JACKSON'S EYES, EARS TURN TO GRIDIRON

Many cars were parked in uptown Jackson Saturday afternoon, but most of the shops were empty.

It might have seemed like an episode of the Twilight Zone, but if passersby listened carefully, they could hear a faint drum beat and follow it to screaming football fans.

The crowd responsible for the uptown parking dilemma was a couple of blocks away at the high school football stadium for the semifinal game between the Jackson Fighting Indians and the Mexico Bulldogs.

Jackson won the game 21-14.

And it was standing room only at the stadium.

Jackson High School Principal Vernon Huck estimated the crowd at move than 7,000. He said 1,200 seats were reserved for Mexico fans. "A lot of them came, but not 1,200," he said.

Many of Jackson's businesses devoted their lighted marques to the encouragement of the home team by offering slogans like "Go Jackson," and "Beat Mexico."

And many of the businesses had radios blaring the play-by-play from the football game to entertain the skeleton crew of employees that were manning the shops.

Kim Walker wasn't waitressing much at Jer's Restaurant during the big game. But the crowds before and after the game make up for the lull, she said.

Joe Birk, the owner of Crites Tavern, agreed: "Before the game, business is good. And after the game it'll be good. We've got a lot of Indian fever around here."

Both Birk and Walker were keeping track of Jackson's progress by listening to the radio.

Jacksonians typically fill the stands for a home football game no matter how the season is going. But this year, as it was last year, the team has done remarkably well, now with a 9-2 record.

And, also like last year, the team is going to play in the state championship after Saturday's win over Mexico.

Last year the team lost a close championship game to Excelsior Springs and captured second place.

This week the marques again will be devoted to encouraging the home team before the next game: the state championship the team intends to win in Springfield, Mo.