Jackson takes Sikeston by storm

Lightning and rain were not enough to stop Jackson's football team Friday, as the Indians routed visiting Sikeston 49-0 in the SEMO North opener for both teams.

The game was halted by lightning for about 90 minutes just after it started. But that was enough time for the Indians (3-1) to establish their dominance.

Sikeston (0-4) fumbled the ball on its first offensive snap, and Jackson's Trae Smith rushed three times for 19 yards and a touchdown. Grant Ressel's point-after kick put Jackson ahead 7-0 with 10:57 remaining in the opening quarter.

Sikeston was preparing to punt from its own end zone when the first lightning strike hit. When play resumed, Danny Miller took the Sikeston punt 39 yards for a score and a 14-0 lead.

"They shot themselves in the foot early, and we came out juiced up because it's our first conference game, and we were able to stick it in the end zone early," Jackson coach Carl Gross said. "Then the momentum was with the red shirts. It was one of those nights everything we touched turned to gold."

After the Miller touchdown, Jackson simply pounded the Bulldogs into submission. Rex Meyr nearly scored on a bootleg 39-yard touchdown run in the second period, and Smith added another score on an 8-yard run out to put Jackson up 28-0 at the half.

Smith started the running clock with his third score of the game with 7:08 remaining in the third.

Sophomore fullback Kevin Pridemore and junior fullback Zach Humphrey added touchdown runs in the fourth. In all, nine different players got in the rushing column for Jackson.

Despite scoring 49 points, Jackson's offensive numbers were fairly modest. Smith and Cody Randen led the Indians with 57 yards rushing apiece. Drew Bucher added 48 yards on four carries.

Jackson's defense held the Bulldogs to 25 yards of total offense.

"Our quickness on the line kind of showed up," Gross said. "Adam Collier's a man-child, and Ben Wood, he's a 290-pound animal. Both those kids are impossible to block one-on-one."

Jackson will be back home next week against Clayton.