By Robert Wilson
Jackson Academy kept Jackson Prep from reaching the MAIS Class 6A state championship game for the first time since 2010 when the Raiders ended the Patriots’ season with a 28-21 victory last season in the semifinals. It ended Prep’s 12-game winning streak against JA.
Prep senior linebacker William Deas and the rest of his teammates wanted to make sure JA didn’t continue its streak when the two teams met last Friday night at JA.
The 5-foot-8, 185-pound Deas registered a career-high 17 tackles, three for loss, and one sack to lead Prep to a 10-6 victory over JA in an important MAIS Class 6A conference game.
For his outstanding performance, Deas was named the Junction Deli/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Football Player of the Week.
Deas, who also has played running back this season, injured his shoulder earlier this season and had missed the last three games for Prep. First-year coach Tyler Turner was happy Deas was back on the field.
“It was Deas’ first game back after being out a few weeks due to injury and he was all over the place for us,” Turner said. “He has worked constantly in the weight room and on the field to be at his best and it showed against JA. Deas is a great leader on the field for us and we are happy to have him back out there.”
Deas led Prep’s defense, which limited JA to only 10 first downs and 156 total yards and kept JA out of the end zone for the first time since Prep defeated JA 28-0 in the 2016 regular season.
Deas has 39 tackles (third best on the team despite missing three games), a team-high 11 for loss, 3 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception and 1 forced fumble and also gained 134 yards on 28 carries and scored two touchdowns this season. He had 78 yards on 18 carries and two TDs against Heritage. Deas had 56 tackles, 7 for loss, 1 sack,1 interception for a 40-yard touchdown return and 4 pass breakups and helped Prep to a 7-3 record last season.
Prep, 6-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play, visits Hartfield, 7-1 and 2-1, Friday in a MAIS Class 6A conference game. Both teams are in second place behind Madison-Ridgeland Academy, 7-3 and 3-0.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a football player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by text or call to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276 or email [email protected].
