Robinson (3-6) entered into Friday night’s matchup against Jefferson (5-3) knowing it was a must win-game. Yet for the fourth year in the row, the Knights fell short of a playoff berth, getting shut out 38-0 by the Dragons.

When the referees called for the captains, Anthony Krouse Jr. (’17) hobbled onto the field with a large knee brace and crutches and captain Anfernee Alston (’17) stayed behind, giving up his spot so Krouse could be on the field for his final game.

“I have a lot of brothers on this team. We’re all brothers,” Alston said. “And we got to be there for each other at all costs.”

Tight defense on both sides led to a slow offensive start, but it did not take long for the Dragons to take a hold of the Knights, jumping to a 14-0 lead at the half on consecutive runs. An 18-yard touchdown pass expanded Jefferson’s lead late in the fourth quarter.

“We may not have come out on top, but this team is a team full of leaders, and I’m proud of that,” head coach Shawn Taylor said. “That’s bigger than the game to me, that these guys are gonna go to college and get their high school diplomas.”