Jackson football team stopped in Class 5 quarterfinal

ST. LOUIS -- In three winning seasons under coach Brent Eckley, the Jackson Indians have had one dominant characteristic: An aggressive attitude on offense.

And when the Indians faced a fourth-and-1 play in their own territory in the fourth quarter of a tied game against Ladue in the Class 5 Quarterfinals on Saturday at St. Louis University High, the Indians hesitated a little -- first calling a timeout -- but then rolled the dice.

However, Jackson, which had defied odds with a 35-3 comeback against Vianney eight days earlier in the District 1 championship game, rolled snake-eyes.

The Indians lost the gamble, and in due time, the game.

Ladue eventually took advantage of its improved field position and scored the go-ahead touchdown on its way to a 31-21 victory.

It marked the second consecutive year the season ended in the quarterfinals for Jackson, which saw a five-game winning streak end as it closed its year with a 10-2 record.

Ladue (12-1), which won its first quarterfinal game in four attempts under coach Mike Tarpey, will take a four-game winning streak into the state semifinals.

"We had a formation we hadn't shown before," Eckley said about taking the gamble about two minutes into the fourth quarter with the game tied 21-21. "We didn't think they'd get lined up right to it, and I don't know if they did. We didn't execute it very well. We didn't get off the ball well enough and do what we needed to do."

Jackson had seized momentum of the game after trailing at halftime for the second straight week.

The Indians were down 14-7 at intermission, and opened the second half with an interception and fumble on offense. Then the offense began to gather itself, putting together scoring drives of 94 yards and 82 yards on back-to-back possessions.

Senior receiver Ty Crowden capped the first drive, pulling in an 18-yard pass from senior quarterback Dante Vandeven to tie the game at 14-14 with 3 minutes, 20 seconds left in the third quarter. Just over three minutes later, sophomore Bryndan Reid busted through the left side of the line for a 27-yard TD run to give the Indians their first lead of the game.

"We came back out and knew we were a second-half team," Vandeven said. "We're like that. We played Miller Career like that, Oakville and Vianney. We were pretty confident in what we could do."

The two drives covered 176 yards in 14 plays. Tarpey and his team were getting a first-hand look at the team they watched on film stun Vianney with a 36-0 second-half explosion.

"Our kids, knowing they came back, that, I think, almost puts that doubt in you," Tarpey said. "That speaks to who they are and their character and how they're coached. I give them all the credit in the world."

Jackson fans cheer after Ladue turns the ball over on downs during the fourth quarter of a Class 5 state quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014 at Saint Louis University High School. (Fred Lynch)

But Tarpey's team was no stranger to such antics itself.

It had outscored Webster Groves 28-0 in the second half a week earlier, including 21-0 in the fourth quarter.

It reinforced Tarpey's belief that sports are all about energy and momentum.

"That's where that energy and that doubt started to come. We need somebody to step up and make a play," Tarpey said. "I think every level of football in any athletics is about energy and momentum. And they took it and they had it, and our kids kind of got it back, and then our playmakers made some plays."

Jackson took a 21-14 lead into the fourth quarter, but Ladue needed less than a minute for a playmaker to tie the game. James Bell returned the kickoff after Reid's TD 61 yards to set up the Rams at the Jackson 34.

After three plays netted just one yard, Ladue quarterback Jack Fox connected with Bell on a fourth-and-9 scoring pass with 11:05 left in the game.

It set the stage for the game-changing scenario for Jackson, which began its next possession at its own 20 and moved out to the 29 on three consecutive running plays.

"I thought we had good momentum there, and that's why I wanted to go for it there on fourth down to keep them on their heels and keep them tired on defense," Eckley said.

Just as surprisingly as going for it, Vandeven handed the ball off to senior Ryan Baker, who was stopped for no gain on his only carry of the game. Indian players still liked the call after the game.

"Our team has always been kind of a go-getter team," Crowden said. "Sometimes you'll get it, sometimes you won't. That's just how it goes. It just wasn't our day today."

