Pleasant Grove’s Jacob Smith Wins ETSN.fm + Dairy Queen Defensive Player of the Week

Spring Hill threatened to take a late lead in Friday's District 6-4A Division II game against Pleasant Grove. The Panthers were down 24-20 and had 2:50 to work with.

Linebacker Jacob Smith took back control of the game for the Pleasant Grove Hawks with an interception at Spring Hill's 40-yard line and returned it to the 10 to set up his own offensive touchdown the next play.

Smith recorded his second interception, and a 44-yard return which set up an insurance touchdown for Pleasant Grove, on Spring Hill's next play from the line of scrimmage.

With two clutch plays late, Smith is latest ETSN.fm/Dairy Queen Defensive Player of the Week.

Smith follows Week 7 winner Jonny Spitzer, a defensive back from Tyler Grace Community who won the award with two interceptions under similar circumstances.

The Hawks' 38-20 win put the team back into position to compete for a playoff spot in a very tough district featuring Gladewater and Atlanta as its frontrunners midway through the district schedule. Pleasant Grove (5-2, 1-1) is in a tie for fourth in the standings alongside Spring Hill and owns the head-to-head advantage.

Pleasant Grove will try to gain separation from Spring Hill when it visits Gladewater for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff Friday.