Fort Smith Southside’s Isaac Jackson didn’t have his best game statistically Friday night, but with the way his defense performed, the standout senior quarterback produced more than enough big plays.
Southside linebacker Seth Acosta scored the game’s first touchdown on an 11-yard interception return, setting the tone as the Rebels shut down Little Rock Parkview for a 24-0 victory Friday night at Little Rock Fair’s War Eagle Stadium.
Jackson shook off a difficult first half - in which he went 3 of 8 passing with an interception and carried once for 9 yards - and finished the game with 130 passing yards and 73 rushing yards.
“The main thing is we just had to grind it out,” Southside Coach Jeff Williams said. “I thought defensively, we played outstanding. Offensively, we’ve got a lot of guys who are supposed to be the strength of our football team, but too many penalties and some turnovers there. We did what we needed to do, and I’m really proud of our football team.”
Southside (3-1, 1-0 7A/6A-Central) led 14-0 after the first quarter thanks to Acosta’s interception and Quincy Whitfield’s 25-yard touchdown run.
The Rebels were picking up chunks of yardage on their first possession of the second quarter, quickly driving to Parkview’s 46-yard line. But Jackson threw a deep pass that Parkview’s Patrick Rowland intercepted at the Patriots’ 5-yard line, returning it to the 24.
Parkview (1-3, 0-1) drove to Southside’s 11, but Jordan Racy came up with a sack on fourth down to end the drive.
For the game, Southside’s defense forced Parkview to turn the ball over on downs three times.
Sports, Pages 26 on 09/28/2013