SIMPSONVILLE, S.C.
The numbers Hillcrest High School junior quarterback Jackson Free has put up through 11 games are the type that would make most signal-callers envious. He’s completed 140 of 226 passes for 2,051 yards and 25 touchdowns, adding another 303 yards and nine scores on the ground. His ability to spread the ball around is unmatched as he’s thrown a touchdown pass to 10 different receivers this season.
Behind that success, the 8-3 Rams have won five in a row, including last Friday's 35-14 first-round playoff win over Riverside. Hillcrest travels to Indian Land this week seeking to keep its hot streak alive in the second round of the SCHSL playoffs.
But for Free, the story goes far deeper than completion percentages and touchdowns. The words printed on the back of his pregame shirt “Jesus Saves” (Isaiah 40:29-31), tells where his heart truly lies.
“My faith is the most important part of my life,” Free said. “As followers of Christ we are called to reach the lost, so I feel like I can use my football platform to be able to reach those people and share how God has changed my life forever.”
Free accepted Christ at age 5, a moment he says altered the entire direction of his life.
"Life has not been easy, and that's not the way it is supposed to be," he said. "When we accept Him, we have to make sacrifices, but every trial we face, God is with us. It is all worth it because of the promise of eternity."
That perspective drives him through any circumstance on or off of the field and it gives his teammates a steady example to follow.
“He works hard every day,” Hillcrest head coach Bennett Swygert said. “He is devoted, rain or shine. He serves. He leads. He loves. Kinda that simple.”
Free's teammates characterize him as a leader, one who celebrates others' success as much as his own. His throws to 10 different receivers aren't an accident, it's an extension of his unselfish approach to the game.
"Sports are super important to me," Free said, "and I understand that the day will come when I play my last game. But I know God has a plan for me, and I'll continue to share my faith wherever life takes me."
Asked what message he would give to others who want to speak openly about their beliefs, Free doesn't hesitate.
“Be bold,” he said, “and always remember that God has a plan for your life. You have nothing to worry about. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen, so live life free, and stay faithful to the Lord.”
For Jackson Free, football is the stage — but faith is the foundation. And while he's helping Hillcrest chase another playoff win, he's also pointing others toward something far greater.