High school football: Jackson Dillon recovers from infection, ready to play for gold ball

Jackson Dillon, normally so attentive to every word, lay on the ground trying to find breath.

“He looked horrible,” Gandy said. “He looked a little bit confused.”

Still, though, Dillon made plays. He rushed for more than 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns and played a huge part on defense as Ringling advanced to its first state title game since 2002 with a 35-21 win over Texhoma.

“I just remember trying to catch my breath and not being able to,” Dillon said. “Other than that, I just remember a couple of plays.”

Not long afterward, it became apparent why Dillon was struggling.

The next morning, his elbow was swollen to the size of a softball and he could barely move it.

It turned out a small cut that Dillon had suffered on his elbow during the previous week's game at Wayne had become infected.

“It's amazing to think about what he did,” Gandy said. “He's a warrior.”

The 6-foot-6, 200-pound linebacker/running back is getting back to normal this week, preparing to lead Ringling into the Class A title game against Wynnewood at 1 p.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater.

“We're all really excited,” Dillon said. “It's something that hasn't been done here in 10 years, and we want to take advantage of it.”