Double Down: Jackson soccer advances to 2nd straight Class 4 final four with OT win against Marquette

Jackson soccer players sprint to the Indians fan section after Mason Grindstaff hit a goal with 29 seconds remaining in overtime to beat Marquette 1-0 on Saturday in Jackson, Mo. With the win, Jackson advances to its second consecutive Class 4 final four.

J.C. Reeves ~ jcreeves@semoball.com

After nearly 95 scoreless minutes, the Jackson Indians finally broke through.

With 29 seconds left on the clock in overtime, Indians senior midfielder Mason Grindstaff nailed a shot past Marquette goalkeeper Collin Nowotny to defeat the Mustangs 1-0 and punch their ticket to a second straight Class 4 final four.

"We were trying to get the ball in the box one more time," Jackson coach Zack Walton said. "We were harping on the kids to get in the box. We wanted to get an opportunity and that's what happened. They tried to head it out and make them deal with it. It gets difficult when there's pressure on kids and I thought our boy stepped up and did a nice job."

Walton praised Grindstaff's ability and even unknowingly acted as a fortune-teller during a conversation the two had prior to Saturday's contest.

"Mason's a big, strong midfielder for us. He's a great player," Walton said. "We talked before the game a little bit about, 'This game could come down to you.' Sure enough, it did. He took that opportunity to hit a good ball. I would have liked to see him shoot a few more times, but we'll take that one."

Both teams were locked in a defensive battle with Marquette controlling the ball for much of the first half. Jackson battled back in the second half but failed to convert on several opportunities.

"We got some good opportunities to score there," Walton said. "Their defense and their keeper did a great job of keeping their net clean as long as they could. That made for a fun, intense game."

Senior goalkeeper Nolan Dry did his part keeping the ball out of the Indians net, recording four saves against the Mustangs.

"Nolan Dry played outstanding," Walton said. "There were a couple of really big opportunities they were about to have and he just punched it away like it was nothing. The kid played really good tonight. Our backs, give them some credit because those kids are some big, strong kids from Marquette and our backs had to deal with them all night long and kept that net clean."

Walton was thankful for the support of Jackson fans and students who showed up in droves for the game.

"The fans are here today and they showed up," Walton said. "Any time you have a whole bunch of people cheering for you, I know that motivates the boys on the field. Being on your own field, sleeping in your own bed at night and getting up and having a game on your own field is huge. Home games are always big, and to see our fans come out and support the boys is pretty special."

Jackson (18-7-2) travels to Fenton, Mo. on Friday for a 4 p.m. showdown with Blue Springs in the Class 4 state semifinals.

"It'll be nice to be a little bit closer to home," Walton said, "and a little bit different since you're going to play a game then turn around play another game the next day, whether that's for a championship or third. That's a little extra strain on your players, but we're excited to get back up there and play."