RI's best golfer takes his game to another field; what Max Jackson is doing this fall
PROVIDENCE — Max Jackson can play golf for the rest of his life.
That’s his college path going forward and it could stretch beyond that. He’s been the state’s best boys golfer for the better part of three years, and he’s brought home the hardware to prove it.
This fall presents him with something of a last chance in a different arena. Jackson is also a standout soccer player at La Salle, and a college commitment on the course at Rutgers wasn’t going to prevent him from lacing up his cleats with the Rams for a final time.
“There was really no other decision for me,” Jackson said on Monday morning. “I wanted to play.”
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La Salle was in the midst of a training session at Cimini Stadium, and Jackson was at the center of the action. That’s the job when you’re a midfielder — attacking with the ball, defending to win it back. He was an all-division selection in 2022 and could be in line for more as a senior.
“Max, I feel, could play a lot of other sports,” La Salle coach Mario Pereira said. “He’s just a natural. He’s a tremendous soccer player.”
That’s no small praise from a coach who has turned La Salle into the state’s power program since 2000. The Rams have racked up 12 titles in that span, including in each odd-numbered year since 2011. That history says La Salle should be the Division I favorite in 2023, and it could well be the last team standing thanks to its strong midfield group.
“I just wanted to be there for them and get the state championship I know we deserve,” Jackson said. “Last year was a tough ending — for those seniors as well. I’ve never seen anyone so upset. I've never been so upset.
“We have one goal in mind.”
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Jackson was part of the New England Revolution Academy setup prior to his high school days. He also developed into a dominant junior golfer thanks to his precise iron game and soft touch around the greens. Jackson decided to enroll with the Rams and leave a potential professional track in soccer — his younger brother, Nathan, remains part of the 2009-10 group with the Revs and is considered a future college prospect as a midfielder.
“He decided to enroll at La Salle and play for his school community, and he’s loved it ever since,” Pereira said. “It’s a good experience.
“It’s something every young high school player should be doing — sports within their community. And he fits that. He’s a leader.”
The common link between sports for Jackson is his mind. He’s strong and fit for his age but isn’t going to overpower either a 7,000-yard track or a fellow teenager with a hard edge. Smart decisions and the ability to execute under pressure have served him well both in the fall and spring.
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“I don’t usually hit it as far as other people,” Jackson said. “In soccer, I’m never really the biggest guy in the midfield. I think it’s just using your mind and being smart and using the people around you to help you.
“Just the problem-solving aspect in both sports has helped me immensely. I don’t think it’s about size and physicality.”
Jackson features in an all-senior group for La Salle, joining All-State pick Moises Morales, Edgar Barillas and Evan Conceicao. He likes the feeling of being able to look up and see an ally within just a few steps. That’s generally not a view he’s enjoyed with capturing three Rhode Island Junior Amateur and two Interscholastic League golf titles.
“We’ve been playing together for quite some time now,” Jackson said. “It’s our third season. I think we jell and have really good chemistry.”
South Kingstown put on a clinic in a 5-1 victory over the Rams in last year’s semifinals. The Rebels carried that form into the championship match against North Kingstown, spoiling their perfect season and capturing a second crown in three years. Jackson had all offseason to think about that result and it didn’t sit well, but he’s taking one last chance to author a different ending.
“He makes things go,” Pereira said. “He's so determined. He’s not going to take no for an answer.
“Until that whistle blows at the end he’s going to be working his butt off.”
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: La Salle golfer Max Jackson makes his pitch on the soccer field
