With 3 TDs and 2 picks, Jackson puts on show to lift Palmetto past Deerfield in playoffs
Mike Jackson was the first to admit it Thursday: When it comes to interest from colleges, the phone has hardly been ringing.
After the show he put on Thursday night, he’s hoping that might change.
Jackson was a one-man highlight reel as he led Palmetto to an impressive 27-14 win over Deerfield Beach in a Region 4-8A semifinal at Tropical Park in a game that wasn’t even as close as the score would indicate.
The Panthers (9-2) advance to next week’s regional final, where they will either host Columbus or travel to Davie to play Western, depending on who wins Friday.
Playing both wide receiver and defensive back, Jackson scored all three of his team’s first-half touchdowns, two on receptions and one on a pick-six. He also had another interception to close out the first half, giving him nine for the season, and finished his night with five catches for 116 yards. He even had four rushes for 21 yards.
“I don’t know what to tell these colleges. They have 85 scholarships to give out and somebody is going to be making a mistake if they don’t track this kid down,” Palmetto coach Mike Manasco said. “Obviously, they are scared off by his small [5-10, 160-pound] frame, but I plan on sending out a lot of them film from tonight’s game and then let’s see what happens. He was really special out there.”
Said Jackson: “I just wanted t come out and make some plays and help my team win and was happy I was able to do that. Sure, it’s been frustrating not getting much interest, but I know what I can do on the football field and right now, it’s just about helping my team keep on winning and advancing.”
After blitzing to a 20-0 halftime lead, Palmetto pretty much ended the issue by taking the second-half kickoff and driving 61 yards in seven plays to score on a fake field goal when holder Lucas Suarez sprung up, wheeled around to his right and tossed a 6-yard touchdown to Jaiden Louis to make it 27-0.
The Bucks tried to chip away with a safety late in the third quarter followed by a touchdown to make it 27-8, but they were pretty much done after the fake field goal. A quarterback sneak score by Michael Merdinger with just 56 seconds left only made the score look a little closer.
“We lost a ton of seniors from last year’s team, so we had a lot of inexperienced kids to start the season,” Manasco said. “But now those inexperienced kids are getting the experience, and it’s starting to show out there on the field. We feel good about where we are and looking forward to another challenge next week.”
Jackson’s one-man how began early. After the Palmetto defense forced a Deerfield punt on the first series, the Panthers took their opening possession and marched 50 yards in eight plays, the payoff coming on third-and-5 when quarterback Kevin Smith dropped a perfect pass in the corner of the end zone to Jackson for a 13-yard score and 7-0 lead.
One drive after the Bucks missed a 32-yard field goal, they were driving again at midfield when quarterback Luke Collins dropped back and fired to his right. But Jackson, who read the play perfectly was waiting on it and jumped the route. After tipping the ball up in the air and coming down with it, it was off to the races with a 50-yard pick-six to make it 14-0.
Just before halftime, Smith dropped back from his own 43 and found Jackson deep behind everybody and laid it in there for him completing a 57-yard score to make it 20-0 just 1:32 before halftime. Jackson then closed out the half in style when he thwarted a Bucks drive by picking off Merdinger, who replaced Collins midway through the second quarter.
For Deerfield, it was a frustrating end to a season that was filled with a lot of promise. But the sudden resignation of head coach Javon Glenn three weeks into the season turned out to be a challenge the Bucks just could not overcome. Running back Jamaree Dukes was the workhorse on Thursday night for the Bucks as he finished with 98 yards on 18 carries.
This story was originally published November 18, 2021 at 11:15 PM.
