MEADVILLE — With their playoff lives at stake, the Jefferson County Tigers authored a scoring drive for the ages, and one that their coach said could change the face of the Tiger program.

Jefferson County took over from its own 30-yard line trailing Franklin County 23-22, and drove the length of the field in 1:30 to win the game, 28-23, scoring a touchdown with 2.1 seconds left on the clock.

“This could be the turning point of our program,” Jefferson County coach James Herrington said. “Usually when we make the playoffs we already have it locked up. This season we had to fight for the playoffs.”

Bouvier Ellis caught seven of the last eight completions thrown by Kiwaski Tenner. His seven consecutive receptions set up Nazarius King’s 18-yard game-winning reception for the Tigers.

“Last year [Ellis] dropped a lot of passes. His confidence was down. We stuck with him and this year he has stepped up. Tonight he played like a man,” Herrington said. Ellis finished the game with 7 receptions for 125 yards and two scores.

In the fourth quarter there were three lead changes. Franklin County took the lead with 1:35 left in the fourth after being down two scores with less than 6 minutes left. Jefferson County led throughout most of the fourth quarter.

To give up a touchdown with just two seconds left was heartbreaking for the Bulldogs.

“It’s very disheartening. They made plays. We didn’t,” Franklin County coach Ricky O’Quinn said. “I’m proud of our team though, they came back after being down two touchdowns.”

Jefferson County’s first-half touchdown came on a 48-yard hail mary pass brought down by Ellis as the half expired. Its first two scores in the fourth quarter came on a 7-yard run by Artavus Tenner and a 10-yard reception by Ellis.

Franklin County, despite gaining great field position because of penalties against Jefferson County and four Tiger turnovers, could not establish any consistency on offense until the fourth quarter.

After Jefferson County’s touchdown with 5:45 left in the game, Franklin County’s run game went to work as they managed a 1-yard run by Jimmy Barnes and a 6-yard run by Billy Norman. The two Franklin County scores came 2 minutes apart.

Jefferson County finished the game with 19 penalties for 160 yards. Franklin County had only 9 penalties for 65 yards.

Despite the loss, Franklin County will still go to the Class 3A playoffs due to Wilkinson County’s loss to Tylertown.