NICEVILLE — David Jackson — nicknamed "Djack" in the Niceville locker room — looked like he hadn't played a single snap.
After the shaking of hands with the Crestview players Friday, Jackson was the first one to race toward the post-game team huddle where coach John Hicks stationed with a single fist-pump after a 38-3 rivalry win.
Jackson was a little more animated.
The senior left tackle was jumping 3 feet in the air for shoulder bumps, chest bumps and every other celebration with his teammates.
He looked fresh despite playing a full 48 minutes — but that's what winning the District 3-6A championship feels like.
"I feel we put in work from day one," he said. "I was excited. I was happy. We didn't want to lose to (Crestview) again."
Jackson refers to the 17-12 loss at Eagle Stadium — where Niceville (8-1, 3-0) has won 17 straight — and he and his offensive line comrades were a big reason the Eagles defended their home grass.
Niceville running back Deonte Sheffield had 180 yards from 19 carries and the Eagles totaled more than 220 rushing yards against a Crestview defensive line that includes a Division I college prospect, senior Marcus Flavors.
"They've got some good players," Jackson said. "From the first play, we had to give them body shots."
For the Bulldogs (4-5, 1-2), this signals the end of any postseason hopes with Choctaw beating Fort Walton Beach and clinching the district's No. 2 playoff berth.
Niceville started a running clock when quarterback Tyler Russell pushed into the end zone from a yard away. That ended the third quarter with the 38-3 tally. Before that, it was a lot of Niceville running the ball and Russell lobbing pretty passes into the end zone.
Sheffield opened the scoring midway through the first quarter, and Russell's first pass went 32 yards to a falling-down Romeo Finley in the end zone.
By contrast, Crestview quarterback Rusty Moorer fell down in disappointment after his best chance for a touchdown bounced off his wide receiver's hands in the second quarter. Crestview settled for Seth Koostouradis' 27-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 14-3. That score became 21-3 before halftime when Russell hit Jake Bari for a 21-yard lob to the corner of the end zone.
Moorer tallied 153 passing yards and the Bulldogs rushed for 154 yards, 62 from Moorer.
Russell, who had 176 passing yards, gave kudos to his offensive line — which, along with Jackson, includes Andrew Gudson, Donnie Brechtel, Jacob Nihill, Matthew Marks and Kini Makaneole.
"The offensive line just had a great push the whole game," Russell said.
Sheffield scored from 21 yards away to start the second half's scoring, and put the district title in the Eagles' hands yet again.
He agreed, too — "Djack" and the rest of the offensive line deserved to catch a second wind after the game. District titles are special, and they helped make it happen.
"I'm really impressed with them," Sheffield said. "This summer, we started slow. We didn't think we would have a good running game, but they came on strong.
"We can run the ball whenever we want."
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview falls to Niceville