Jackson, Elgin keep Town Jug on city's east side

The Elgin football program achieved a rare milestone in the annals of Illinois High School football Saturday, and the Maroons did so by defeating their biggest rival.

Led by a defense that held the volatile Larkin passing game in check and an offense that came to life under the direction of backup quarterback Lee Jackson, the Maroons scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to topple their nemesis, 28-7, at Memorial Field.

With the victory, Elgin (3-2, 2-1) became only the 33rd high school in state history to reach the 500-win plateau.

"That's nice," Maroons running back Jordan Dean said. "Against Larkin, especially."

The win in the 50th meeting between Elgin's public high schools was the second straight for the Maroons in a series that dates back to 1962. The Maroons get to keep the Town Jug trophy for consecutive seasons for the first time since 2000-01. Larkin still leads the all-time varsity series 30-19.

The Elgin defense was particularly aware of containing Royals senior receiver Trevor Whitehead, who entered the game averaging 155.5 yards. Whitehead was held to 5 receptions for 45 yards, 35 of which came on a catch and run in the second quarter.

Elgin safeties Dean and Dennis Moore each intercepted Kyle Newquist passes in the first half.

"They just had a linebacker in front and a safety over top, but the corner was dropping into Cover-2," Whitehead said. "That made it a little bit harder."

"We know his routes and we know what he does," Elgin senior linebacker Adrian Martinez said. "We just focused in our heads on what we practiced."

What the Elgin defense practiced was effective, and not only against Whitehead. The Maroons held the Royals to 108 passing yards and 74 rushing yards, 59 of which came courtesy of 21 carries by Newquist.

"They forced (Whitehead) one way off bump and over-the-top bracketed him," Larkin coach Mike Scianna said. "Their kids did a really nice job when the ball didn't go to him. That's where I thought they did a great job. When we threw to somebody else those kids were right on them."

Elgin coach Dave Bierman said the offensive plan entering the game was to give quarterbacks Jake Meyer and Jackson two series apiece in the first half and make a decision based on their effectiveness.

The Maroons had good field position for Meyer's first 2 drives, which started at the 50 and the Larkin 46. However, Elgin failed to gain a first down either on either occasion and was forced to punt.

Things changed when Jackson entered the game. The senior, who spent his first two years of high school at Elgin, transferred to Larkin as a junior to play baseball, then transferred back to Elgin this year, made a strong bid for more playing time.

After Dean returned a punt 30 yards to the Larkin 15-yard line, the speedy Jackson rushed 3 times for 14 yards, including a 1-yard sneak that put Elgin ahead 6-0 with 3:50 left in the first quarter. Dennis Moore's point after made it 7-0.

The Royals struck back with their best march of the game, a 6-play, 76-yard scoring drive that resulted in their only touchdown. Facing 3rd-and-2 at the Elgin 46, Newquist stepped up in the pocket as protection broke down and found Miguel Villafane all alone behind the Elgin secondary for a 46-yard touchdown to tie the game.

With the score still knotted 7-7 in the third quarter, Jackson and his receiving corps went to work. He riddled the Larkin defense in the final two quarters by completing 12-of-16 passes for 174 yards and 2 touchdown passes. Overall, he completed 16-of-24 attempts (66.7 percent) for 215 yards and 1 interception. He also rushed for 41 yards on 8 carries.

"I had to make an impact," Jackson said. "It was my first time coming in, so I had to give the coach something good to look at."

The Maroons drove 87 yards on their first possession of the second half and cashed in when Jackson connected with a leaping Devin Gilliam just inside the right-front pylon for the go-ahead touchdown. Gilliam had left the game in the first half with a shoulder injury but returned to make the play.

"It came from the love of the game and my teammates," Gilliam said of his ability to play through pain. "They motivated me to come back out and play strong. They had faith in me. Our coaches stress to us that this is a brotherhood, and that's what got into me."

After a short Larkin punt 2 possessions later, Elgin moved 32 yards in 5 plays, capped by Dean's 16-yard scoring run. Moore's extra point made it 21-7 with 34.4 seconds left in the third quarter.

After another Larkin punt, Jackson connected on 2 passes for 19 yards to Shaiquelle Hayes (9 rec., 97 yards) before he spotted Earl Holloway (6 rec. 113 yards) on a crossing pattern for a 48-yard touchdown, a play that all but sealed Elgin's victory with 9:14 left in the game.

"It feels great," Jackson said. "We were just hungry for the 500th win and the Town Jug."