Jackson leads Walton to victory

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS - A football player's value can be measured in many ways, but one of the most revealing is how he reacts when the team is down in the dumps.

Walton didn't have many bright spots Friday night at Yates Memorial Stadium, but one was Issac Jackson. And when Jackson gives a trademark performance, that's often enough to overcome any shortcomings.

That was the case against winless Chipley, as Jackson scored three times, set up the other touchdown and made the defensive play of the game for the Braves in a 28-14 victory.

"I didn't have to take it upon myself; I knew I just had to pick my team up," Jackson said. "Without my team, I wouldn't be able to do nothing. We had to pick our heads up."

Chipley (0-5) made things uneasy for Walton (4-1) until the Braves made a defensive stand on their own 1-yard line in the fourth quarter. Trailing 28-14, and with just a few feet to go, Tigers' quarterback Jacques Givens, who had a solid rushing outing, tried to find the end zone on a sweep to the left.

But Jackson raced toward Givens and stuffed him for a loss, effectively sealing the game.

Jackson's electrifying ability with the ball in his hands was also showcased. The senior tailback turned a screen pass into a 50-yard touchdown, keeping his balance after stumbling when he initially caught the pass from Tarrell Bramlet.

In the third quarter, Jackson snatched a simple swing pass from Bramlet, accelerated to the perimeter and raced down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown that capped the scoring. His 55-yard run earlier in the quarter set up the go-ahead touchdown, a 4-yard plunge by Deron Hogans.

For the game, Jackson piled up 228 yards on 26 carries and he added 102 receiving yards on three catches. His shifty 15-yard run to paydirt in the second quarter gave Walton its first lead at 14-7 before Chipley knotted it up before halftime.

"There's not enough words to describe what he means to this football team and this program," Walton coach Lenny Jankowski said.

It was a mostly forgettable game by Walton, which had 15 penalties for 145 yards. Several were holding calls and personal fouls.

"Sometimes you've just got to do whatever it takes to win. I'm proud of that," Jankowski said.