for loss, and six sacks; multiple offers, including Reinhardt University and Point University.

Caleb Hill, Jr., QB -2,457 yards, 23 TDs, four interceptions; 437 yards rushing, eight TDs.

Avohn Florence, Sr., WR — 19 catches, 377 yards, four TDs; multiple offers, including Arkansas Bullies, Mesabi Range College and Ohio Valley CC.

Amari Latimer, Sr., RB/OLB — West Virginia signee; 2,313 yards rushing, 42 TDs; 20 catches, 352 yards, four TDs.

Andre Dawson, Sr., OLB/SS — 93 tackles, including 21 solo and 4.5 for loss.

JT Austin, DE, OLB — 87 tackles, including 40 solo and 27 for loss, and 16 sacks; multiple D-1 offers, including FSU, North Caroline-Charlotte, East Carolina and Appalachian State.