ALL-CCC FOOTBALL: Jackson, Perry top choices after state title run

KJ Jackson led St. James to the Class 3A state championship and was chosen as the Capital City Conference Player of the Year in 2022. (Marvin Gentry)

By TIM GAYLE

St. James became a more dangerous offense in 2022 by handing over more control to its quarterback.

In the past, KJ Jackson made pre-snap reads, then proceeded to run whatever play was best against the opposing defense. This year, the Trojans added post-snap reads to the junior quarterback’s arsenal, leaving the decisions on a lot of run-pass option plays in the hands of the quarterback.

“Every year, they added something more for me to handle,” Jackson said. “Just being able to have a say on, probably, 75 percent of the plays that we run was great. Even post-snap, being able to run or hand it off to ‘Cos’ (tailback Cosner Harrison) or throw it. ‘Cos,’ he speaks for himself as the (school’s) all-time record holder for almost every (rushing) stat. He makes it easy and the O-line really makes it easy this year. They’re a veteran group.”

The Trojans’ explosiveness on offense was on display in the second half of the 3A finals this year as Jackson threw four touchdown passes in a rout of Piedmont. He finished the year with 2,813 yards and 42 touchdowns, both single-season school records.  

“Everybody knows we’re going to RPO and run a slant or RPO and run a bubble so it’s fun to see all the different defenses and how they try to stop us,” Jackson said. “All year, people were trying to figure out how to stop us.”

 St. James coach Jimmy Perry said all year that his 2022 squad was a special group that matured and improved with each passing year. The same can be said for his quarterback, one of a handful of juniors that played extensively as freshmen when the current group of seniors were starting as sophomores in 2020.

“He had a pretty good supporting cast around him that’s a little more mature,” Perry said. “Before, when he was younger, we just did a lot of pre-snap stuff. This year, he had to do both. We doubled up his decision making on plays and he did a real good job with that. The more information you have, the more processing you can do and you make a better decision.”

Capital City Conference coaches rewarded Jackson for his team’s performance this season, naming the junior the Capital City Conference Player of the Year. Jackson edged out the 2021 player of the year, Catholic tailback Jeremiah Cobb, for the honor in 2022.

Jackson and Cobb are among the 10 players that made the first team in both 2021 and 2022, along with St. James receiver Ethan Beard, St. James center Jake Streeton, Montgomery Academy’s Jashawn Cooper, St. James tailback Cosner Harrison, Catholic quarterback Caleb McCreary, ACA tailback Corey Landers, Catholic defensive back LJ Green and Catholic punter Gabe Russo.

St. James coach Jimmy Perry was selected as the Capital City Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Trojans past the quarterfinal round for the first time in school history, setting a school record for wins (13) while bringing home the first football championship in school history and the first for a CCC team since Trinity in 2003.

Interestingly enough, the Capital City Conference’s regular season record against non-CCC teams -- which was 34-1 in 2021 -- wasn’t quite as impressive in 2022 at 30-4, but St. James can be forgiven for two of those four losses, which were to 4A Handley and 5A Charles Henderson, teams that reached the quarterfinals and finals of their respective playoffs. The loss to Handley, Jackson noted, was a catalyst for St. James this season.

“Handley was one of those moments early in the season,” Jackson said. “We knew they weren’t as strong this year as they were in previous years, but Handley was a very good school and after we lost that game, everyone in the locker room knew we shouldn’t have lost that game, that we beat ourselves. The offense was slow coming out at halftime, the kickoff return after we were up 14-0, the 96-yard run on third down, the Hail Mary throw before halftime. That was a very good loss. I wouldn’t have it any other way, just so everybody knows we’re a good team but it’s going to take hard work for us to get where we really want to go.”

2022 ALL-CAPITAL CITY CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM

OFFENSE

WR -- Luke Harkless, 5-10, 173, Sr., Catholic

WR -- Ethan Beard, 5-7, 140, Sr., St. James

WR -- DJ Vinson, 6-3, 185, So., Montgomery Academy

WR -- DM Lieux, 5-10, 170, Sr., Trinity

TE -- Preston Hicks, 5-10, 190, Sr., Alabama Christian

OL -- Taylor Williams, 6-0, 275, Sr., Alabama Christian

OL -- Harrison Parkman, 6-2, 240, Sr., Trinity

OL -- Jake Streeton, 6-2, 233, Sr., St. James

OL -- Rod Favor, 6-0, 225, Jr., Trinity

OL -- Ariyn Gilbert, 6-1, 230, Jr., Catholic

QB -- Caleb McCreary, 5-10, 185, Jr., Catholic

RB -- Jeremiah Cobb, 6-0, 185, Sr., Catholic

RB -- Cosner Harrison, 6-1, 201, Sr., St. James

RB -- Corey Landers, 5-8, 180, Sr., Alabama Christian

ATH -- KJ Jackson, 6-4, 218, Jr., St. James

PK -- Carson Springer, 5-11, 180, Sr., Montgomery Academy

DEFENSE

DL -- Owen Johnson, 5-10, 260, Sr., Montgomery Academy

DL -- Connor Owens, 6-2, 241, Sr., St. James

DL -- KJ Washington, 6-2, 230, So., Catholic

DL -- AJ Alozie, 6-0, 208, Sr., St. James

LB -- Jaden Jones, 6-0, 210, Sr., Catholic

LB -- Harrison Johnson, 5-10, 180, Sr., Trinity

LB -- Tucker Williams, 5-11, 182, Sr., St. James

LB -- Jashawn Cooper, 6-1, 235, Sr., Montgomery Academy

DB -- LJ Green, 6-1, 160, Sr., Catholic

DB -- Ziggy Holloway, 6-1, 155, Jr., St. James

DB -- Webber McClinton, 5-11, 185, Jr., Trinity

DB -- Chance Wilson, 6-0, 190, Jr., Montgomery Academy

ATH -- Zach Underwood, 6-2, 225, Sr., Catholic

P -- Gabe Russo, 6-1, 210, Sr., Catholic

RS -- Otasowie Dion, 6-0, 185, Sr., Alabama Christian

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: KJ Jackson, St. James

COACH OF THE YEAR: Jimmy Perry, St. James

HONORABLE MENTION: Brennan Binns, DB, Sr., Catholic; Carson Brown, DL, Jr., Trinity; Zac Childs, OL, Sr., Trinity; Dalton Gaston, LB, Jr., Trinity; Eli Griggs, H, Sr., St. James; Taylor Hester, DL, Sr., St. James; Kenny Heumann, OL, Sr., Montgomery Academy; Clint Houser, DB, Jr., St. James; Jake Huff, PK, Jr., St. James; Hayes Hunt, QB, Sr., Alabama Christian; Wils Johnson, LB, So., St. James; Mike Jones, RB, Fr., Trinity; Linkin Langer, OL, Sr., Alabama Christian; Arch Lee, LB, Sr., Montgomery Academy; Walker McClinton, QB, Jr., Trinity; Seawell McKee, DB, Sr., Trinity; Kam Miller, LB, So., Catholic; William Milner, LB, Jr., Alabama Christian; Will Owen, TE, Sr., Trinity; Josh Palmer, WR, Sr., Catholic; Norris Pemberton, WR-RS, Sr., Trinity; Chaise St. Julien, OL, Sr., Catholic; Clint Shores, TE, Sr., St. James; Zion Stevens, DL, So., Trinity; Avery Stuart, WR, Sr., Alabama Christian; Jet Tomlinson, DL, Sr., Montgomery Academy; Kam Tuck, DB, Sr., Montgomery Academy; Rickie Williams, DB, So., Catholic; Cooper Wright, DE, Sr., St. James.