Jackson boys soccer pulls off another comeback to claim district title with 4-3 win over Seckman

Jackson's Desmond Morris (17) celebrates with teammates after heading in the winning goal against Seckman during the final seconds of the Class 4 District 1 championship Thursday in Cedar Hill, Missouri.

Fred Lynch

CEDAR HILL, Mo. -- It looked like the jig was up.

There are only so many times in a season you can stage furious, dramatic rallies, and against the top-seeded team in a district championship, the bell was finally tolling.

Until it wasn't.

Down two goals with 19 minutes left to play, the second-seeded Jackson boys soccer team scored three times -- including twice in the final 103 seconds -- to stage its most important comeback of the season and defeat No. 1 Seckman 4-3 at Northwest High School on Thursday for the Indians' second consecutive Class 4 District 1 title.

Jackson will face Christian Brothers College in a sectional on Tuesday in Jackson.

Jackson players celebrate with the first-place plaque after their 4-3 win over Seckman in the Class 4 District 1 championship Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017 in Cedar Hill, Missouri.

Fred Lynch

"That just gave me goosebumps. Amazing. Can't ask for anything better," Jackson senior Justice Crosnoe said. "We were 30 seconds away from that being our last game and just that feeling inside that you could lose, it haunts you. It haunts you. But after we got that last goal, it was just a sigh of relief."

All four goals came off long throw-ins, with three finding Caleb Dameron for a hat trick and the 80th-minute game winner meeting the head of Desmond Morris.

"This is our 'never give up,'" Jackson coach Zack Walton said. "Fortunately, we'd been in this situation already this year -- more than we'd probably like. Our boys have learned to never give up all year. We just keep battling, keep fighting, and that's something that really makes coaches proud.

" ... Knowing we just needed an opportunity. We finally got that opportunity and put it in the back of the net."

Jackson (17-5) found a play that Seckman (15-11) just didn't have an answer for, the long throw-in.

Down 3-1 at halftime, the Indians found a steady wave of attacking pressure as the second half proceeded, as Morris found himself on the end of a handful of balls into the box, heading shots toward goal but just off target.

Jackson got its breakthrough in the 62nd minute, as Crosnoe slung a long throw-in across the field to the far post, where Dameron headed the ball home for his second goal and a 3-2 score.

Morris had two more quality looks in the ensuing minutes, including a shot from near the penalty spot that was somehow stopped by Seckman goalkeeper Trenton Heagle.

Then the long throw-in gashed the Jaguars again.

With time winding down on the Indians season, Crosnoe tossed the ball toward the far post in the 79th minute, and the ball bounced near the 6-yard box and found Dameron to knot things at 3-all. Initially flagged as offside, the officials met and quickly overruled the call, pointing to the center circle to indicate a goal.

Just over a minute later, in the game's final seconds, Crosnoe put his weight behind another long toss, which sailed over the mass of players in the 18-yard box and right to the goal line, where Morris got his head on the ball. This time, the shot found the back of the net.

"It was a Hail Mary, pretty much," Crosnoe said. "I tried to throw the ball as far as I could to the goal. I know I'm not the tallest person in the world, but I sure could get it there. I put it up there for my two twin towers, Grayson Ward and Desmond Morris, to put a head on it, and that's what happened."

A moment of controversy followed the game winner, as officials paused to discuss the goal and the Seckman bench and supporters lobbied to nullify the goal on the basis it was scored straight off the throw-in. The ruling on the field, however, held, and yet another Jackson comeback was complete.

"I don't know if you ever feel confident, but you know you have the potential to do it," Walton said. "There's 10 minutes left in the game, we know we can score a couple of goals. ... Players have a tendency to panic those last few minutes, and our kids love to get up in the air and win balls."

The rally was built on a second-half defensive effort that held the Jaguars scoreless after allowing three goals through the first 40 minutes. Seckman had also scored four goals in a 4-2 win over the Indians during the regular season.

Jackson's Tanner Walton kicks the ball away from Seckman's Zach Bates during the second half of the Class 4 District 1 championship Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017 in Cedar Hill, Missouri.

Fred Lynch

But this time Jackson did enough to set the stage for a thrilling finish.

"[Ward] told us before the half, 'Hey, we'll hold them if you guys can score,'" Crosnoe said, "and we did our job and it came out how we wanted to."

Despite an early possession advantage, Jackson conceded the first goal in the sixth minute, as Seckman left winger Alec Buol had time to size up his defender and send a lofted shot from about 17 yards just over the fingertips of Jackson goalkeeper Carter Gentry and under the crossbar for a 1-0 lead.

The Indians answered in the 17th minute, when Crosnoe sent a long throw-in toward the middle of the 18-yard box, where the ball deflected off a Seckman head and fell to Dameron unmarked at the far post. The simple finish tied things at 1.

But just five minutes later, the Jaguars earned a corner kick from the left side of goal. Cody Eakins drove the ensuing kick on a line straight inside the far post, untouched by anyone and good for a 2-1 advantage.

The top seed extended that lead to 3-1 in the 29th minute as Ryan Berhost, off a pass from Eakins, smacked a shot off the crossbar and in.

The Jaguars held Jackson at bay the rest of the half as the Indians managed just one more shot, which was blocked.

Seckman out-shot Jackson 8-4 during the first 40 minutes.

Forty minutes later, all of that was just a distant memory.

"Really, we had a couple good chances in that second half -- good chances I thought we'd normally score on that we didn't," Walton said. "I think that helped keep us going. I know it's frustrating, but it keeps us going. We just kept battling and didn't give up. We've been saying that for years. That goes back to Nolan Weber. We picked that up from him. We still say, 'We believe.' And we do."

The Indians will now host CBC in the sectional round after the Cadets (19-5-2) defeated De Smet in penalty kicks, 1-0, for the District 2 championship. The game's start time has not yet been announced.