FLINT SPARKS JHS EXPLOSION; SENIOR LEADS INDIANS TO 28-14 WIN

JACKSON -- The Riverview Gardens Rams came into their football game with Jackson with an explosive reputation.

But that reputation blew up in their face Friday night as the Indians provided plenty of offensive fireworks in a season-opening 28-14 win.

Jackson's defense kept the Rams high-powered offense under control for most of the night, while Indians' running back Devree Flint provided the big plays.

Flint broke scoring runs of 51, 29, and 47 yards on the way to 171 yards as Jackson opened the year 1-0. Riverview Gardens, from the tough Suburban North Conference in St. Louis, starts 0-1.

"Devree had some kind of night," said Jackson coach Carl Gross. "Our lineman also played like men. They played both ways most of the night"

Flint's 29-yard score on the opening play of the fourth quarter put Jackson up for good 21-14. Senior guard Kent Langston sprung Flint on the play.

"Kent did a tremendous job pull blocking on that play," said Gross. "He just leveled their defensive end; he KO'd him."

Flint added the his final score of the game from 47 yards out with just 1:10 left in the game after junior Andy Callis picked off his second pass of the night. Jackson intercepted Riverview quarterback Chris Morten four times. Jason Goben and Tory Meyr had the other two interceptions.

After a scoreless first quarter, the two teams opened things up in the second quarter. Flint scored on the third play of the second quarter from 51 yards out to put Jackson ahead 6-0.

Riverview used a fake punt from inside their own territory to keep its first scoring drive alive. Rams' punter Tony Lombardo took the snap and threw a 58 yard pass to a receiver on the far sidelines extend the drive.

Four plays later, Riverview scored on a short pass and less than three minutes later scored again on a 20-yard pass from Morten to Jamar Clark to take a 14-6 lead. Morten actually overthrew his intended receiver and Clark caught the pass while laying on his side in the end zone.

With less than a minute left in the half, it looked like Jackson would trail going into the third quarter. But Jackson quarterback Justin Keen engineered a drive from the Indians' 42-yard-line that culminated with a five-yard pass to tight end Travis Wilson with just three seconds left.

Flint scored the two-point conversion to tie the score 14-14 entering halftime. Keen was 4-of 10 passing for 45 yards.

"There were a couple times we could have given up but we didn't give up," said Gross, mentioning the Indians score just before the half. "That was the biggest score of the game. WE sucked it up there."

Riverview opened the third quarter with a 95-yard kickoff return by Morten, but the play was called back because of an illegal block well behind the play. The penalty took the wind out of the Rams attack.