By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
In what seems like an annual event, the Effingham Hearts and Mt. Zion Braves will square off in a pivotal high school football game.
The winner is still alive in the Apollo Conference race. There are also playoff implications, as both teams are striving to reach that coveted five-win plateau that normally guarantees a playoff berth.
Plus, when these two teams meet the games are usually very close and always physical.
So how does EHS Coach Brett Hefner describe Friday night’s match-up.
“These are the fun games,” he quickly answered.
Huh?
“When you’re at the level our two programs are, playing this kind of opponent with so much on the line? Yeah, these games are fun,” Hefner added. “These kinds of games are special.”
This “special” Apollo Conference contest will kickoff at 7 p.m. Friday at Washington Savings Bank Stadium.
The Hearts are riding a three-game winning streak. They are 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the league.
The Braves will enter at 4-1 overall and have won their last two. They are also 3-1 in conference play.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
Defensive pressure, great field position and a running game that simply couldn’t be stopped proved to be an unbeatable combination Friday night.
For the second week in a row, the Effingham Hearts were in total control of a football game.
The defense recorded four quarterback sacks and forced three turnovers.
The offensive line opened hole after hole, allowing EHS running backs to rumble for 307 yards.
Add in great field position time after time and the result was another blowout victory.
This time it was Taylorville on the receiving end, as the Hearts posted a 48-13 win at Washington Savings Bank Stadium.
“This was a good one to get,” EHS coach Brett Hefner said following his team’s third straight victory.
The game was never in doubt – and Taylorville’s punting difficulties certainly aided that.
The Tornadoes had their first punt blocked and a bad snap prevented them from getting off their second punt. Later in the first quarter, a punt traveled just 16 yards, followed by a lost fumble.
Those miscues gave the Hearts tremendous field position, as they started those drives at the guest’s 39, 16, 27 and 24-yard lines – and each one ended with touchdowns that staked EHS to a commanding 27-0 lead.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
The Effingham Hearts were simply dominant Friday night.
They controlled both sides of the ball from the outset.
Their defense was stifling and their offense was both relentless and efficient.
And when the final horn sounded, the Hearts had their second straight win and first shutout of the season with a convincing 34-0 road victory at Mattoon.
“This was an outstanding team win,” a happy Brett Hefner said after the game. “Our special teams were very good, our defense didn’t allow a point and our offense finished drives. Unbelievable job! It was a great win for us.”
Mattoon was averaging 20 points after its first three games. The Green Wave offense only crossed midfield twice against the team in red and white.
The Green Wave’s 200-pound running back Taerick Grace was averaging 6.5 yards per carry and 70 yards a game. The Hearts ‘D’ limited him to 29 yards on 14 carries, just two yards per carry. They tackled him for a loss four different times.
“We got penetration all night,” the veteran coach noted. “We had a good game plan. We made him bounce outside and really got hats to the ball. He can be hard to tackle.”
Quarterback Slater Trier was completing 46 percent of his passes. But against the Hearts, that slipped to 37 percent and that include two interceptions.
Effingham’s defensive effort was – here’s that word again – dominating.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
It’s just Week 5, but the push to qualify for the playoffs is front and center for high school football teams throughout the state.
And that certainly includes the Effingham Hearts.
After starting the season 0-2, the Hearts have bounced back with two impressive outings to even their record, meaning they are just three wins away from the necessary five-win mark to make the playoffs.
“We’re definitely in playoff mode,” EHS coach Brett Hefner confirmed. “Every week is important for us, especially after losing our first two and knowing we finish with Mater Dei and Highland
“But it’s important that we not look too far ahead,” Hefner added. “We try to keep the focus on what we have in front of us each week.”
And for this week, that’s Taylorville.
The Tornados will bring a 1-3 overall mark and 0-2 Apollo Conference record into Friday night’s match-up at Washington Saving Bank Stadium.
Taylorville has been outscored 99-44 through four games. They have dropped games to Mt. Vernon (40-0), Mattoon (17-14) and Mt. Zion (21-6). Their only win came in Week 2, a 24-21 decision over Elgin St. Edward.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
The Effingham Hearts will look to notch their second straight win Friday night when they travel to Mattoon to face the Green Wave.
Both teams will enter with identical records of 1-2 overall and 1-1 in Apollo Conference action.
The Green Wave opened their season with losses to Troy Triad (41-22) and Mt. Zion (42-21), before recording their first win last week, a narrow 17-14 victory over Taylorville.
The Hearts also got into the win column last week, using a balanced offensive attack to thump Charleston 31-13.
“The hardest win to get is always that first one,” said EHS coach Brett Hefner. “I was happy for the guys. Hopefully, that takes a little of the heat off.”
But Hefner and the Hearts now have their sights set on a Mattoon team that posted a 20-14 win over them a year ago at Jack Klosterman Field. EHS was flagged for eight penalties and turned the ball over six times. It was ugly, to say the least.
Now, after dropping their first two games, they know the importance of each remaining game in their quest for a playoff berth.
“This is Game 2 of an important stretch,” Hefner admitted. “Any time you start 0-2, the rest of them are all important.”
The Hearts are hoping to put together another balanced offensive attack. Against Charleston, EHS amassed 410 total yards – 211 on the ground and 199 through the air. Quarterback Tanner Pontious had his best game of the season, completing 11-of-17 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. The senior QB has now connected on 31-of-57 attempts (54%) for 352 yards, three TDs and two interceptions.
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