Hearts Footballers Compete in 7-on-7 Tourney in Mattoon

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Published on July 28 2014 10:26 am
Last Updated on July 28 2014 10:26 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham High School's football squad had its first taste of competition in the pre-season as they competed in the Mattoon 7-on-7 Tournament Saturday.

Hearts Coach Mike McDonald said the Mattoon competition was the first for his squad since a tournament in Urbana a couple of weeks ago got rained out.

Effingham played five games, losing to Terre Haute North 11-10, losing to Cahokia 19-6, falling to a Rochester split squad 35-29 and defeating Marshall 27-20. McDonald said their fifth scheduled opponent left early, so they ended up playing a JV game against Northview and won 27-0.

The tournament also had a fresh-soph division, so some of the Hearts' youngsters got some valuable experience. Effingham went 1-3 in that division.

McDonald said the tournament featured remarks from Charleston resident and NFL official Ken Baker, and from Dave Butz of Belleville, who was an All-American at Purdue before enjoying a 16-year career in the NFL including three Super Bowls and Pro Bowl appearances.

Coach Mac said the day also featured a Quarterback Challenge, in which Effingham's Lucas Vasquez tied for first and then won the tiebreaker, and a Lineman's Challenge where the Hearts' Jarrett Jones had the best time.

There were 10 teams in the tournament.

McDonald said he thinks the Hearts will be ready physically when practice begins Monday, August 11. He said Joe Niemann is coming back well from a fractured wrist suffered in a football camp earlier this year. He said starting quarterback Kevin Daugherty appears ready to go, saying while Daugherty had been having trouble pitching a baseball he's had no trouble throwing a football. More good news is that lineman Khole Moran is coming back well from knee surgery toward the end of last season and is in, according to Coach, the best shape of his life.

The Hearts are little more than a month away from Opening Night, Friday, August 29, when they travel to Breese Mater Dei to play the Knights. Listen to each game again this season on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.