Chiefs will play Royals again this week in playoffs
By JOSH FRYE
News Sportswriter
Jayden Jackson scored three touchdowns to lead Northview to a 40-7 win over Jay High last Friday, November 1, in a preview of this week’s first-round Florida high school playoff action, when the Chiefs will again play the Royals.
Jackson piled up 219 yards and the three scores on just six carries.
He received his first touchdown of the night early in the first quarter on a 68-yard dash into the end zone, then followed it up with scoring runs of 65 and 60 yards as the Royals failed to keep up with the Northview squad.
Jamarcus Jefferson’s PAT kick made it 6-0.
Jefferson’s second PAT followed a 1-yard Trent Peebles touchdown at the end of the second quarter, and the Chiefs led 14-0 at the half.
Jackson got his second TD of the night at the start of the third quarter, on a 65-yard run. Damerion Findley’s 57-yard scoring dash and a Jaheem Durant 6-yard TD run gave NHS a 33-0 lead in the third quarter.
Jackson’s final touchdown of the evening came on a 60-yard punt return.
The Royals added in their only score of the game at the tail end of the fourth quarter, as the clock expired.
NHS had 456 total yards on just 23 carries during the contest. Durant led the way, carrying five times for 100 yards and a touchdown, while Peebles added four carries for eight yards and a touchdown.
“We played a great game against a tough team,” said NHS head coach Derek Marshman. “They are a great team and we had a tough task.”
The Chiefs, as District 1’s third seed, will face number-six seed Jay for the second week in a row this Friday, November 8, in the first round of the FHSAA Class 1A, Region 1 playoffs.
“It is always tough when you face the same team two weeks in a row,” Marshman said. “You can’t expect them to lay down. We have to continue to focus on getting better. Blocking, running and tackling will continue to be our number-one work areas as week one of the playoffs approaches.”