Hearts Close Regular Season w/Win at Mahomet-Seymour

The Effingham Hearts closed out their regular season Friday night and posted their 20th win of the season in the process, defeating the Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs, 51-45.

The Hearts held a first quarter lead 17-14 before the Bulldogs put on a second quarter surge, outscoring the Hearts 17-5 to take a 31-22 halftime lead.

Effingham righted the ship in the second half, though, outscoring Mahomet-Seymour 13-8 in the third period to pull within 39-35 and then battled throughout the fourth quarter to finally regain the lead 44-43 with 1:30 remaining.  The Hearts pushed the lead to 48-43 with :30 remaining and won by six.

Leighton Lark led Effingham with 19 points while Matt Wohltman stepped up and scored 13 points, nine in the fourth quarter.  Also for Effingham: Isaac Foreman seven, Kennan Mahaffey and Phil Knight five points apiece, and Marcus Robinson two points.

Effingham ended the regular season with a 20-5 record and will begin Class 3A Regional play at Salem Wednesday at 7pm, taking on Olney.  We'll have the game on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.  

Effingham won the JV game, 65-46.  For the JV Hearts: Grant Wolfe 20, Jacob Donaldson 12, Michael Woltman 11, Michael Carie seven, Drew Vasquez six, Jared Minor four, Brady Jackson three, and Brent Beals two points.