Columbus North’s Jaxson Scruggs is introduced prior to Friday’s North-South All-Star Classic at Ben Davis.
Submitted photo
Prior to Friday night’s North-South All-Star Classic, South defensive coordinator John Preston asked his defense if they could get him a shutout for his birthday.
Jaxson Scruggs and his teammates did exactly that.
The recent Columbus North graduate led a unit that posted a 14-0 shutout against the North, the first shutout in the annual series in two decades.
“Our defensive coordinator, it was his birthday, and before the game, he asked for his birthday wish for us to get a shutout,” Scruggs said. “So being able to do that, it felt really good.”
Scruggs, who played cornerback as a junior and safety as a senior, started at corner for the South in the game played at Ben Davis. He officially was listed with six tackles, including one for a loss, but some observers thought he actually had eight or nine tackles.
“We played a lot of Cover 3, which allowed the receivers to catch a lot of short passes, and I came up and made the tackles,” Scruggs said. “They didn’t really throw on me deep, so I wasn’t able to get any interceptions, but I was able to step up big in the tackling part. I really wish they would have named a Defensive MVP. I really believe I would have got that.”
Scruggs did have one pass break-up. His tackle-for-loss came on a fourth-down play.
“The QB got to scrambling, and he spun out and I made the tackle,” Scruggs said.
Aside from playing most of the snaps on defense, Scruggs also played on the South’s kickoff, punt and punt return teams. He was the gunner on punt team and blocked gunners on punt return team.
“One of my favorite plays was on punt was where I got past the corner and the guy muffed the punt, and he picked up and tried to spin out, and I was there to make the tackle,” Scruggs said.
Scruggs was excited to be back on the field in a competitive atmosphere for the first time since last fall.
“It felt like a normal high school game, but just a little more intense,” Scruggs said. “It was kind of like our rivalry with Columbus East. It was just a cool experience playing with new guys I’ve never seen and making friends with our (defensive back) crew. It was just a cool new experience.”
The players reported to University of Indianapolis on Aug. 12 and had two-a-day practices. On Thursday, they had a banquet at the Murat.
“One thing that was exciting, is we were sponsored by Murat Shriners, and they brought one of their patients to come and meet us and give us high-fives,” Scruggs said. “A kid that’s not able to do normal things, it was exciting to meet him and see him get to meet some of the football players. Getting our names called up and receiving our plaque also was exciting.”
Scruggs will play his college football at Indiana Wesleyan. He is set to report for practice there on Aug. 8.
“When it comes to just being able to play football and starting up a new team and season, now I have to make my name known in a different city like I did in Columbus and do my thing at Indiana Wesleyan,” Scruggs said.
