Armond Jackson’s first possible interception slipped through his hands. He caught the second, but a penalty nullified it.
Then it finally happened in the third quarter: a clean interception to help the Perspectives junior honor his grandmother.
“My nana just died and I really wanted to do something special for her,” Jackson said. “So I was locked in today and focused on the game and playing together with my teammates.”
Jackson helped the Warriors shut out Ag. Science in a 22-0 victory on Thursday at Gately Stadium.
Perspectives (7-1, 5-1 Red South-Central) has already qualified for the Illinois High School Association state playoffs. It’s been a quick improvement from last season when the Warriors finished 2-7.
“The really exciting thing is that this is still a very young group,” Perspectives coach Terry Jones said. “The line is veteran and has been solid and that’s made things easier for everyone. But other than that everyone is young.”
The Warriors didn’t complete a pass in the game but dominated on the ground. Senior Kamarion Cobb, a transfer from Bloom, had 12 carries for 134 yards and a 42-yard touchdown run. Cobb is also a standout basketball player.
“This has been fun,” Cobb said. “These guys are already like my brothers. I have to give it up to my line. I just ran hard and saw the endzone.”
Jackson had three carries for 62 yards and Justin Harris added nine carries for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Jones says senior linebacker Scott Thomas is the heart of the Warriors’ defense.
“The key all season has been communication,” Thomas said. “That was our weakest point last season and we really have focused on that all year.”
Justin Harris powers in a 17-yard TD run and Perspectives leads Ag. Science 16-0, late 2Q pic.twitter.com/zZFFIrgILB
— Michael O'Brien (@michaelsobrien) October 13, 2022
Offensive lineman Jermani Massey, a 6-3, 290-pound senior, scored a two-point conversion in the first half. It ignited a major celebration on the Perspectives’ sideline.
“I’ve never touched the ball before in a game so that was really special,” Massey said. “I loved it. We’ve practiced it a couple of times and I had to get in there when I got the chance.”
The Warriors will likely wind up in Class 5A in the playoffs and will have a high seed if they take care of business and beat Dunbar next week to finish 8-1.
“This is the first playoff appearance for the school since 2016 so it means a lot to everybody,” Harris said. “I’ve been playing all four years and dreaming about this.”
The Cyclones (4-4, 2-4) have had an up-and-down season and weren’t able to get much production offensively until the final few minutes of the game.
Senior Thomas Randle Jr. had 11 carries for 59 yards for Ag. Science.
