Central can't contain Jackson's misdirection
Jackson's running game was too much for Central to contain.
Running counter plays much of the second half, Jackson scored three touchdowns after halftime to pull away for a 34-20 victory Friday at Henderson Stadium. The win put Jackson (6-2, 5-1 GHSA Region 2-AAA) in the driver's seat for the region title with home games remaining against Southwest and Rutland.
Central, meanwhile, fell to 4-4, including 3-3 in the region, and now faces a fight to make the playoffs with games against Rutland and Kendrick left.
Both teams suffered injuries to key players, but Jackson wound up dominating through some solid running and strong blocking on misdirection plays. Ira Sheppard and Antavius Grier combined for 327 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries, with Sheppard scoring three of those touchdowns.
Grier's touchdown run was the longest, one that set the tone for the second half.
After Central's opening drive of the second half stalled at the Jackson 30, Sheppard began the Red Devils' drive with a 4-yard loss. On the next play, Grier found a seam and broke open for a 74-yard score that made it 20-6.
Although Jackson ended up taking a 27-6 lead with 1:20 to go in the third on Sheppard's third touchdown, the Chargers had a bit of a comeback in them.
Derrick Evans found sophomore Denterius Hogan open on the Central sideline. Hogan then made a move to get past of Jackson defender, taking it in for a 50-yard score with six seconds to go in the third.
After Jackson went three-and-out, Central regained possession at the Jackson 35. The Chargers drove down to the Red Devils 14, but then something happened to Central quarterback Derrick Evans that hadn't happened to him all season: He was intercepted.
Worse for Central, it was a pick-six.
Jackson senior Ny'j Smith intercepted Evans' pass at the Red Devils' 5. He then went the distance the other way, turning Central's bid to turn the game into a one-touchdown affair into a 34-13 Jackson advantage and effectively putting the game away with 8:40 to go.
The Red Devils lost starting quarterback Shaderious Crowder midway through the first quarter when he suffered a leg injury on a run at midfield. He had to be carried off the field.
Central lost its tailback, Antonio Sanders Jr., on the Chargers' next possession, also to an apparent leg injury. He limped off the field under his own power but did not return.
After the Sanders injury, Evans started to run the ball more. Despite some early sacks taking his yardage total deep into negative territory early on, he finished with 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries. He completed 11-of-27 passes for 131 yards and a score.
This story was originally published October 24, 2015 at 12:09 AM with the headline "Central can't contain Jackson's misdirection ."