VIDEO: Hearts Top 50 Points, Win Fourth Straight

VIDEO: EHS vs Salem 2014 (direct link)

The Effingham Hearts topped the 50 point mark in posting their fourth straight win Friday night, downing the Salem Wildcats 54-21. The game was heard on 979XFM. 

Effingham scored on its first three possessions and led the game 20-0 in the first quarter. The Hearts were driving again early in the second period and had the ball at the Salem 10 when a fumble gave the Wildcats the ball and changed the momentum of the game until halftime. Salem scored consecutive touchdowns and suddenly the Wildcats were within 20-14 at halftime.

The second half was all Effingham, though. The Hearts scored four touchdowns in the third period to move ahead 47-14 and scored one last touchdown early in the fourth quarter to make the score 54-14 and begin a continuous clock for the second straight week. Salem scored a touchdown with 24 seconds remaining to account for the final margin.

Effingham's Zach Miller scored six of the Hearts' eight touchdowns, tying the Effingham single-game record shared by Phil Freimuth and by Nick Jones, who did it twice. Miller had touchdown runs of three, 31, nine, four, 55 and 13 yards. Miller finished with 228 yards rushing on 25 carries, putting him past 950 yards for the season with 16 touchdowns.

The Hearts' other two touchdowns were a 37-yard run by Billy Arndt just into the second half that re-established Effingham's momentum and an 18-yard run by Kevin Daugherty who was holding for a field goal attempt by Michael Carie and instead scored the Hearts' final touchdown of the game.

Greg talking to Billy Arndt on the postgame show

The Hearts gained 433 yards rushing and 55 yards passing for total yardage of 488 yards. Salem had total yardage of 321 yards, 281 yards through the air, just 40 yards on the ground. Effingham gained 22 first downs to 16 for the Wildcats.

In addition to Miller's yardage, Billy Arndt carried five times for 119 yards, Kevin Daugherty nine times for 56 yards, and Travis Durbin six times for 30 yards. Daugherty's 55 passing yards came on five of nine effort that included no passes after intermission. Miller caught three passes for 31 yards, Lane Koenig caught a 13-yard pass, and Carter Hayes had an 11-yard grab.

Salem's quarterback tandem of junior Riley Martin and senior Coleton Harness attempted a whopping 43 passes and completed 24. The Hearts, though, kept the passing game more than honest, intercepting five passes, two by Michael Carie and one each by Travis Durbin, Griffin Paige and Hudson Graham. It's the second game this season that Carie has had two interceptions. Effingham also got a fumble recovery from Evan Boggs for a total of six takeaways in the contest.

Greg talking to Michael Carie on the postgame show

Joe Niemann led the Hearts in tackles with eight including three solo stops, Griffin Paige had six tackles inlcluding one solo, and Blake White and Alex Ramos each had five solo stops, with four solos for Ramos and three by White. There were four stops each for Michael Carie and Billy Arndt, three tackles for Evan Boggs, two stops each for Carter Hayes, Hudson Graham, Travis Durbin, Carter Kistler, Terrance Hill and Drew Tegeler, and a tackle apiece for Wyatt Kahley, Zach Miller, Kevin Daugherty, Jordan Coleman, Tucker Denton, Nick Lustig, and Hunter Diveley.

Effingham improved to 4-1 on the season, 2-0 in the Apollo Conference and will play host next Friday night at Klosterman Field to the Taylorville Tornadoes. It'll be Homecoming Week at EHS.