Crowe takes centerstage, Jackson defense catches fire in road rout of Poplar Bluff

Jackson got back to its winning ways against Poplar Bluff with a 49-21 victory. No name jumped off the stat sheet more than Indians junior Kai Crowe, who scored four touchdowns to push Jackson to a big win against its archrival on the road.

Crowe typically stands out the most as one of the Indians’ primary receiving targets, becoming one of quarterback Adrian Fox’s go-to guys. However, his impact as the starting kicker and punter has also proved invaluable through four weeks.

“Kai [Crowe] is obviously a really good player, but he's grown tremendously as a leader,” Indians head coach Ryan Nesbitt said. “His consistency in his practice habits, his energy and what he brings to our team, I’m happy for him. It's truly just a testament to his work habits, and it's good to see that stuff paying off for him personally.”

The junior finished with 185 yards receiving to go with 24 rushing yards, ending his night with a total 209 yards; Crowe accrued roughly 41% of Jackson’s offensive yardage.

After his breakout performance against Poplar Bluff, the junior upped his season point total to 59. Crowe has scored five touchdowns on top of hitting 2 of 2 field goals on the season – both against Francis Howell – and converting on all 24 of his extra-point attempts through Week 4.

31 of these points came in the Indians’ breakout win against the Mules. On the first play from scrimmage, Crowe broke free for a 65-yard touchdown through the air to open the scoring.

Marking just the beginning of a dominant night on the scoreboard, Crowe enjoyed a big night statistically but doesn’t allow himself to get hung up on these figures.

“It really doesn't mean anything to me,” Crowe said. “I just love being with the guys and being able to play the sport I love.”

Jackson's Kai Crowe signals for the touchdown during a September 15, 2023 matchup between the Jackson Indians and the Poplar Bluff Mules at Mules Stadium in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Jackson defeated Poplar Bluff, 49-21.Cole Lee ~ clee@semoball.com

Scoring a second touchdown near the end of the second quarter to draw the Indians even on a 21-yard screen pass, a third to pull them ahead on a reception from seven yards out and a final 46-yard touchdown to up the score to 49-21.

After this score, Crowe pointed to his sleeve, emblazoned with the writing “LLNH,” in memory of 2023 graduate and former teammate Nicholas Heisserer, who tragically passed away on Sunday, Sept. 10.

With many Jackson players representing Heisserer in the team’s first game since his passing, the collective fell into a 14-point hole halfway through the second quarter before rallying back for 42 unanswered points to take a 28-point victory after holding the Mules scoreless in the second half.

After tallying just one interception through three weeks of play, Jackson linebackers picked off Mules quarterback Jay Edmundson twice – once from Peyton Klund late in the first half and another in the fourth quarter from Fisher Stevens – to help Jackson ice the game.

Jackson's Fisher Stevens turns back toward the sideline during a September 15, 2023 matchup between the Jackson Indians and the Poplar Bluff Mules at Mules Stadium in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Jackson defeated Poplar Bluff, 49-21.Cole Lee ~ clee@semoball.com

Part of a resurgence in the Indian defensive unit, Stevens keyed the way to a dominant performance in a rivalry road game. Sustaining a concussion in Week 1 against Edwardsville, Stevens sat out against Francis Howell before making his return against Farmington.

Stevens led the defense in tackles on Friday night, tallying 10 tackles while assisting on another two. With a tackle for loss and an interception, Stevens became a spark plug for a unit in need of a jolt.

Returning as a focal point in the Jackson defense, Stevens has tenure as a playmaker in the Indians’ defensive scheme and contributed in a big way on Friday night. After the win, Stevens emphasized that the game is a stepping stone toward where the unit wants to be.

“We tell ourselves – it's our team goal – that we just want to be the best football team that we're capable of being by the end of the year,” Stevens said. “We started out pretty slow, but we took a deep breath, thought about it and just came back out here. I feel like we executed pretty well in the second half.”

Jackson’s crackdown in a tough road test against Poplar Bluff met expectations and then some, but now the Indians’ focus shifts to their cross-county rivals in Cape Central.

While one of the most important games of every year, the preparation for the Indians’ home bout against the Tigers will look just the same as every week before. Jackson looks to add to the early successes of its 3-1 campaign.

“It's pretty big for us tonight,” Stevens said. “We've been looking forward to this since last year, obviously. But like we said, we start over every week, we show up and we work hard.”