FLINT BECOMES 3RD CONSECUTIVE INDIAN TO WIN CARR TROPHY

The numbers speak for themselves:

Over 1,900 yards rushing, 30 touchdowns and 188 points for the best football team in the area.

Those numbers belong to Jackson High senior Devree Flint and because of those figures, Flint was awarded the E.E. "Bus" Carr Trophy as the region's top prep football player Wednesday night in Poplar Bluff.

Flint became the third consecutive player from Jackson to win the award, following former teammates Glenn Brunke in 1996 and Nathan Norman in 1995.

"It's quite an honor, but I'm sure Devree would tell you -- like Nathan and Glenn would -- its really an honor for the football team," said Jackson coach Carl Gross. "The person who wins it (the Carr Trophy) is on a team that's successful."

The Indians certainly had some success, with an undefeated regular season and 11-1 overall mark after reaching the quarterfinals of the Class 5A playoffs.

Flint, whose point-total was the highest for an area athlete since Portageville's Bob Carlisle scored 198 points in 1953, also earned the top-scoring honor in the SEMO North Conference.

"Anytime a kid works as hard as Devree did to prepare for the season, it's good to see him reap the rewards of his hard work," Gross said of Flint, who dropped 30 pounds before the start of the football season. "It makes him realize if a guy does work hard, good things can happen for him."

Of course, as Flint would be quick to point out, his magnificent season wouldn't have been possible if not for the excellent blocking of Jackson's offensive line.

"We had an outstanding offensive line this year and I know all those guys took a lot of pride in Devree winning it," Gross said.

Appropriately enough, classmate J.P. Hall was named the top lineman in the North Division. When the Indians needed a couple of crucial yards for a first down, Flint usually got the ball behind the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Hall.

"J.P. was our go-to guy on the line when we needed a tough yard," said Gross. "We kind of ran up his back because he consistently blew people off the football.

"J.P. was our most consistent offensive lineman this year and we had some good ones."

So good, in fact, that Gross nominated three other Indians -- Justin Petzoldt, Kent Langston and Travis Wilson -- for the top lineman honor.