Jester caps Gurdon comeback at Junction City

Gurdon 32, Junction City 28

October 9 2026

JUNCTION CITY — Jonah Jester scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:02 remaining, and Gurdon rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Junction City 32-28 Friday in 3-2A play.

The Go-Devils scored the final 16 points, getting two rushing touchdowns from Demonta Smallwood and decisive plays on both sides of the ball down the stretch. Gurdon improved to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play. Junction City fell to 2-5 and 1-2.

Gurdon struck first when a high Junction City snap sailed out of the end zone for a safety with 9:42 left in the first quarter. Following the free kick, Jester connected with Amari Huell for a 39-yard touchdown with 8:54 remaining. The extra-point kick missed, leaving the Go-Devils ahead 8-0.

Junction City answered 32 seconds into the second quarter. After Kam Murphy caught a fourth-down pass to set up first-and-goal, Nemo Caldwell took a direct snap and scored from the 1. Gurdon stopped the two-point attempt to preserve an 8-6 lead.

A long kickoff return by Braxton Nolan put Gurdon back in scoring position, but a holding penalty erased a Smallwood touchdown. Jermaine Kennedy then intercepted a pass and returned it approximately 90 yards for a touchdown with 9:28 left in the half. Caldwell added the two-point conversion, putting the Dragons ahead 14-8.

Gurdon reclaimed the lead just before intermission. Nolan made a catch that moved the ball to the 10, and Smallwood finished the possession with a short touchdown run with 16 seconds remaining. Eric Hughes ran in the conversion for a 16-14 halftime advantage.

Caldwell powered Junction City downfield to open the third quarter, taking multiple direct snaps before scoring on a 3-yard run with 10:00 left. Zamundrae Gray was stopped on the two-point attempt. Later, Jeremiah King caught a short touchdown pass with 2:16 remaining, and a successful conversion extended the Dragons’ lead to 28-16.

Gurdon’s comeback gained momentum when Ely Lanton caught a pass in double coverage to convert third-and-long early in the fourth quarter. Smallwood followed with his second touchdown run at the 8:56 mark. Jester found Nolan for two points, cutting the deficit to 28-24.

The Go-Devils then delivered the defensive stand they needed. With about four minutes left, Bennett Gonzales helped stop Caldwell on fourth-and-4 at the Gurdon 16, returning possession to the visitors.

Jester opened the ensuing drive with a first-down run and later scrambled for another crucial first down. Gurdon advanced 84 yards, benefiting from a Junction City personal foul before Jester kept the ball up the middle for the winning touchdown. Hughes added his second two-point run to make it 32-28.

Junction City had one final possession but no timeouts. Hayden Smith tackled Caldwell after a late completion, keeping the clock moving, and the Dragons were unable to get another play off before time expired.

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

Gurdon — Safety: Junction City high snap out of the end zone, Gurdon 2-0. 9:42 remaining.

Gurdon — Jonah Jester 39-yard touchdown pass to Amari Huell (Extra-point kick missed), Gurdon 8-0. 8:54 remaining.

Second Quarter

Junction City — Nemo Caldwell 1-yard touchdown run from direct snap (Caldwell two-point run stopped), Gurdon 8-6. 11:28 remaining.

Junction City — Jermaine Kennedy interception-return touchdown, approximately 90 yards (Nemo Caldwell two-point conversion good), Junction City 14-8. 9:28 remaining.

Gurdon — Demonta Smallwood short touchdown run (Eric Hughes two-point run), Gurdon 16-14. 0:16 remaining.

Third Quarter

Junction City — Nemo Caldwell 3-yard touchdown run (Zamundrae Gray two-point run stopped), Junction City 20-16. 10:00 remaining.

Junction City — touchdown pass to Jeremiah King (#9) (Two-point conversion good), Junction City 28-16. 2:16 remaining.

Fourth Quarter

Gurdon — Demonta Smallwood touchdown run (Jonah Jester two-point pass to Braxton Nolan), Junction City 28-24. 8:56 remaining.

Gurdon — Jonah Jester touchdown run (Eric Hughes two-point run), Gurdon 32-28. 2:02 remaining.

Players Who Stood Out

Jonah Jester, Gurdon — 39-yard TD pass to Amari Huell; winning TD run with 2:02 left; two-point pass to Braxton Nolan; multiple first-down runs on winning drive

Demonta Smallwood, Gurdon — 2 rushing TDs, with 0:16 left in Q2 and 8:56 left in Q4

Eric Hughes, Gurdon — 2 successful two-point runs

Amari Huell, Gurdon — 39-yard TD reception

Braxton Nolan, Gurdon — Two-point reception, long kickoff return and catch to set up late first-half TD

Ely Lanton, Gurdon — Third-and-long catch in double coverage on first fourth-quarter TD drive

Bennett Gonzales, Gurdon — Helped make fourth-down stop at Gurdon 16 before winning drive

Hayden Smith, Gurdon — Late tackle on Nemo Caldwell kept the clock running on final possession

Nemo Caldwell, Junction City — 2 rushing TDs (1 and 3 yards); successful two-point conversion; key direct-snap rushing plays

Jermaine Kennedy, Junction City — Approximately 90-yard interception-return TD

Jeremiah King, Junction City — Third-quarter TD reception