VIDEO: Second Quarter Does in Football Hearts in Season Opener

VIDEO UNDER STORY

When the Effingham Hearts scored a touchdown early in the second quarter Friday night, it pulled them within 14-7 of Breese Mater Dei and it looked as if things were shaping up for quite a battle.

Things changed quickly, though, as Mater Dei scored four touchdowns in the period and pulled away to win the season opener 49-7.  The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

Mater Dei scored two touchdowns in the opening period on a 30-yard interception return for touchdown and an 11-yard run that capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive.

Effingham bounced back by staging an eight-play, 49-yard drive highlighted by a one-yard touchdown run by Logan Howell and Zach Miller's extra point kick.

(ZACH MILLER LOOKS FOR AN OPENING)

(Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riveria Records)

Mater Dei, however, then scored on a nine-yard touchdown, a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown, a 20-yard pass play, and an eight-yard run to pull away and then added a score in the fourth quarter on a five-yard run.

Mater Dei rang up 379 total yards on 61 plays, while Effingham ran 60 plays generating 239 total yards.  The Knights picked up 230 yards on the ground and 149 through the air, while the Hearts rushed for 86 yards and passed for another 153 yards.

Hearts quarterback Nathan Vail was nine of 25 through the air for 153 yards, but threw five interceptions.  Caydin Vaughn caught two passes for 67 yards, Marcus Robinson two catches for 40 yards and Carter Hayes two receptions for 11 yards while Drew Levitt had a 12-yard catch, Zach Miller a 12-yard pass and Logan Howell an 11-yard reception.

Howell gained 44 yards on the ground including a one-yard touchdown run, Vail gained 21 yards on 11 carries, Vaughn 16 yards on five carries, Levi Michael two yards on two totes, Billy Arndt two carries for three yards and Zach Miller a run for no gain.

(EVAN BOGGS INTRODUCES HIMSELF TO A MATER DEI PLAYER AS TAYLOR CLAAR SURVEYS THE DAMAGE)

(Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riveria Records)

Drew Foppe led Mater Dei with 92 yards rushing and a touchdown, while starting quarterback Mike Martz gained 64 yards on seven carries with two scores. 

Martz completed four passes for 57 yards while the other quarterback getting major time, Mack Waldman, hit on eight of 16 passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.

On special teams, Miller punted four times for the Hearts for 144 yards and kicked off once for six yards.  Travis Durbin returned four kickoffs for 69 yards and Miller, Payton Bushue and Vaughn each had a kickoff return.

Sophomore Billy Arndt led the Hearts in tackles with 11 including six solo stops, while Levi Michael had nine stops including five solos.  Tyler Johnson and Cody Sennett each had six tackles and each had two solo stops, and Dirk Levitt had five tackles, including four solos.  Also on the tackle sheet for the Hearts: Taylor Claar and Dustin Levitt four apiece; Evan Boggs and Brandon Loy three each; Travis Durbin, Caydin Vaughn, Jeremy Greenwood, Marcus Robinson and Zach Miller two apiece; and one each for Khye Heuerman, Wyatt Kahley, Nathan Vail, Zach Wilson, Scott Deunk and Trent Barnhart.

The Hearts will try to pick up their first win of the season next Friday night at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, a new opponent.  Kickoff at Paxton will be at 7pm.  PBL opened their season last night with a 28-14 win over El Paso-Gridley.  Hear the game on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

VIDEO: EHS vs Breese