Jackson football team's comeback falls short in quarterfinals

~ The Indians lost to Webster Groves 42-39 in a Class 5 quarterfinal

With less than six minutes left in its Class 5 state quarterfinal, the Jackson football team trailed Webster Groves by 17 points.

It wasn't over, though. Jackson scored two touchdowns over the next four minutes with the help of a recovered onside kick.

A second onside kick attempt went out of bounds and the Indians lost 42-39 to the Statesmen to finish the season 8-4 on Saturday.

Jackson junior quarterback Dante Vandeven scored on a 1-yard run with 3 minutes, 3 seconds left in the game to cut Webster Groves' lead to 42-32.

"I was never doubtful, never," Vandeven said. "I always knew that we could come back, and we came pretty dang close. Things just didn't work our way at times and can't do nothing about that but make the best out of things and we did."

Junior Ty Crowden's onside kick after Vandeven's touchdown was recovered by Jackson's BJ Heuer at the 50-yard line. Jackson moved the ball down the field with receptions by seniors Colten Proffer and Taylor Henson. A 13-yard pass to Crowden in the end zone put Jackson as close as it would get.

Jackson’s Colten Proffer looks for a hole in the Webster Groves defense in the fourth quarter of the Indians’ 42-39 loss to the Statesmen in a Class 5 quarterfinal Saturday at Jackson High School. (Adam Vogler)

"The likelihood of us winning in that situation is very low, but the response that we have in that scenario -- we want to make sure that the kids know that we're not going to ever give up, and we don't want them to," Jackson coach Brent Eckley said. "I was pleased with how they responded. We just kept battling, kept plugging away.

"We didn't get that last onside. We could've made it interesting because we had it at three at that point. It is what it is. We at least put ourselves in a position at the end."

The Indians led multiple times throughout the game, including 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.

After forcing the Statesmen to punt less than two minutes into the game Jackson took over at its own 39-yard line.

The Indians moved it to the Webster Groves 43 with runs by Proffer and Xominique Davis before Vandeven connected with Proffer on a pass up the middle for the touchdown with 9:27 left in the first.

"Our tempo was really up when we came out and we hit them hard first," Vandeven said. "We wanted to send a message that we aren't messing around, we want a good game. We did and they answered, they did for sure. It became a really close game and ended the wrong way."

The Statesmen tied the game with 2:23 left in the first quarter on a 13-yard reception from Hilton.

Jackson had the ball to start the second quarter and chose to attempt the field goal on a fourth-and-9 on the 13-yard line. Crowden made the 28-yard field goal to make it 10-7 with 8:11 left in the first half.

Webster Groves answered with a 5-yard touchdown reception by Hilton with 4:05 left in the half to take a 14-10 lead into halftime.

Jackson senior free safety Ty Selsor walks off the field after the Indians’ 42-39 loss to the Webster Groves Statesmen in a Class 5 quarterfinal Saturday, Nov. 16, at Jackson High School.ADAM VOGLER avogler@semissourian.com

"We did a great job shutting down the run," Eckley said. "We struggled with the pass -- No. 6 [Hilton] was really good -- there's not much of anything we could do with him. We tried all kinds of different looks, and we just couldn't get ahead."

Jackson once again scored quick after getting the ball to start the seccond half -- this time less than a minute into the third quarter. Vandeven faked a handoff and ran 18 yards up the middle for the touchdown to make it 17-14.

Webster Groves answered just as quick on a 56-yard reception by Rishon Loper to make it 21-17 with 9:58 left in the third quarter. Jackson would never lead again.

"Right when they came out and scored in about three of four plays I was concerned," Webster Groves coach Cliff Ice said. "I think the game changed for us when we went right back down and answered their score. I think we played extremely well the rest of the way after that.

"They still made some plays offensively, but when you're playing one of Brent's teams that's going to happen, they're going to move the football, just like we move the football. I think that touchdown score where we answered it was a really big turnaround for us."

Webster Grove's DJ Johnson rushed one yard for a touchdown with 5:10 left in the third.

Jackson punted on its next drive after failing to get a first down. Hilton returned the punt for a touchdown, but it was called back after a flag on the play.

Jackson and Webster Groves each scored again to make it 34-25 with 6:37 left in the game.

Less than a minute later the Indians were forced to punt on fourth-and-12. Vandeven's punt was blocked and returned for a touchdown by Hilton. Hilton added the two-point conversion to give Webster Groves it's biggest lead at 42-25 with 5:23 left in the game.

"It happens," Vandeven said. "It happens. When you play a good team like Webster Groves that's going to happen to you. You have to be good all the way around. Not just on offense and defense, but on special teams. It's something we tried to work on all season, but it happens."

"That was critical. That hammered us," Eckley said. "I was pleased, though, that our guys bounced back from that -- we didn't just lay down. Very pleased with that."

Jackson then scored 14 unanswered points for the final score.

Vandeven completed 16 of 21 passes for 171 yards. He had 21 carries for 121 yards. Proffer had 14 carries for 58 yards. Xominique Davis had nine carries for 61 yards.

Hilton finished with nine catches for 118 yards and Rishon Loper had six catches for 141 yards. DJ Johnson had 16 carries for 69 yards.

Webster Groves advanced to the Class 5 semifinals and will play Parkway Central on Friday.

Jackson 7 3 7 22 -- 39

Webster Groves 7 7 14 14 -- 42

First quarter

J -- Colten Proffer 43 pass from Dante Vandeven (Ty Crowden kick), 9:27

WG -- Cameron Hilton 13 pass from Rob Thompson (Jack Kemper kick), 2:23

Second quarter

J -- Crowden 28 field goal, 7:54

WG -- Hilton 5 pass from Thompson (Kemper kick), 4:05

Third quarter

J -- Vandeven 18 run (Crowden kick), 11:04

WG -- Rishon Loper 56 pass from Thompson (Kemper kick), 9:58

WG -- DJ Johnson 1 run (Kemper kick), 5:10

Fourth quarter

J -- Vandeven 6 run (Vandeven run), 10:48

WG -- Thompson 1 run (two-point conversion failed), 6:37

WG -- Hilton 65 punt return (Hilton pass), 5:23

J -- Vandeven 1 run (Crowder kick), 3:03

J -- Crowden 13 pass from Vandeven (Crowden kick), 1:34

Thompson completed 19 of 31 passes for 315 yards for the Statesmen.