How Parker Puckett led Jackson Prep back to MAIS football 6A state championship game

MADISON — Jackson Prep needed a conversion.

During a fourth-and-2 on Madison-Ridgeland Academy's 10-yard line, Jackson Prep executed a play call that was successful all game, a quarterback draw. Parker Puckett juked defenders and muscled into the end zone for Friday night's go-ahead score with 4:10 left.

Jackson Prep held on to beat MRA (8-4) 28-25 in the semifinal round of the MAIS 6A playoffs at MRA stadium.

Jackson Prep (10-3) advances to the MAIS state championship again after winning the title last year and faces No. 1 seed Hartfield Academy (13-0) on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. at Mississippi College's Robinson-Hale Stadium.

In his second year as Jackson Prep's starting quarterback, Puckett led the Patriots back to the state championship game after defeating MRA in last year's state title game 21-14.

"I scored on that play earlier in the game, and we ran it several times, and we were getting yards out of it," Puckett said. "The offensive line was blocking right, and their defense was doing what we wanted them to do, so that was the play we went to since it was working for us all night."

In the first meeting this season Jackson Prep lost to MRA in overtime. Jackson Prep coach Doug Goodwin said his team had to adapt to a different version of MRA Friday night.

"I think they made some adjustments from the first time we played them," Goodwin said. "We had to adjust at halftime. I thought our guys got a really good job at halftime adjusting to what we needed to do."

"We picked each other up," Puckett said. "Last game, we weren't doing that. Tonight, the offense picked the defense up, and the defense picked the offense up when the offense couldn't score. It was a great team effort."

MRA surprised Jackson Prep with an onside kick early in the fourth quarter, and marched down the field to take the lead after trailing by 11 earlier.

On the next drive, Jackson Prep drove 60 yards for the final score. Jackson Prep's defense then stopped MRA and iced out the game.

"Man, I'm really proud of our players," Goodwin said. "It was a dog fight, you know, MRA's got a really good football team and it was back and forth all night. I'm just proud of our guys for hanging in there and winning the game."

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Puckett had a 40-yard rushing touchdown on the first play after an interception by Jackson Prep's Micah Stallworth.

"I thought he played very well, especially on the ground," Goodwin said. We didn't turn the ball over on offense and I thought he did a really good job."

Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion-Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MHSAA football playoffs: Jackson Prep beats MRA in MAIS semifinals