The high school football season in Missouri came to a close over the
weekend with champions crowned in seven classifications. Jackson was among the
winners, taking home the Class 5 trophy — the school's first state title — with a 42-7 win over Platte County (Platte City) and finishing No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 computer rankings.
That victory, coupled
with its 14-0 record and tremendous play this season, makes the Indians the 2020 MaxPreps Champion for the state of Missouri.
The 2020 season was one of redemption for Jackson after an overtime loss in the title game the previous year. This time, Jackson left no doubt.
The Indians, who beat all 14 opponents by at least 34 points, dominated Platte County in the championship game. Jackson quarterback
Cael Welker was 13 of 19 passing for 163 yards and two scores while adding another on the ground. Senior running back
Daniel Dickerson ran for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. The Indians outgained the Pirates 418-157 while controlling the ball on offense for 37 of 48 minutes.
Raymore-Peculiar, the Class 6 champion and No. 2 team in the final rankings, dominated DeSmet Jesuit (St. Louis) 23-0, denying the once-nationally-ranked Spartans a repeat crown. It was the fourth state title for the 12-2 Panthers, who earned Class 5 titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
2020 MSHSAA state champions
Class 6 —
Raymore-Peculiar (Peculiar)Class 5 —
JacksonClass 4 —
Helias (Jefferson City) Class 3 —
Blair Oaks (Jefferson City)Class 2 —
LamarFinal Missouri MaxPreps Top 25
About the MaxPreps computer rankings
Our computer rankings utilize the huge number of game results stored in the MaxPreps database. Generally, the more a team wins, the higher the ranking. However, the system takes into account quality wins (against other highly-ranked opponents) and strength of schedule. For example, a team's ranking is hurt more by losing to a team that is ranked below it than a team ranked ahead. Playoff wins are weighted higher than regular season games.
Other factors that will affect the rankings are times when MaxPreps has incomplete or inaccurate information. We will correct errors when they are reported to us. If we are missing a score, report it to us on the team's MaxPreps page. If we are missing a game on the schedule, send us a correction request.
