Win a district championship. Check.

Win a region championship. Check.

Now comes the biggest wish on their list. Santa is not supposed to come for another two weeks, but could grant the wishes of a Jefferson team that has been mostly nice.

Forget video games or clothes.

All Jefferson wants for Christmas is a state championship.

``This is my last high school game ever. It's the last high school game for all of the seniors. It's something we want really bad,'' Jefferson running back Alex Suber said.

Jefferson (11-3) will have its chance to receive an early Christmas gift when it challenges Jacksonville Bolles (13-0) at 3 p.m. today for the Class 3A state championship at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville.

It will be the Dragons' second attempt in the past three years to win a state championship. They were a state runner- up in 2002.

``When I got here in 1998, our goal was to make it to the state championship. We have accomplished it twice. Now our goal is to win the state championship,'' Jefferson coach Mike Simmonds said. ``We knew in January we had a team that could go all the way. We have done everything in our power to prepare for state and win it.

``We've had some knock- down coaches meetings, but how we did it and the blueprint of success we used is truly a Cinderella story.''

The fairy tale began when Simmonds, 69-24 in seven years, decided to use a sophomore as quarterback. Stephen Garcia had never had a varsity start, but 14 games later, Garcia has completed 146 of 241 passes for 2,568 yards, 26 TDs and seven interceptions. He is second in state sophomore passing history.

The Dragons won nine of their last 10 games after a 2-2 start. ``After we lost against Hillsborough [season finale], we decided not to get down on the kids. Instead, we had a group hug after that game. We all formed a big human chain. It was impressive,'' Simmonds said. ``When we were on the road for the Miami Pace game, we went to eat at the Golden Corral. After we were done, the kids got together on their own and did that group hug again.

``One of the coaches started yelling at them to get on the bus, but I told him to not worry about it. They were doing their own little thing. They have faith in each other. They believe. They are one of the finest teams I've been around.''

The Rev. Abe Brown spoke to the team Thursday. Brown coached Blake's 1969 state championship team and encouraged the Dragons not to be content making it into the red zone, but to get into the end zone. Not to be satisfied with making it to this game, but to win it.

``Everybody has to give it up. Each week we kept telling each other we had to earn another week, but this is our last week. This is the state championship,'' junior defensive lineman Anthony Jones said. ``I have one more year, but this is the last game for our seniors. I told them I love them and I would go all out for them.

``Our goal was to win our last game and this is what we have to do.''