SportsOctober 21, 2012
Jackson football team earns top seed in district
Jackson scored 42 consecutive points to break open a close game, and the Indians overwhelmed Francis Howell Central 56-26 Friday night.
Jackson's high-powered offense had been slowed the previous two games as the Indians suffered their only losses of the season, both on the road against state-ranked teams.
The Indians returned home for the first time in more than a month and their explosive attack returned as well.
Jackson scored 42 consecutive points to break open a close game, and the Indians overwhelmed Francis Howell Central 56-26 Friday night in their regular-season finale.
"Everything was clicking tonight," sophomore quarterback Dante Vandeven said.
The Indians improved to 6-2, matching their win total from the previous three years combined and compiled their first winning season since 2008.
Jackson earned the top seed for the Class 5 District 1 tournament under the state's new playoff system. The Indians have a bye this week before hosting a second-round district game the following week.
"Now we'll work to get ready for the playoffs," senior wide receiver Brannon Wright said.
The Indians had scored just 31 points the past two games, both season lows, during losses at Sikeston and Columbia Hickman.
Jackson's spread offense got well Friday as the Indians scored their most points since also putting up 56 in 2007. They are averaging 35.3 points after averaging just 12.8 points last season.
"Our kids were teetering a little bit, wondering if we were done getting wins," said first-year Jackson coach Brent Eckley, who has produced high-scoring offenses and plenty of success in all the programs he's worked with. "Now I think we've got our confidence back."
Vandeven, making just his second varsity start after being promoted to the position for the Hickman game, seemed to exude confidence Friday.
Vandeven completed 22 of 30 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns -- a 16-yarder to junior wide receiver Taylor Henson and a 24-yarder to senior wide receiver Skyler Steele. Vandeven also rushed for four touchdowns, covering 1, 3, 5 and 11 yards.
"I felt comfortable," Vandeven said. "I had lots of time to throw and I got a good push [on the runs]. I have confidence in my line to give me time."
Vandeven had a pass intercepted early in the second quarter, which led to a Central touchdown as the Spartans (1-8) went ahead 14-7.
Vandeven rarely made a mistake the rest of the way in a performance that drew thumbs up from Eckley.
"I thought he played really well. He had the one interception, but other than that he was really sharp," Eckley said.
Seven Jackson players caught passes, led by Henson and Wright.
Henson snagged seven balls for 113 yards. Wright had five receptions for 107 yards.
Jackson also rushed for 221 yards, led by junior tailback Colten Proffer's 78 yards on 18 carries. He scored from 5 yards out.
"Overall we got back in the groove of things pretty much on offense," Wright said.
The Indians piled up 559 total yards and had 29 first downs.
"We didn't play very sharp on offense early, but then I thought we got in a groove," Eckley said. "We got good quarterback play, good wide receiver play and our offensive line was solid."
Jackson could not have gotten off to a better start as the Spartans fumbled the opening kickoff, with sophomore Ty Crowden recovering.
The Indians marched 43 yards and scored on Vandeven's 1-yard run for a 7-0 lead just 1 minute, 55 seconds into the game.
But the Spartans, who have played tough against a rugged schedule, made things difficult on Jackson for a while.
Central drove 85 yards for a tying touchdown and took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter after Vandeven's interception deep in Jackson territory.
"They were athletic kids, and we didn't tackle real well," said Eckley, disappointed that Jackson allowed 467 yards of offense.
Jackson drove 73 yards and forged a 14-14 tie on Vandeven's 5-yard run with 8:58 left in the second quarter.
The game then began to turn thanks to a pair of key defensive plays by the Indians.
Junior linebacker Trea Forbs intercepted a pass after the Spartans had driven deep into Jackson territory. His 44-yard return set the Indians up at the Central 31-yard line.
"I saw the receiver had run a slant route and I just kind of jumped in front of it," Forbs said.
It took Jackson only three plays to go ahead for good at 21-14, Vandeven hitting Henson on a 16-yard strike with 6:22 left before halftime.
The teams exchanged punts before Central faced fourth-and-inches from its 43-yard line.
Central junior quarterback Brody Allen, who had a big game with 304 yards passing and 42 rushing, tried to sneak for the first down. He didn't make it.
Jackson took over at Central's 43 with 1:46 left. A 33-yard catch-and-run by Wright set up Vandeven's 11-yard TD with only 51 seconds remaining before halftime, putting the Indians up 27-14.
"Those were both critical plays," Eckley said about Forbs' interception and the fourth-down stop.
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The Indians dominated the third quarter, outscoring Central 22-0, to turn the game into a blowout.
Jackson's three touchdown drives in the period all covered at least 67 yards. Vandeven scored on a 3-yard run, Proffer went over from 5 yards out and Steele caught a 24-yard pass for a 49-14 bulge.
Vandeven's night was done after three quarters.
"Dante played great and the line blocked real well," Wright said.
Eckley substituted liberally in the final period, when Central scored on two long pass plays, including a 95-yarder.
The Indians got one more touchdown, a 6-yard run by freshman Gabriel Dudley with under a minute left, to cap off senior night.
"The last couple of weeks our team has been down. I'm glad we bounced back for the seniors," Forbs said.
While the Indians will now begin preparing for what they hope is a deep playoff run, Forbs took note of the success they've had so far after three down years for Jackson football.
"It feels good to bring some pride back to the town," Forbs said.
Noteworthy
* The game was delayed for about 15 minutes late in the third quarter after Central's Devante Mitchell was injured on a kickoff return. He was placed on a stretcher and taken by amublance to a local hospital with what Jackson officials described as a possible neck injury.
FHC 7 7 0 12 -- 26
Jackson 7 20 22 7 -- 56
First Quarter
J -- Dante Vandeven 1 run (Adam Brown kick), 10:05
F -- Deboise Hill 5 run (Ben Burns kick), 8:32
Second Quarter
F -- Brody Allen 24 run (Burns kick), 11:37
J -- Vandeven 5 run (Brown kick), 8:58
J -- Taylor Henson 16 pass from Vandeven (Brown kick), 6:22
J -- Vandeven 11 run (kick failed), :51
Third Quarter
J -- Vandeven 3 run (Brannon Wright pass from Vandeven), 10:46
J -- Colten Proffer 5 run (Brown kick), 6:29
J -- Skyler Steele 24 pass from Vandeven (Brown kick), 1:35
Fourth Quarter
F -- Desmond Young 38 pass from Allen (run failed), 9:02
F -- ALex Lewis 95 pass from Allen (kick failed), 5:37
J -- Gabriel Dudley 6 run (Brown kick), :47
F J
First downs 14 29
Rushes-yards 24-163 52-221
Passing yards 304 338
Passes 17-29-1 22-30-1
Punts 6-39.8 3-47.3
Fumbles-Lost 2-1 1-1
Penalties-Yards 4-20 2-10
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Francis Howell Central, Courtney Bateman 8-83, Allen 8-42, Hill 8-38. Jackson, Proffer 18-78, Garrett Miller 4-52, Vandeven 10-31, Dudley 7-25, Ty Selsor 5-19, Wright 3-9, Ethan Isakson 1-9, Xominique Davis 2-5, Luke Helwege 1-minus 4, team 1-minus 3.
PASSING -- Francis Howell Central, Allen 17-29-1-304. Jackson, Vandeven 22-30-1-338.
RECEIVING -- Francis Howell Central, Young 7-130, Justin Hayden 6-46, Lewis 3-117, Jack Dickens 1-11. Jackson, Henson 7-113, Wright 5-107, Proffer 4-26, Lowgn Wren 2-36, Jackson Rushin 2-23, Steele 1-24, Selsor 1-9.
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