PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Jackson meeting with Jonathan Alder in Division III, Region 11 Semifinal

Derrick Webb, Staff Writer

JACKSON — With every week that passes now, it becomes more and more difficult to win football games. However, Jackson hasn’t had any sort of trouble just yet.

The Ironmen, the outright Frontier Athletic Conference champions, continued their perfect season last week while taking Columbus Centennial to the woodshed in a 70-28 victory.

Now, Jackson turns its attention to Week 12, where they’ll meet with Jonathan Alder, a program that also stands at 11-0 after a 35-13 win over Sheridan one week ago.

Both programs have fought to get to Week 12, both still have plenty to prove and both are hungry for a postseason win. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Here’s everything you need to know about Friday’s game.

THE FACTS

FOUR THINGS TO KNOW

• Jonathan Alder is battle-tested, and that’s an understatement. The Pioneers have beaten seven teams with winning records this year, including last week’s victory. Their opponents’ combined record is 62-52 as they have wins over Philo (6-4), Bloom-Carroll (8-3), North Union (7-3), Bellefontaine (6-4), Shawnee (8-2), London (8-3) and Sheridan (8-3). The team has won those games by a combined margin of 254-128.
• The Pioneers’ offense has scored an average of 37.1 points per game, or 408 in total. That’s all while the defense has given up 17.5 points per game. Jonathan Alder has hit the 40-point mark four times while the defense has surrendered less than 20 on seven occasions. Meanwhile, Jackson’s offense has rolled through its schedule, scoring 475 points and 40-plus in its last four contests. That’s all while the Ironmen’ defense has continued to get better, surrendering 52 points in that time span.

• Jackson’s 70-point outing last week was the highest point total the team has ever recorded. The Ironmen did so by scoring 28 unanswered points after being tied with Centennial 14-14. From there, the rout was on. In the win, Jayden Spires scored twice, Treylan Davis did the same, Jared Icenhower had a one-yard touchdown run, Jacob Winters scored, Brice Graham had three touchdowns, and Grant Mastin recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a score. 
• In non-conference play this year, the Ironmen have outscored their opponents by a 243-103. The Ironmen own wins over Wellston (23-6), Athens (31-26), Logan (28-7), Western Brown (56-21), Wheelersburg (35-15), and most recently, Centennial (70-28). Those teams have a combined record of 35-28 with three … Wellston, Wheelersburg and Centennial … earning playoff berths.

PRIMETIME PLAYERS

Treylan Davis, TE, Jackson: While running backs Jayden Spires and Brice Graham, and quarterback Jared Icenhower make headlines, Davis does the things in the trenches that sometimes go unnoticed. He’s a good blocker, he’s a physical, downhill runner when the ball is in his hands, and he gives Icenhower a reliable target in the passing game. He made his mark known last week with a 23-yard touchdown catch to give Jackson the lead for good before a 27-yard touchdown catch later in the game. He’ll be a key piece to the Ironmen’ game plan. 

Grant Mastin, LB, Jackson: Leading a defense that entered the postseason giving up just 10.9 points per game, Mastin is a bulldog that isn’t afraid to put his hat in the pile. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound sophomore linebacker always seems to be on a collision course with the ball carrier and makes plays every single week. When you pair him with the likes of Anthony Parks and Brice Parks, two All-Ohio caliber players, you get a swarming defense that plays angry.

J.T. Keith, QB, Jonathan Alder: The Pioneers have no problem with throwing the football. In fact, in last week’s 22-point win, Keith aired it out 40 times, completing 28 attempts and totaling 266 yards. Over the past three weeks, Keith has completed 51-of-79 passes for 633 yards and eight touchdowns. In that time, he’s thrown just one interception … and this isn’t against bad defenses. Jonathan Alder has beaten Shawnee, London and Sheridan in that time period.

Garrett Proxmire, RB, Jonathan Alder: While Keith patrols the air, Proxmire does so on the ground. In last week’s win, he had 20 carries for 106 yards and a score, continuing a tear after posting 231 yards and five touchdowns on 27 attempts in a 56-34 win over Shawnee in Week 9. Proxmire led the Central Buckeye Conference with 1,375 rushing yards during the season, which was coupled with 17 touchdowns. His workload should be a hefty one Friday night.

 WHAT LIES AHEAD

One team will face a lengthy offseason and the other will face the winner of Granville (10-1) and Bishop Hartley (10-1) in Week 13.

You can follow live Twitter updates at @SirBrockNetter on Friday night. Then, after the game, be sure to visit sohiosa.com for details, photos and video from the contest.