JEFFERSON — Anytime a season opens with a rivalry game it is expected for nerves to be a factor. But for Jefferson coach T. McFerrin his first foray back on the sideline in five years had him admittedly “sick to his stomach,” in the week leading up to the River Rivalry with Commerce.

But after his team’s convincing 30-13 win over the Tigers, McFerrin can rest easy, at least for a week.

“Right now it feels good, it’s a weight off,” the first year Dragons coach said. “I’m sure proud, it’s a great win against a great rival.”

Those nerves were peaking on the opening drive of the game as Commerce got a little bit of luck on a fumbled snap on fourth down that resuled in a 75-yard scoring run for Deon Brock, giving the Tigers a quick 7-0 lead.

Commerce had all the first quarter momentum, but Jefferson took it back early in the second with a little luck of their own.

On a third and long from the Dragons 44, quarterback Darius Minor rolled right, bought some time and heaved the ball downfield to a wide open Tyler Porter who had slipped past the Tigers secondary. Porter walked in for the score, but a botched snap on the extra point left the Dragons trailing 7-6.

On their next possession the Dragons drive stalled deep in Commerce territory, but Asher Orr’s 29-yard field goal gave his team a 9-7 lead it would never relinquish.

An attempt to run out the clock in the first half backfired on Commerce when Sam Loggins recovered a Commerce fumble at the Tigers’ 29-yard line.

Five plays later Minor found his tight end Hoytes Damons for a 16-yard scoring strike to end the half. For the game Minor was a near perfect 5-6 for 109 yards and two scores.

“He did a great job and made some real big plays for us,” McFerrin said of his signal caller.

Jefferson put the game away in the second half on the ground, with an 11-play, 53-yard scoring drive. For the game, the Dragons amassed 294 rushing yards, while getting two more scores from Minor and Caleb Meek.

“We wanted to run the ball, but we threw the ball pretty well, too,” McFerrin said.

Defensively the Dragons were stout after the first drive, forcing two fumbles and keeping Commerce inside its own end for much of the game. The big factor was bottling up Brock, who ran for almost 100 yards in the opening quarter and just 15 the rest of the way.