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By Robert Wilson
Photos by Chris Todd

       Jackson Prep soccer Jon Marcus Duncan became the second soccer coach in Mississippi history to win 800 games when his defending MAIS Division girls soccer team defeated Jackson Academy 4-1 Monday at Prep in Flowood.

       Duncan joins Karl Friedrich, who finished with 831 victories in 32 seasons at Harrison Central. Duncan, a Prep and Mobile College graduate, has an 800-160-58 combined girls and boys record and 28 state titles (14 girls and 14 boys) in 24th season at Prep. He has a 439-76-27 boys record and a 361-84-31 girls record.

       “Eight hundred wins is certainly a milestone, great players associated with this program are all responsible for the wins, players that brought into the process of what playing for Jackson Prep is all about,” Duncan said. “They made this happen and I can’t thank they enough.”

       Sophomore forward Torrey Polk and junior forward Emma Reeves scored two goals each for Prep in the win Monday in a rematch of the last two state championship games.

       Prep improved to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play. JA dropped to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

       “It was a very intense game, really opened up in the second half, back and forth action,” Duncan said. “JA is a very talented team, physical and dangerous in the attack. I was proud of how our girls responded after going down early in the second half. They did a great job matching the intensity and physicality of the game. Our midfield play was special. And once again our backline did an awesome job limiting JA’s scoring chances.”

         Sophomore midfielder Izzy Scott scored JA’s only goal.

       JA coach Phillip Buffington helped Duncan get many of those 800 wins. Buffington was one of the best high school soccer players in Mississippi history when he played for Duncan and Prep in the mid-2000s.