JACKSON USES AIR STRIKES TO TURN BACK PERRYVILLE

JACKSON, Mo. -- Before the season, Jackson coach Carl Gross warned of this.

Stack nine or 10 in the box to stop Mario Whitney and Jackson can find other ways to beat you.

The Indians passed for 207 yards and Ray Goodson caught three passes for 120 yards as the Indians posted a 37-3 victory over the visiting Perryville Pirates Friday night.

A rare feat for Jackson, the Indians had more yards through the air than on the ground (175).

"They put nine in the box," said starting quarterback John Jackson, who completed 4 of 5 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown. "So coach Gross decided to pass more this game and it worked for us. The line gave me plenty of time. Anybody can do what I do if they get that much time."

If Perryville's main goal going into the game was to contain Whitney, they succeeded to a point.

Though Whitney scored four touchdowns, he rushed for only 63 yards on nine carries -- all coming in the first half. He didn't break off a long run until his final carry of the game, a 37-yard touchdown scamper to make the score 35-3 with 3:31 to go in the second quarter.

Goodson was the catalyst in the offense. He scored one touchdown pass on an out-and-up pattern from 47 yards out with 3:12 to go in the first quarter to make the game 14-0 and he set up another.

Goodson's 61-yard reception led to a 2-yard TD run by Whitney which put Jackson up 21-3 early in the second quarter.

"They keyed on Mario and that opened it up," said the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Goodson, who caught two passes from the wide receiver position and one from tight end. "We practiced well all week and it paid off. I don't think we're where we want to be quite yet, but we're getting there. John (Jackson) came out tonight. He's got a great arm and he takes control of the team, too."

"We're going to have to do that," said Gross of his team's ability to throw the ball. "We're starting to develop confidence and we're protecting the pass better. We got the ball in our playmakers' hands. We really saw what Ray Goodson could do with it tonight. Once we start throwing well, we can run it better."

It wasn't as if Perryville didn't have its chances to put the ball in the end zone, but the Pirates failed twice to punch it in despite penetrating Jackson's red zone three times.

"We got to their 20-, 30-yard line then something would happen," said Perryville coach Lance Bell. "We had a fumble, a batted pass that went for an interception. But I'm proud of the kids. They never quit. Jackson has a good team and I can see them winning one or two or even more playoff games."

Mike Schmidt, who was largely responsible for getting the Pirates deep into Jackson's territory, rushed for 62 yards on 14 carries. More than half that came on a 38-yard run in the first quarter.

But Jackson's defense, which has held each of its first three opponents to less than six points, held Perryville to 101 yards rushing in the game and just 14 in the second half.

"Our defense is playing well," said Gross. "There's still room for improvement, but we gave them some short fields and held them to three points so that was a moral victory for us. And we've got a lot of different people making plays defensively. It's not just one guy."