Senior Evan Jackson rushed for 127 yards and three touchdowns, while an inspired Jesuit defense recorded six sacks to Push the Rangers to a statement-making, 41-10 win over Coppell in the squad's University Interscholastic League (UIL) District 9-6A opener on Friday evening at Postell Stadium.

Amassing 428 total yards of offense, Jesuit (1-3, 1-0) scored four total rushing touchdowns en route to their first win over Coppell since 2004. The Cowboys (2-2, 0-1) entered Friday's game tied for 14th in the area according to the Dallas Morning News, but fell victim to an inspired Jesuit offense captained by senior quarterback Jacob Palisch. Returning behind center for the first time since the season opener against DeSoto, Palisch threw for 252 yards, adding seven rushes for 26 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Fletcher Rosenbleeth made his season debut, setting the tone early with a monstrous, 86-yard reception in the first quarter, finishing with three catches for 107 yards. Fellow fourth-year John Wunderlick added 104 all-purpose yards, while junior Israel Ollarzabal kicked a pair of 33-yard field goals through the uprights.

Defensively, senior captain Jordan Rice recorded 3.5 sacks and five tackles for loss, closing out the game with a team-high nine tackles. Senior Luke Nolan recovered a fumble late in the fourth quarter, returning the ball 68 yards for a defensive touchdown that clinched the game for the Rangers.

Junior Hank Bitterman recorded seven solo stops, while senior Matt Eubanks finished with eight tackles. In total, Jesuit tackled Coppell 11 times behind the line of scrimmage, including two apiece from Nolan and senior Michael Schoettmer.

After a game-opening drive failed to result in points, the Jesuit defense made its first major play on a Coppell fourth-and-two from the Ranger 13-yard line. Schoettmer and Rice shut the door on a rush to give the ball back to the Blue and Gold. Later in the quarter, Coppell appeared to score a defensive touchdown , but the play was negated due to an illegal block in the back, moving the ball back to near-midfield where Coppell would go three-and-out.

Palisch led off the team's final drive of the first quarter with a deep pass down the middle of the field, finding an open Rosenbleeth who fought his way inside the Coppell 10-yard line. The next play, Palisch broke to the right to walk into the end zone, giving Jesuit the early advantage.

Ollarzabal kicked his first field goal with 8:15 remaining in the second, sending Jesuit into the break with a 10-0 lead. Coppell's first drive of the second half went 11 plays for 63 yards, resulting in a field goal. Jesuit responded with a 24-yard kickoff return for junior Alekzander McGlone, giving Jesuit good field position with 7:25 left in the third.

A six-play, 58-yard drive culminated with a 24-yard touchdown run by Evan Jackson to give Jesuit a two-possession lead. Jackson struck again from 37 yards out on the Rangers' ensuing drive, followed by a 15-yard score with 50 seconds remaining in the third to build the Jesuit advantage to 31-10 heading into the final quarter, and give Jackson the most rushing touchdowns for a running back in a single game since Matt Slovak against Irving on October 10, 2014.

Nolan scored the Rangers' first defensive touchdown of the season with 3:54 remaining in the fourth, scooping up a loose ball after a forced Coppell fumble on fourth-and-16 and flying down the near sideline to the end zone. Ollarzabal converted another 33-yard field goal to close the game out. Jesuit has recorded a defensive touchdown in two of its last three home games dating back to last season, the other a 98-yard interception return by John Michael Priddy '16 in the UIL Bi-District bout against Mesquite Horn.

Jesuit will travel to Eagle-Mustang Stadium to take on the Richardson Eagles on Friday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m before returning home to take on the Skyline Raiders on October 6.