Justin Jackson had his night all planned out by Saturday afternoon.

The Glenbard North junior running back planned to hop into an ice bath and then take a nice, long rest. Jackson barely came off the field during the Panthers' 23-14 victory against visiting Stevenson in a Class 8A second-round game Saturday.

Jackson scored three touchdowns, rushed for 216 yards and carried the ball 48 times in addition to hauling in two passes for 28 yards and playing cornerback most of the game against a very good receiving corps for the Patriots (8-3).

He also handled punting duties for Glenbard North (10-1).

"I am so tired," said Jackson, who scored twice in the first half for a 14-7 halftime lead. "I'm going to tell my dad to get (the ice bath) ready. Real Jordans on sale It's weird because this was an afternoon game, and we haven't had one of these since last year. I might just have to sit down and take a nap or something."

It was well-deserved.

"We were actually talking in the locker room (at halftime) and (Jackson) said he was getting tired, but I knew he wasn't going to let down one bit," Glenbard North quarterback Brian Murphy said. "He came to play the second half harder than he did the first half."

The game wasn't decided until a key play early in the fourth, when Murphy found Kendall Holbert with a 37-yard play-action pass to give the Panthers the ball at the Stevenson 27 with a 17-14 lead.

Eight straight Jackson runs followed, the last going a yard into the end zone with 6 minutes, 36 seconds left to play.

"Jackson's a great runner and they're big and physical up front," Stevenson coach Bill McNamara said. "We knew they were going to give him the ball 30 or 40 times, so we just had to toughen up. We had our opportunities to win the game, and credit goes to Glenbard North for taking advantage of theirs."

Player of the game: Justin Jackson, Glenbard North, 48 carries, 216 yards, 3 TDs; 2 catches, 28 yards.

Key performers: Glenbard North — Brian Murphy, 7 carries, 47 yards; 5-for-10, 92 yards; Dominic Fornino, 2 sacks; Stevenson — Willie Bourbon, 14-for-25, 243 yards, 2 TDs; Alan Velev, 5 catches, 118 yards, TD; Cameron Green, 4 catches, 67 yards, TD.

Next: 8A quarterfinal: Glenbard North at Maine South.




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