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FAYETTE — The Jefferson County High School Tigers gave Magee High School everything it could handle and then some last Friday night in the semifinals of the 2024 MHSAA Class 3A South State Playoffs. But a costly fumble in the fourth quarter gave life to a Trojans team trying to keep their undefeated season going.

Down 6-0, Region 6-3A No. 1 seed Magee finally scored on a touchdown pass from Damerion Paterson to Braeden Paterson nearly midway through the fourth quarter. Then after Region 7-3A No. 1 seed Jefferson County turned the ball over on downs about a minute later, the Trojans scored on a TD pass with about two minutes remaining as they defeated the Tigers on the road 12-6.

That fumble was the fourth lost fumble of the game by the Tigers. They turned the ball over four times in a span of nearly 10 minutes from just past the midway point of the third quarter to nearly 8:00 to go in the fourth quarter. However, the Trojans were also intercepted twice in that span, first by Deanthony Miller and the by JaeKwon Collins. Miller had two picks in the game.

Altogether, there were a combined 10 turnovers in the game — three interceptions and two lost fumbles by Magee, one interception and four lost fumbles by Jefferson County.

Jermall Williams recovered the second of Magee’s fumbles and that led to Royale Shelvy’s 25-yard touchdown run with about 7:00 to go in the first quarter. It was a defensive battle between the two teams after that until the Trojans rallied to keep their season alive.

Magee (12-0) next play at Region 5-3A No. 1 seed Noxubee County High School (10-2) at 7 p.m. Friday for the Class 3A South State Championship. The Noxubee County Tigers took care of the Region 6-3A No. 3 seed Seminary Attendance Center Bulldogs 45-15 in the other South State semifinal game.

Jefferson County finished its season with an overall record of 9-3.