Jackson wins SEMO North Conference with 28-14 victory over Poplar Bluff

Through six games this season, Jackson's passing attack had been little more than an afterthought, with quarterback Rex Meyr throwing for more than 100 yards just once.

With a chance to claim a second straight SEMO North Division title on the line on homecoming night Friday at Jackson, Meyr and the passing game which took center stage.

Meyr threw for 186 yards on 6-of-11 passing as Jackson wrapped up the conference title with a 28-14 win over Poplar Bluff. Jackson moved to 5-2 with its fourth straight win.

"I will give my kids credit, they did step up and made some plays with the pass which we had not made this year," Jackson coach Carl Gross said. "Obviously, we had to because they had so many guys in the box."

Jackson opened the scoring with a 62-yard pass play from Meyr to Jordan Sneathen, who converted a short pass into a scoring play by making a defender miss and racing down the sideline.

"Jordan Sneathen had a great night catching the football for us," Gross said.

Poplar Bluff tied the score with a 7-yard run by quarterback Asa Wyatt early in the second quarter.

Before the Mules could get comfortable, Jackson's passing game snapped back into action. This time it was a screen pass to Israel Amerson which went for 40 yards on a third-and-20 play. Meyr finished off the drive with an 8-yard scamper on a bootleg.

"We tried to get the ball to the receivers in the flat and let them run and get first downs," Meyr said. "That's what they were giving us, and we took advantage of it."

Jackson seized the momentum late in the first half with a scoring drive after a strange sequence of drives. First, Jackson got the ball back with decent field position with a little more than 2 minutes remaining. The Indians' offense went three and out, giving the ball back to Poplar Bluff with about 1:30 remaining.

Poplar Bluff looked like it had a first down near midfield on its drive when Allan Spencer coughed the ball up and Jackson recovered. Meyr went to work again, this time hitting running back Joel Penrod for a 42-yard strike to the Mules 8-yard line. Penrod punched it in from 3 yards out for a 21-7 halftime lead.

"That was a big momentum deal," Gross said.

Through halftime, Penrod had 53 yards rushing on 13 carries. Meyr more than made up for the rushing deficiency with 158 yards and a touchdown at the half.

"Every game I feel more comfortable," Meyr said.

Poplar Bluff made a game of it with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Wyatt to Nick Stith with 2:52 remaining to cut the lead to 21-14. Jackson covered Poplar Bluff's onside kick attempt, and the Indians running game took over.

Penrod rushed for 45 yards on four carries and finished off a five-play drive with a 6-yard score to put the game away.

Penrod finished with 113 yards rushing on 26 carries.

"We kind of came around there on the offensive line and were able to move the ball on the ground some," Gross said.

Jackson will travel to Rockwood Summit for its first district game in Class 5 on Friday. Poplar Bluff will host Central in a Class 4 district game that also will begin the SEMO North Conference race for second place.