One of the most storied rivalries of local high school football will continue again this Friday, when Jackson Prep and Jackson Academy meet up for the second time this season in the playoffs.
A win in the semi-final matchup would put Prep (9-2, 4-1) back in the MAIS 6A Division 1 championship game for the ninth consecutive year.
A win for JA (7-4, 3-2) would put the Raiders back in the championship for the first time since 2013.
The game is a rematch of the teams’ October 4, meeting when Patriots defeated the Raiders in 28-17 decision.
“The difference in this time is that it will be played at Prep. That is a plus for us,” Prep head coach Ricky Black said. “That was a close game. It could’ve gone in either direction.”
Raiders head coach Larry Weems is looking forward to the matchup. “I’m glad to get this thing going and see how it plays out,” he said.
The matchup features teams with powerful running offenses.
This year, the Raiders have notched 2,157 yards on the ground, with sophomore Marcus Harris rushing for 1,308 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Prep junior Matt Jones has matched Harris yard for yard, putting up 1,308 yards himself, along with 26 touchdowns. In all, Patriots running backs have compiled 1,898 yards on the ground.
Prep has a slight edge in the passing game, with two quarterbacks, junior Riley Maddox passing for 679 yards and six touchdowns, and senior Jake Lange passing for 478 and two scores.
JA’s offense is led by junior Andrew Holmes, who has 687 yards and four touchdowns.
Prep has a slight edge on both sides of the ball, as evidenced by scoring. Through 11 games, Prep has put up 380 points, while holding opponents to 177. JA has scored 319 points, while allowing for 268.
Both teams opened the season with losses but have gotten better as the year has progressed. After going 3-4 to start the season, the Raiders won four straight district games, earning the team the a first-round bye and the third seed overall in the playoffs.
Jackson Prep won four of its last five games to earn the district’s second seed and a first-round bye.
According to Maxpreps.com, the two schools have met in the post-season 13 times since 2004. Prep leads the series 7-6. Prep and JA did not meet in 2017 and 2015.
The game will start at 7 p.m., Friday, November 15 at Jackson Prep.
In other playoff news, Madison-Ridgeland Academy (10-2, 5-0) will host the winner of the Oak Forest Academy and Parklane Academy game.
The MRA Patriots dominated opponents this year, outscoring them 464-150, with their only losses coming to non-district schools. With wins against JA and Prep, the Patriots earned a bye and the top seed in the MAIS 6A playoffs.
The team is led by phenom senior quarterback Philip Short, who has completed 150 passes for 2,516 yards and 22 touchdowns.
St. Joseph Catholic School (3-9, 1-3), Madison Central High School (9-2, 5-2) and Ridgeland High School (8-3, 5-2) also earned spots in the postseason.
St. Joe faced off against the number one-seeded Northside Gators on November 8 in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 2A playoffs, and fell 62-0.
This week, Madison Central will travel to Olive Branch to take on the 9-3 Conquistadors in the first round of the MHSAA Class 6A playoffs.
The Jaguars ended the season with a third-place finish in Region 2 play.
Also this week, Ridgeland will travel to Lake Cormorant, to face the 7-4 Gators in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. The Titans wrapped up the 2019 season last week with a win against the Provine Rams. The win secured a third-place finish in Region 2, and capped the team’s first winning season in years.
All games begin at 7 p.m., and are Friday, November 15.
