Jackson rips Sikeston 42-0, moves to 4-0

SIKESTON -- On a near perfect night, the team with a perfect record found one area where it still could improve.

"It seems like we led the world in penalties tonight," Jackson coach Carl Gross said. "It felt like we had 150 yards in penalties. It's a good thing we were able to overcome them.

"Those type of silly things, we've got to cut that out."

Jackson actually had 75 yards in penalties, but that was about the only drawback in a 42-0 thumping of Sikeston in the SEMO North Conference opener Friday night.

The Jackson defense limited Sikeston (2-2) to 115 yards for the game and just 20 in the first half, when the Indians (4-0) built a 35-0 lead.

Jackson's Jamie Schumacher tackled Sikeston's Jarian Wims during the first half Friday night in Sikeston. (David Jenkins ~ Sikeston Standard-Democrat)

For the area's leading rusher, junior Adam Zweigart, Friday was an easy night of work.

He carried just seven times for 155 yards and three touchdowns. He busted off a 54-yard run for a one-play scoring drive late in the first half and added a 45-yard touchdown run to cap a three-play drive midway through the first half.

"The offensive line really got after it," Gross said. "They created some great openings. Adam and Cody [Randen] will be the first to tell you it starts up front."

Zweigart was more than willing to complement the line, even if the large holes and long runs kept him and the first team offense off the field for the entire second half.

"They were large holes," Zweigart said. "I could drive a car through those holes. It's just that line. You could put anyone back there."

It doesn't hurt that Zweigart was a Class 4 state-meet qualifier last spring in the 400 meters. He brought his season total in rushing to 647 yards with a season average of 9.7 yards per carry.

Randen, Jackson's leading rusher last year in his junior season, added 25 yards on three carries and scored Jackson's third touchdown.

After Jackson built a 28-0 lead mostly via the ground game, the Indians put together a form of a two-minute passing drill. Junior quarterback Marcus Harris directed a three-play, 37-yard drive that ended with his 25-yard pass to Jamie Schumacher on a well-thrown ball to the back corner of the end zone.

"Marcus Harris had a good night tonight," Gross said. "In the past, we haven't asked him to do that much. We got ahead and that took some of the pressure off him and took some pressure off the receivers. Our passing game did a nice job."

Harris finished 6-of-9 passing for 84 yards, utilizing five different receivers.

Jackson rolled up 370 yards of offense.

"They've got a great football team," first-year Sikeston coach Kent Gibbs said. "They're well-coached, they're strong and they're physical."

Gibbs, whose team opened the year with two wins and two 100-yard rushing performances, saw his team shut out for the second straight week.

"We tried to do some different things," he said. "Sometimes it's not about the X's and O's, it's about the Jimmys and Joes."

Jackson's defense preserved its second shutout with the running clock in the second half. After Sikeston ripped off three runs for 47 yards to Jackson's 6-yard line, the Bulldogs' next four plays resulted in losses totaling 7 yards and two incomplete passes.

Jackson answered with another scoring drive, a 14-play, 87-yard drive capped by Tyler Seabaugh's 1-yard plunge. Daniel Abernathy had a 29-yard run on the drive.

JACKSON 42, SIKESTON 0

Jackson 14 21 0 7 -- 42

Sikeston 0 0 0 0 -- 0

First quarter

J -- Adam Zweigart 25 run (Matt Lang kick), 7:27

J -- Zweigart 54 run (Lang kick), 1:23

Second quarter

J -- Cody Randen 2 run (Lang kick), 8:13

J -- Zweigart 45 run (Lang kick), 5:36

J -- Jamie Schumacher 25 pass from Marcus Harris (Lang kick), 2:42

Fourth quarter

J -- Tyler Seabaugh 1 run (Morgan Johnson kick), 5:37

J S

First downs 10 9

Rushes-yards 27-76 36-286

Passing yards 28 84

Passes 4-14-1 6-9-0

Punts 5-151 1-30

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 3-0

Penalties-Yards 9-75 4-20

Individual statistics

RUSHING -- Jackson, Adam Zweigart 7-155, Marcus Harris 1-(-6), Andy Winkleblack 3-13, Cody Randen 7-25, Matt Lang 1-3, DeMarcus Huddleston 7-29, Daniel Abernathy 6-54, Tyler Seabaugh 4-13; Sikeston, Gavilan Bland 10-12, Charlie Bohannon 3-(-5), Jarian Wims 5-26, Dwayne Harris 5-24, JuQualin Wiggins 2-25, Team 2-(-6).

PASSING -- Jackson, Harris, 6-9-0-84; Sikeston, Bohannon 4-13-1-28; Wiggins 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING -- Jackson, James Perkins 1-22, Josh Gwin 2-12, Kevin Pridemore 1-19, Matt Lang 1-6, Jamie Schumacher 1-25; Sikeston, Brandon Wright 1-24, Niquavious Dixon 1-3, Jarian Wims 2-12.