Jackson dominates Saturday tilt, strings fifth consecutive win in St. Louis

Jackson's Gavin Alspaugh (right) celebrates with teammate Lukas Cox (left) during a Saturday, October 19, 2024 game between the Miller Career/Vashon Phoenix and the Jackson Indians at Gateway STEM High School in St. Louis. Jackson defeated Miller Career, 55-14.

Cole Lee ~ clee@semoball.com

Going up north for the final away game of the year, Jackson wasted no time getting on the board and easily pushed past Miller Career and Vashon in a matinee mashup for a 55-14 victory to make it five wins in a row.

Opening up the contest with a long rushing score from sophomore back Jaylon Hampton, the Indians grabbed the lead in the first minute and followed it up with three more scores.

By the end of the first half, a long scoop from the Phoenix followed by a quick score cut the deficit but still enabled Jackson to flip on the running clock for the second half.

Putting up a big day on both sides of the ball, the Indians throttled the Phoenix with size but also dexterity, as the running game in Hampton as well as Zach Crump combined for four first-half touchdowns.

Though the second-stringers traded some scores with the hosts in the second half, nothing stood in the way of an emphatic Jackson victory to move out to 6-2 on the year.

“We're just looking to get better this time of year,” Indians coach Ryan Nesbitt said.
”I feel like things are moving in the right direction, so I’m pleased with the performance.”

The defense excelled in the first half, as after a few punts, the Indians notched two interceptions — one from Gavin Alspaugh, another from Brett Findlay — to keep the Phoenix off the scoreboard.

Alspaugh, who flipped from a big blocking wideout last year to a shutdown corner this fall, has been one of Jackson’s most verbal leaders this season and has gotten some nice results to show for it.

Surprisingly, even in his first season on the back side of the ball, he’s taken quite nicely to becoming a leader on “D.”

“It's been very easy to lead,” Alspaugh said. “They're all great kids and they all love the game. We all love the game.”

Only scathed by a 1-play, 4-yard drive to end the shutout in the second quarter, Jackson’s first defensive unit looked up to the task, only ever surrendering some screen yards and the occasional few yards on the inside run.

At the start of the year, the young and inexperienced defense was the talk of the team, but the improvements have been vast and visual as the Indians continue to climb up this year.

Since Week 5, the Indians have allowed no more than 7 points in the first half, which has allowed them to rack up some big early leads and cruise to some large victories in the process.

For a squad that began the year 1-2, that trend is more than welcome, making for five wins in a row and leading to yet another SEMO North title.

“It's growing, getting better,” Nesbitt said. “We'll have to take a look at it on video, but I thought both sides of the ball played well and played well off of each other.”

After his opening touchdown, Hampton added another 22-yard score, finishing his day with two scores while senior teammate Crump added another two out of a talented Jackson backfield.

Talented junior passer Drew Parsons got to open up the long game on Saturday, including a 41-yard screen touchdown to Jory Thoma before he really got to sling it to Kai Crowe for a long score on the sideline go-route.

Crowe rolled into the end zone, finished it off with a flex and Jackson waltzed into the locker room with a 36-point lead, signaling a change of the guard as the reliable No. 2’s hit the field for the second half.

The top connection on the team, the dart from Parsons to Crowe erased some doubt after Parsons’ prior fumble, the spark plug of the Indians in Crowe giving life back to the offense once again.

Giving the ball to Tyler Fischer, the freshman quarterback got his day started with a short rushing touchdown on the scramble to put the Indians up 49-6.

Later in the second half, fellow first-year Memphis Mattox came up with an interception while splitting time between the backfield and the secondary, cutting a drive deep in Phoenix territory short.

Though Fischer’s next drive stalled out, he and the Indians moved the ball enough to drain most of the second-half clock, helping advance Jackson to 6-2 in another runaway road win.

The victory sets up a date with 7-1 Festus next Friday night, senior night for the Indians against a Tigers squad that’s spent much of the year in the Class 4 conversation.

Last year made for an interesting matchup at Festus, but Jackson came away for a big win late to conclude the regular season, and it’ll look to repeat those efforts this upcoming week.

It’ll be one last big test for the Indians, who enter district play currently seeded behind Seckman but now in front of Lindbergh in Class 6 District 1.

Though dreams of a No. 1 seed seem to be out of the picture, a win against Festus would be enough to secure Jackson a Week 10 bye before a potential matchup at home with, likely, Lindbergh.

After going on the road in Week 6 and returning for just their third home game of the season, Jackson is ready to welcome that challenge with open arms, looking for a sixth consecutive win to close out the regular season.

“It’s a big game,” Nesbitt said.”They're an outstanding football team and highly, highly competitive, easily top-five in Class 4 and have aspirations of competing to win it.

“It'll be a big game for our kids, and we'll be excited to be back at home.”