VIDEO: Hearts Sit Alone Atop Apollo

VIDEO: EHS vs Taylorville  (Note: If your device can't see the video, here's the direct link)

The Effingham Hearts won their fifth straight game Friday night, defeating the previously unbeaten Taylorville Tornadoes, 28-7, to make it a Happy Homecoming at Klosterman Field. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.  

The Hearts struck first when Travis Durbin took the first play from scrimmage 86 yards for a score. Michael Carie's extra point gave Effingham a 7-0 lead with 2:53 left in the first quarter and Taylorville was playing catchup the rest of the game.

Effingham's Travis Durbin gets away from a Taylorville defender on his way to an 86-yard touchdown. Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riviera Records. See more photos on their Facebook page, located here.

Effingham made it 14-0 at the conclusion of a 14-play, 49-yard drive that took more than seven minutes off the clock. The drive was highlighted by a three-yard touchdown run by Billy Arndt with 6:36 left in the second quarter.

Taylorville scored its only touchdown with 3:00 left before halftime at the conclusion of a 10-play, 67-yard drive on a one-yard run by quarterback Tanner Champley. The extra point made it 14-7.

However, the Hearts bounced right back and staged a three-play, 65-yard drive that took one minute to complete, highlighted by a 49-yard touchdown run by Arndt and Carie's kick to restore a two-touchdown lead.

The only touchdown of the second half was scored by the Hearts with 8:47 left in the game at the conclusion of an eight-play, 65-yard drive. Quarterback Kevin Daugherty hit tight end Carter Hayes in the back of the end zone from seven years out, and Carie's kick made it 28-7.

Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riviera Records. See more photos on their Facebook page, located here.

The Hearts rolled up 377 total yards, 336 on the ground. By contrast, the Hearts held Taylorville to 163 yards rushing and receiving. Effingham amassed 18 first downs to eight for the Tornadoes, and the Hearts' time of possession was almost twice that of Taylorville.

Zach Miller, who went over the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the season, totaled 123 yards on 26 carries. However, Travis Durbin led the Hearts in rushing, gaining 140 yards on 13 carries including his 86-yard touchdown run. Billy Arndt finished with 80 yards on eight carries and two touchdowns. Bo Buschon led Taylorville with 53 yards on 14 carries.

Daugherty connected on five of six passes for 41 yards and one touchdown.

Coach Mac congratulates Travis Durbin after his 86-yard touchdown run. Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riviera Records. See more photos on their Facebook page, located here.

Durbin and Arndt each registered eight tackles to lead the Hearts. Carter Hayes and Evan Boggs each recorded six stops, Griffin Paige and Drew Vasquez each had five stops, Wyatt Kahley and Khole Moran each registered four tackles, Joe Niemann and Daugherty each had two stops, and Carter Kistler, Terrance Hill and Michael Carie each had a tackle. Blake White intercepted a pass for Effingham.

The Hearts are now 5-1 on the season, and alone atop the Apollo Conference standings at 3-0. Effingham travels to Mattoon for its last regular season road game, wraps up conference play hosting Mt. Zion, and then closes out the regular season hosting Mahomet-Seymour. The five wins make the Hearts playoff-eligible, but nothing is guaranteed until Effingham posts a sixth win.