JEFFERSON — The Jefferson Dragons’ run at a second state championship in three seasons ended Friday night at Jefferson Memorial Stadium.

In a battle two undefeated 12-0 teams, the Blessed Trinity Titans knocked off the Dragons 28-21 in overtime in the Class AAA quarterfinals.

It was in the quarterfinals of the 2012 season where Jefferson needed triple overtime to defeat Fitzgerald en route to the championship.

Blessed Trinity quarterback Conor Davis found Patrick Jasinski for the 15-yard go-ahead touchdown on the first play of overtime to break the 21-21 tie.

The Dragons’ offense attempted four straight passes in its lone overtime possession, but fell short as the ball found the turf on fourth-and-5 to end the game.

“It’s solemn,” Jefferson head coach Ben Hall said. “This is the first time we’ve had to experience this (feeling) this year. I’m proud of the way the team played tonight.

“We lost to a fine football team and it took extra football to determine the winner. At the end, they just made the play and we didn’t. ... But tonight, we are going to celebrate what these seniors have offered us over the last four years. Our young kids are resilient and they will recover.”

Jefferson (12-1) was led by senior quarterback Evan Shirreffs’ 214 passing yards and two touchdowns. He connected with senior Rodney Carr eight times for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

T.J. Skelton caught five passes 83 yards. Running back Sammy Williams rushed for 55 yards and one score.

Davis passed for 113 yards and three touchdowns for Blessed Trinity (13-0). Jasinski hauled in five catches for 41 yards and the go-ahead score.

Junior Matthew Higgins caught five passes for 67 yards and two first-half touchdowns.

Running back Milton Shelton scored the Titans’ other touchdown and rushed for a game-high 129 yards.

The Titans’ defense blocked a go-ahead 30-yard field goal with 6:04 left in regulation, forced a turnover on downs when Jefferson failed to convert fourth-and-3 with 37 seconds left in regulation and forced a punt all before the game-winning stop in overtime.

“They put us in a bind all night,” Blessed Trinity head coach Tim McFarlin said. “It was a numbers and matchup problem, but it makes you better down the road.

“I was proud of our kids for hanging tough down there. ... It was a quarterfinal game. It was two really good football teams and we were the ones who were fortunate to come out on top tonight.”

Blessed Trinity plays Washington County in the semifinals.

The Titans’ offense found life on its second possession going 74 yards in 11 plays, capped by Shelton’s 1-yard touchdown run to give Blessed Trinity a 7-0 lead four seconds into the second quarter.

Jefferson responded with a six-play, 74-yard drive of its own, propelled by Shirreffs to Skelton for 48 yards. Williams tied the game with a 13-yard touchdown run.

Jefferson then attempted a surprise onside kick, but failed to recover it giving the Titans’ offense a short field to play with. After converting a fourth-and-inches, Davis connected with Higgins for a 30-yard touchdown strike, giving Blessed Trinity a 14-7 lead with 8:21 left until halftime.

On the Titans’ next possession, they were forced to punt, but a 15-yard roughing the kicker penalty against Jefferson gave the Titans’ offense new life. They converted fourth-and-6 when Davis found Higgins for 9 yards.

Two plays later, the duo struck again, this time on a 22-yard touchdown strike, giving Blessed Trinity a 21-7 lead with 2:35 left until halftime.

Jefferson responded quickly as Shirreffs found Carr three times in six plays including a 41-yard touchdown strike to cut the deficit to 21-14 headed into halftime.

The duo connected again in the third quarter as Carr tied the game at 21-21 after hauling in a 22-yard touchdown pass with 3:58 left in the quarter.

The Dragons’ defense forced the Titans to punt four straight times to open the second half. Senior Trent Sorrells came up with an interception during the scoreless fourth quarter to give Jefferson its last shot at winning the game in regulation.

But the offense failed to convert the turnover into points.

“It has been a good season. It hurts right now, but we are going to celebrate these seniors tonight,” Hall said.