HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: VICTORIES CREATE DISTRICT SHOWDOWNS; INDAINS 'BERRY' FRANCIS HOWELL

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Jackson running back burned Francis Howell for an 83-yard run, blazing past the secondary and into the end zone.

He averaged 13.2 yards per carry, racking up 132 rushing yards.

No, he wasn't Mario Whitney.

He was Brad Berry.

Berry, Jackson's fullback, had a career night and was one of three Indians with at least 100 yards from scrimmage Friday night as the Red and Black lambasted visiting Francis Howell 51-14 in Class 5A, District 1 action.

Jackson got 108 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries from speedy tailback Mario Whitney, while receiver Ray Goodson caught three balls all for touchdowns -- for 118 yards.

"Brad Berry ran hard and Ray had a couple of good catches," said Jackson coach Carl Gross. "We're just not doing a good job blocking for Mario on the edge. The teams we play don't play us like we see them on tape and it's hard to adjust during the game. But the line did a good job blocking inside. Any time you get 100 yards from your fullback between the tackles, you know you've done a good job and I'm proud of them."

Berry's big run straight up the middle got the scoring started for the Indians.

"The play is designed to fake a pitch to Mario," Berry explained. "The linebackers screamed to the outside and our guards mashed their tackles. The safeties bit on the fake too and I was gone."

Joey Beard's kick made it 7-0 with 4:06 to go in the first quarter.

Three plays later, the Indians found themselves in great position to score again after Kyle Perry picked off a pass and returned it about 25 yards to Howell's 5-yard line.

Two plays later, Goodson made a finger-tip grab in the back of the end zone on a pass from John Jackson to put the Indians up 14-0 in the first quarter.

Howell (3-6) recovered a fumble at Jackson's 23-yard line midway through the second quarter and the Vikings took advantage of the field position when quarterback Caleb Hallemeier took the ball around the left end from 23 yards out to make it 14-7.

Jackson went up 21-7 when Whitney capped off an 11-play, 72-yard drive with a 4-yard scamper. That looked like it would be the Indians' last chance to score, but cornerback Matt Holloway made a nice diving interception on a fake-reverse pass to set up a 31-yard touchdown strike from Jackson to Goodson.

A two-point conversion put Jackson ahead 29-7 where it would stand at halftime.

After Howell missed a 27-yard field goal on its opening possession in the second half, Goodson burned the Viking secondary for an 82-yard touchdown reception down the middle. Jackson put the ball right on the money and Goodson bobbled the ball for at least 10 yards before gaining possession and sprinting to the end zone.

"That was great concentration," said Gross. "I always tell them that great players make great plays and that was a great play."

"I think we've opened up the offense a lot the last couple of weeks," said Berry. "We're getting everyone involved. Then you get the line blocking like it did tonight and you can put 51 points on the board."

John Jackson completed three of six passes for 118 yards three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Added offensive guard Tim Spradlin, "We know that if we give John enough time, he's got the accuracy to get it there."

Whitney added a 3-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter and Joe Walter punched it in from 3 yards away in the fourth to account for the final margin.

Howell scored its second touchdown before Whitney's last touchdown with a little help from Jackson.

The Indians had a miscommunication and had only 10 players on the field. Kevin McDonald, on his first carry of the game, ran right to where the 11th man was supposed to be and took a sweep 65 yards to the end zone.

Hallemeier led Howell with 97 yards on 14 carries.

Poplar Bluff, with a 35-14 win over Vianney, has set the stage for a district and SEMO North Conference championship game between the Indians and the Mules Friday night at Poplar Bluff.

"I know a couple of coaches that won't get much sleep this week," Gross said.