Reigning VISAA Division II state champion North Cross (Roanoke, VA) kicked off its 2020 season last week, defeating the Virginia Spartans by a score of 69-0. University of Virginia-bound senior James Jackson, who stars at linebacker and wide receiver for the Raiders, was happy to be playing again in a time when coronavirus concerns have prevented many of his future UVA teammates from doing the same.

“The first game was good,” said the 6’3”, 210-pound Jackson, who was a first-team all-state selection at receiver and linebacker his junior year. “It was against an inexperienced team, and we won 69-0. It was good I guess. A lot of our young players got to play, but really it wasn’t competitive. Next is Fork Union, which will definitely be a more competitive game.”

North Cross has seven more games left on its 2020 schedule, beginning with an October 2 matchup against Fork Union Military Academy’s prep team. The Raiders are scheduled to take on FUMA twice, St. Michael the Archangel twice, Fishburne Military Academy, and Fredericksburg Christian before finishing up the season at Maryland prep school St. John’s Catholic. VISAA football championships have been cancelled because of the coronavirus.

Jackson, who is on track to graduate from North Cross in December and plans on enrolling on Grounds this coming January, would not have had a senior season had North Cross decided not to play this fall.

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