High school football roundup: Jackson wins third straight, topples Miller Career Academy

The Jackson football team will take a three-game winning streak into the Class 5 District 1 tournament.

The Indians defeated Miller Career Academy 42-32 on the road Friday night to finish the regular season with a 5-4 mark.

Miller Career scored on a 29-yard pass in the first quarter to take a 6-0 lead on the Indians.

Later in the quarter, quarterback Cooper Callis completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Elliott. Jackson missed the extra point to make it a 6-6 tie at the end of the first quarter.

The Indians went up 14-6 in the second quarter when Callis hit Elliott for an 8-yard touchdown. Elliott also caught a pass for the two-point conversion.

The Phoenix scored on a 2-yard run, but the two-point conversion failed. Jackson held a 14-12 lead at the half.

Jackson went up 28-12 in the third after a 2-yard touchdown run by Ethan Laster and about a 40-yard interception return by Landen Pehle.

Miller Career and Jackson each scored on 1-yard runs -- Laster with his second touchdown for the Indians -- to make it 35-13.

The Phoenix punched one in from 1 yard out at the end of the third, but their two-point conversion failed to give the Indians a 35-24 lead going to the final quarter.

Callis, who went 20 for 29 for 250 yards and threw one interception, completed his third touchdown pass to Elliott from 3 yards to make it 42-24.

Miller Career scored on a 41-yard pass for the final score.

"We played against a team that was extremely athletic," Jackson coach Brent Eckley said. "Our kids played hard. We rallied to the ball well on defense. We didn't tackle particularly well, but it was a big challenge just as athletic as they were."

Elliott finished with 187 yards and three touchdowns on 14 catches.

Laster rushed for 99 yards on 18 carries, and Bryndan Reid had 16 carries for 66 yards.

Jefferson 68, St. Vincent 28

St. Vincent was shut out in the second half as Jefferson cruised to a 68-28 victory in the regular-season finale.

The Indians led 14-8 after one quarter, but Jefferson held a 40-28 lead at halftime and added 28 points in the second half.

-- From staff reports