Vikings pin first loss on Jackson

~ Parkway North scored late to defeat the Indians 29-25.

CREVE COEUR, Mo. -- Disappointment.

That's the word Jackson football coach Carl Gross repeated over and over after the Indians' 29-25 loss to Parkway North on Friday night.

"We're real disappointed, the coaches are disappointed, the kids are disappointed," Gross said.

Plagued by penalties and a porous offensive line, Jackson (1-1) actually took a three-point lead with just over 7 minutes to play.

On fourth-and-15 at the Vikings 30-yard line, senior quarterback Rex Meyr flickered a pass over double coverage into the diving arms of senior wide receiver Alex Austin for a 29-yard strike.

On the next play, senior tailback Trae Smith bulled in for a 1-yard touchdown run. Senior kicker Grant Ressel connected on the point after to give the Indians a 25-22 lead with 7:05 remaining.

Ressel, who'd been blasting kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks all night, finally had a kick returned, if only to the Parkway North 17-yard line.

Parkway North running back Chuck Gray bullied his way to five yards on first down and another 11 on second. Vikings quarterback Tommy Saey then found wideout Greg Lindsay for a 36-yard completion.

After giving up the big play, the Indians defense turned nasty. On first-and-10 at the Jackson 31 the Indians stuffed the Vikings for a 4-yard loss. On the next play the Jackson stuffed them again, this time for a 3-yard loss.

Sitting on the 38-yard-line on third-and-17 to go with just over 4 minutes remaining, the Vikings made the play of the game.

Saey dropped back and scrambled right as chaos erupted around him. He threw a screen pass to Lindsay and suddenly purple and black jerseys sprouted ahead of him, picking off Jackson defenders. Lindsay bolted for 32 yards, before finally being dragged down at the 6-yard line.

On the next play, Saey hit tight end Reed Eason for the go-ahead score.

Tony Wright tacked on the point after to give the Vikings a four-point edge with 3:43 remaining.

The Indians still had two timeouts and, after a 51-yard kickoff return by junior Matt Lang, were working with a short field.

Jackson ran the ball on first and second downs, netting three yards. On third-and-7, Meyr lofted a pass toward senior wide receiver Danny Miller but the ball was swatted away to force fourth down.

On fourth, Meyr never had the chance to make a play. He was forced from the pocket by the Vikings defensive line and threw the ball out of bounds, ending the Indians' hopes.

Meyr finished 5-for-16 for 116 yards. Smith led the Indians with 90 yards on 16 carries, and he scored a touchdown. Austin led the team in receiving with 75 yards on three receptions and one touchdown. Junior running back Cody Randen scored the Indians first touchdown on a 1-yard run.

Parkway North's Saey threw for three touchdowns in a 10-for-16 effort for 206 yards.

"They outplayed us," Gross said. "We made some big play at times on offense but were weren't consistent like we need to be."