Ladue quarterback/kicker Jack Fox kicks a field goal to secure the 31-21 victory over Jackson during the final minute of their Class 5 state quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014 at Saint Louis University High School. (Fred Lynch)

Senior Xominique Davis who had a team-high six catches for 106 yards, also thought it fit the Indians' personality

"I wasn't surprised either," Davis said. "I was thinking, 'Go for it. It's fourth-and-1, go for it. It's quarterfinals, go for it.'"

Rams senior running back Daylen Edwards, who ran for a game-high 198 yards on 31 carries, was on the sideline watching the play, and he saw the team he had seen all week.

"I knew they were going to try to take a shot," Edwards said. "Because when we were watching film, they like to do that type of stuff. So we were all prepared for it."

The failed attempt dictated field position for the remainder of the game.

The Rams took over at the 29 and marched to the Jackson 1, but the Indians held strong, stopping Fox on a keeper on fourth-and-1 to maintain the tie.

However, the Rams forced the Indians to punt on the ensuing possession and took control at the Jackson 37.

This time the Rams cashed in, covering the distance in six plays. Edwards scored on a 4-yard run with 3:18 left to play to put Ladue ahead 28-21.

Jackson's following possession lasted just four plays, ending on downs on a dropped pass at its own 21.

Fox secured the win when he booted a 35-yard field goal with :55 left.

Edwards, who had his seventh consecutive 100-yard rushing game, had 111 yards rushing in the first quarter alone, including a 65-yard TD run that put the Rams ahead 14-0. That came after Ladue marched 67-yards for a touchdown off the game's opening possession.

Jackson cut the lead to 14-7 on a 30-yard scoring pass to Jeremy Elliot with 5:35 left in the second quarter.

Vandeven finished with a team-high 132 yards rushing on 19 carries in his final high school game. A starter since his sophomore season who has verbally committed to

Southeast Missouri State, Vandeven completed 15 of 25 passes for 242 yards.

"I'm really proud of our kids, really proud of their effort," Eckley said. "They never gave up on anything. They did an oustanding job today. I thought we could have played a little bit better, a little cleaner, but they played hard."

The Indians were left with the memories of two exciting district victories, both of which Davis provided winning touchdowns on catches -- one in overtime to beat Oakville, and the other completed the comeback against Vianney in the final minute.

"It's been a heck of a journey," Davis said. "I've never been around such a great atmosphere. Just being on the team -- brotherhood. I've learned a lot, just by playing football. It's changed me into a man."

Ladue 31, Jackson 21

Jackson 0 7 14 0 - 21

Ladue 14 0 0 17 - 31

First quarter

L -- James Scott 5 run (Jack Fox kick), 8:44

L -- Daylen Edwards 65 run (Fox kick), :02

Second quarter

J -- Jeremy Elliot 30 pass from Dante Vandeven (Ty

Crowden kick), 5:34

Third quarter

J -- Ty Crowden 18 pass fron Vandeven (Crowden kick),

3:20

J -- Bryndan Reid 27 run (Crowden kick), :14

Fourth quarter

L -- James Bell 33 pass from Fox (Fox kick), 11:05

L -- Edwards 4 run (Fox kick), 3:18

L -- Fox 35 FG

J L

First downs 21 16

Rushes-yards 47-265 48-271

Passing yards 242 90

Passes 9-22-1 15-25-2

Punts-average 3-46.6 4-48.5

Fumbles-lost 3-2 1-0

Penalties-yards 3-32 4-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing -- Jackson, Gabriel Dudley 1-(-1), Vandeven

19-132, Reid 8-73, Xominique Davis 6-7, Triston Thele

7-21, Ben Maudie 3-18, Elliot 2-15; Ladue, Edwards 31

-198, Scott 8-61, Fox 7-15, Bell 1-5, Team 1-(-6).

Passing -- Jackson, Vandeven 15-25-2-265; Ladue, Fox

9-22-1-90.

Receiving -- Jackson, Maudie 3-43, Davis 6-101, Elliot

2-48, Crowden 2-38, Thele 1-4, Reid 1-0; Ladue, Bell

3-52, Paul Flynn 3-28,Edwards 1-(-4), Chuck Burton 1-

8, Nathaniel Howard 1-8.