Freshman Jacobe Shannon Jr. Leads Madison Prep Past U-High in 38–21 Statement Win
BATON ROUGE, La. — A year ago, University Lab stood in Madison Prep’s way twice.
The Cubs defeated the Chargers during district play and again in the postseason, bringing Madison Prep’s playoff run to an end. This season, however, the landscape looks a little different. Madison Prep has moved up to Class 4A, meaning the two programs will no longer meet in district play.
Still, when Madison Prep and U-High meet, there is history attached to the matchup.
And this time, the Chargers flipped the script.
Behind an impressive performance from freshman quarterback Jacobe Shannon Jr. and major contributions on both sides of the football, Madison Prep defeated University Lab 38–21 at Memorial Stadium.
For Shannon, a Class of 2030 quarterback leading one of Baton Rouge’s established programs as a freshman, the moment never appeared too big.
Shannon finished 10-of-14 passing for 205 yards and four touchdowns, showing poise and confidence well beyond his years.
The freshman displayed strong pocket presence throughout the night, extending plays when necessary, keeping his eyes downfield and connecting with receivers at multiple levels of the defense. Whether standing tall in the pocket or creating opportunities on the move, Shannon looked comfortable directing the Chargers’ offense.
That composure became especially important after U-High struck first.
The Cubs opened the game with a lengthy touchdown drive and grabbed an early 7–0 advantage. Madison Prep, however, did not allow the opening score to dictate the rest of the night.
Shannon and Johnson Spark the Chargers
Madison Prep began finding its rhythm during the second quarter, and Shannon quickly established a connection with senior playmaker Landon Johnson.
Johnson, a TCU commit, was one of Madison Prep’s most impactful players throughout the night.
On the Chargers’ first scoring drive, Shannon connected with Johnson for a significant gain before finding him again on a crucial fourth-down conversion. The duo eventually finished the possession together, with Shannon finding Johnson for a touchdown.
It was an early glimpse of a connection that would continue to challenge the U-High defense.
Johnson’s impact stretched well beyond the receiving game.
He contributed on both sides of the football, giving Madison Prep a veteran presence offensively while also making plays defensively. After experiencing both losses to U-High a season ago, Johnson helped make sure this year’s meeting ended differently.
The Chargers continued building momentum before halftime, eventually taking a 14–7 lead into the break.
Madison Prep Takes Control
The game began to tilt heavily in Madison Prep’s favor during the second half.
Prophet, No. 4, provided one of the Chargers’ biggest explosive plays of the night when he broke free for a long touchdown run, giving Madison Prep another dimension offensively.
Shannon continued attacking through the air, finding open receivers and delivering touchdown passes as Madison Prep stretched the lead.
By the time the Chargers had built a comfortable advantage, Shannon had shown exactly why Madison Prep’s coaching staff entrusted him with the offense at such a young age.
The freshman quarterback entered the season already carrying significant expectations.
Shannon became Madison Prep’s first freshman starting quarterback since 2018, and he has wasted little time showing why the opportunity was given to him.
Against U-High, he did more than manage the game.
He controlled it.
Shannon escaped pressure, made throws on the move, attacked downfield and consistently kept Madison Prep’s offense ahead of the chains.
For a freshman quarterback in a matchup with this much recent history, his composure stood out as much as the numbers.
Chargers Defense Brings the Pressure
While Shannon and the offense produced plenty of highlights, Madison Prep’s defense deserves equal credit for the way the Chargers separated themselves from U-High.
Daelyn Early, a linebacker/safety, was one of the most active defenders on the field.
Early played with physicality throughout the night, delivering big hits, getting into the backfield and helping Madison Prep generate consistent pressure.
He was far from alone.
No. 76 Jamyris Allen for Madison Prep also put together a strong performance along the defensive front. He repeatedly found his way into the U-High backfield and recorded sacks as the Chargers made it difficult for the Cubs to establish rhythm through the passing game.
Johnson added to the defensive effort as well, making his impact a true two-way performance.
Madison Prep’s pressure played a major role in limiting U-High quarterback Knox Kiffin, who finished with 81 passing yards and an interception while also being sacked several times.
U-High did find success on a handful of explosive rushing plays, but Madison Prep consistently responded.
The Cubs produced several long runs throughout the night, but outside of those big plays, the Chargers’ defense repeatedly shut down drives and prevented U-High from consistently moving the football.
The result was a defensive performance that complemented Madison Prep’s explosive offense and allowed the Chargers to maintain control.
Harlem Turner Adds Another Weapon
Madison Prep also received important production from its rushing attack.
Running back Harlem Turner, No. 0, consistently gave the Chargers tough yards when they needed them.
Turner converted key first downs throughout the game and eventually found the end zone during the fourth quarter, helping Madison Prep put another score on the board.
His performance added to what became a balanced offensive night for the Chargers.
Between Shannon’s four touchdown passes, Johnson’s receiving contributions, Prophet’s explosive run and Turner’s work out of the backfield, Madison Prep showed that the offense could attack opponents in multiple ways.
That balance made it increasingly difficult for U-High to slow the Chargers once they found their rhythm.
A Different Ending This Time
The significance of Thursday night’s victory stretched beyond Madison Prep moving to 1–1 on the season.
The Chargers knew the recent history.
U-High defeated Madison Prep twice last season — once during district play and once when Madison Prep’s season was on the line in the playoffs.
This year’s game was not a district matchup, and because of Madison Prep’s move to Class 4A, the programs are now traveling different postseason paths.
But that did not erase what happened a season ago.
Madison Prep had another opportunity against U-High.
This time, the Chargers took advantage of it.
They won at the line of scrimmage. They created explosive plays offensively. They pressured the quarterback. They received contributions from veterans and young players alike.
And at the center of it all was a freshman quarterback who looked anything but inexperienced.
Jacobe Shannon Jr. delivered one of the early standout performances of his young high school career, completing 10 of 14 passes for 205 yards and four touchdowns while leading
Madison Prep to a 38–21 victory.
Alongside Shannon, Johnson showcased his versatility, Early and No. 76 helped lead an aggressive defensive effort, while Turner and Prophet supplied explosive plays in the running game.
For Madison Prep, it was more than a chance to revisit an opponent that ended last season.
It was an opportunity to show how much this team has changed.
And on Thursday night, the Chargers made sure the ending changed too.
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