High School

Ankeny Centennial’s Braeden Jackson carving out a name for himself

Senior is the son of former NFL running back Fred Jackson

Dana Becker

Ankeny Centennial's Braeden Jackson will lead the Jaguars into the Class 5A quarterfinals vs. West Des Moines Dowling this week.
Ankeny Centennial's Braeden Jackson will lead the Jaguars into the Class 5A quarterfinals vs. West Des Moines Dowling this week. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the pressure of the playoffs on full display, Braeden Jackson embraced it. The Ankeny Centennial senior put his team on his back and helped them advance to the Class 5A quarterfinals.

Jackson, the son of former NFL running back Fred Jackson, racked up 342 all-purpose yards and scored six touchdowns - including four in the first half - as the Jaguars ousted Iowa City High, 52-28.

On the year, Jackson has over 1,100 yards rushing, over 100 yards receiving and 21 total touchdowns.

Last year, Jackson was part of a crowded backfield but still carved out a role. He had 102 carries for 669 yards with eight touchdowns. He also caught 31 passes for 354 yards and four more scores.

Ankeny Centennial will now face West Des Moines Dowling in the quarterfinals Friday night in a rematch of a regular season contest won by the Maroons.

Ra'Shawd Davis
Ra'Shawd Davis had a huge game in leading West Des Moines Dowling past Cedar Falls during a Class 5A playoff game. / Reese Strickland/Special to the Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dowling’s Ra’Shawd Davis takes over, leads Maroons past Cedar Falls

West Des Moines Dowling has plenty of standout athletes. None might be better right now than Ra’Shawd Davis.

The senior absolutely carried the Maroons past Cedar Falls and into the 5A quarterfinals. He finished his night with 44 carries for 335 yards and three touchdowns, as Dowling won, 41-21.

Davis has 1,125 yards rushing with 17 touchdowns, averaging over six yards per carry. He also had a 1,000 yards as a junior, going for 1,418 with 27 touchdowns. 

Up next for the Maroons will be Ankeny Centennial in a rematch of an early October contest. That night, Dowling won, 41-35, as Davis ran for 92 yards and two scores

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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