Semoball

Kaivre James' two goals lifts Jackson soccer to second consecutive C4D1 championship

Jackson's Kaivre James (11) reacts after scoring the Indians' first goal against Vianney on Thursday in the Class 4 District 1 championship at St. John's Vianney High School in St. Louis.
J.C. Reeves ~ Southeast Missourian

ST. LOUIS — For 64 minutes, Jackson and Vianney were locked in a defensive struggle in the Class 4 District 1 championship.

With 15:58 remaining in the game, Indians senior Kaivre James saw an opening.

"I was like, 'Well, the ball's coming to me,' and I put my knee up," James said. "I put my knee up and it went in."

Jackson's Kaivre James, left, is congratulated by teammate Wil Essner after the Indians defeated Vianney on Thursday in the Class 4 District 1 championship at St. John's Vianney High School in St. Louis.
J.C. Reeves ~ Southeast Missourian

James' goal broke a 0-0 tie, but the senior wasn't finished. James would score again en route to a 2-1 Jackson win, the Indians second consecutive district championship.

"That's huge right there," Jackson coach Zack Walton said. "That's basically the equivalent of a sectional game last year, now that we have the super district, and this is only the third time in school history we've done that.

"It was a huge win for us tonight, especially over a private school in St. Louis. I thought our boys played really hard and battled. We had a lot of good opportunities in the second half to score, so it was a good relief to get that first goal."

James — who came off the bench in Thursday night's game — would find the back of the net again with 4:17 left in the game, giving the Indians a late 2-0 lead.

"He's a great, all-around good kid for us," Walton said of James. "He's a 'yes sir' kid for us that works really hard for us day in and day out. There's some times he's started for us and there's some times he hasn't.

"He understands the big picture and knows what his role is a little bit. Sometimes that may be starting, sometimes it may be coming off the bench. Tonight, his role was coming off the bench and putting two in the back of the net."

Vianney scored a goal on a corner kick with 28 seconds remaining in the game, but it would be too late for the Golden Griffins. Walton credited his defense, and especially goalkeeper Nolan Dry, for keeping the Indians in the game.

"I thought our boys played phenomenal at the back all night long," Walton said. "(Vianney's) a very direct team and they're going to play a lot of long balls. We knew that kind of coming into it and our back stepped up to that challenge and headed so many balls away. They defended so well back there and really limited their opportunities to score.

"Nolan played great in that first half. He played great in the second half but, man, you really could see him in the first half. He was challenged and he stepped up and made a lot of great plays."

The Indians (17-7-2) will have a week to prepare for next Saturday's Class 4 state quarterfinal matchup against Class 4 District 2 champion Marquette (16-4-1).

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