JACKSON AT A TOTAL LOSS ABOUT SUMNER

Put it in the book with the 8-foot-11-inch man and the world's oldest monkey: 46 years and 11 months of age at its death in 1976.

The third quarter of Jackson's 38-26 loss at Sumner Friday night qualifies as one of the freakiest quarters of high school football on record.

"It might make a Guiness Book of World's Records," Jackson coach Carl Gross said. "In 24 years of coaching, that's the weirdest game I've been associated with."

Jackson led Friday's game 14-6 at halftime but experienced the explosiveness of their St. Louis Public High School League opponent in the first three minutes, 41 seconds of the third quarter.

The Bulldogs scored on their next six snaps, and with 8:19 left in the third quarter, they led the shellshocked Indians 30-14.

"It was like we thought, Oh no!" Gross said. "Everybody tried to do too much. Everybody tried to win the game themselves...

"We panicked."

Jackson fumbled the opening kickoff in the second half. Sumner recovered, scored on the next play and converted a two-point conversion to tie the game 14-14.

The Indians ran two plays on their next possession, and then coughed up the ball again. The Bulldogs recovered and returned it to the Jackson 1-yard line.

On the next play, Sumner punched it into the end zone, and followed it with another two-point conversion to take a 22-14 lead.

On the first play of its next possession, Sumner scored on a 62-yard run for a 30-14 lead.

Sumner tacked on another touchdown and conversion with 4:35 left in the third quarter before the Indians awoke from their catatonic state to score 12 late points.

"By the time we regrouped, we were up to our eyeballs in alligators," Gross said.

Jackson outgained Sumner 346 yards to 317, had 16 first downs to Sumner's 11 and ran 58 plays to Sumner's 46, but lost in the most important categories.

"We won three quarters, and they won one," Gross said. "But we fumbled three times and lost three. They fumbled twice and lost none. That was the biggest statistic."

Sumner improved to 1-1. Jackson, which came out flat in its opener against Sikeston and paid for it with a hellish week of practice, dropped to 0-2.

"I'm not disappointed with our effort," Gross said. "We've just got to exorcise the demons that are with us.

"This game is going to make us better or worse. It's up to us to decide which one it's gonna be."

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After a 7-3 season last year and convincing wins over Malden and Portageville to start this season, Scott City appears to have completely turned the corner.

Rams coach Terry Flannigan deserves a good measure of credit. Scott City won four games in each of his first two years before breaking the .500 mark last year.

Flannigan had success in the Springfield, Mo., area prior to taking over at Scott City. In six years at Class 3A Mount Vernon, his team advanced to a playoff sectional, quarterfinal and semifinal. In two years at Class 5A Springfield Hillcrest, his team posted its first winning record in ten years.

"You have to develop the program," Flannigan said. "My philosophy is to do it from the base up. Get down there in the junior high and have everybody on the same page.

"I want to leave an impression, if I stay 30 years or leave after 10 years."

On the heels of their 39-12 win against Malden in their season opener, the Rams won at Portageville, 44-12 Friday night.

Senior leadership has been a key.

"I'm sweating it out, and our senior will come and assure me," Flannigan said. "It's a milestone for us. Portageville has been a major block for us these last few years. We know we've completed two huge steps. If we can stay focused, the sky's the limit."