The Athens’ players couldn’t have agreed more, as their come-from-behind Tri-Nine Conference win may have secured them a spot in the upcoming state playoffs, scheduled to start Nov. 4.

The Jaguars improved to 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the conference, with one more regular season game left (at home versus Cary).

Athens junior quarterback Jason West (20-25-237 yards) threw two touchdowns to D’Andre Washington and also rushed for two more scores to bring the Jaguars back on Friday after falling behind 21-10 midway through the third quarter.

“I’m proud of our kids for the way they fought back and stepped it up in the second half, especially on defense,” Smouse said. “I wasn’t fired up about the way we played in the first half, we could have scored more points but for all the penalties and turnovers.”

The Jaguars fumbled twice and committed eight penalties in the first half.

Lee County (4-6, 2-5) pounded the ball on the ground prior to intermission and the opening drive of the second half, rushing for 193 yards during that stretch.

The Jaguars limited the Yellow Jackets to just 32 yards rushing after that.

“We just couldn’t get off the field there,” Smouse said. “Lee was controlling the ball, but then our guys tightened things up after halftime and stopped them.”

Athens junior linebacker Daniel Riddle led the charge, as he stopped Yellow Jacket senior running back Josh Brinkley at the point of the attack several times following intermission. Riddle and the Jaguars forced two three and outs to get the ball back for their offense, which avoided the mistakes that had hurt them earlier and capitalized on the good field position their defense gave them.

West scored on a 39-yard run to cut the Lee advantage to 21-16, and then on their next drive he connected on passes of 25 and 33 yards to A.J. Stewart (10-128 receiving yards), which set up a seven-yard TD pass to Washington and gave Athens its first lead since being up 3-0.

Later, a 10-yard Lee punt gave the Jaguars excellent field position up by a point. Two plays later, West was in the end zone after a 28-yard run, putting Athens ahead 29-21.

Lee turned to quarterback Chase Arrington, who led the Yellow Jackets on a 13-play drive which ultimately came up with nothing when a 23-yard field goal went wide left.

Jaguar sophomore Dominique Lynch (150 rushing yards) helped Athens run out the clock, as he toppled the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career.