VIDEO: Hearts Close Season at Mahomet-Seymour w/Win; Other Friday Matchups

The Effingham Hearts closed out their 2015 football season Friday night with a wild 34-28 win over the Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs. The game at Mahomet was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.

The game featured contrasting halves of play. In the first half each team scored one touchdown; after halftime, the Hearts and Bulldogs crossed the goal line a combined seven times.

Both teams closed out the regular season with a 4-5 record, and miss chances to join the postseason parade.

Mahomet-Seymour opened the scoring with 5:27 left in the opening quarter on a three-play, 97-yard drive highlighted by a 77-yard touchdown pass on an option play from Tom Kenney to Scott Metzger to make it 6-0 after the Bulldogs missed the extra point try.

The Hearts took their first lead on a 77-yard touchdown strike from Hudson Graham to Cory Osborn. Sean Zerrusen's extra point kick made it 7-6 Hearts with 7:57 remaining in the first half.

The Hearts gather for their final on-field meeting of the 2015 season after a big win at Mahomet

The second half was wild.

Effingham extended their lead to 13-6 with 8:21 left in the third quarter on an eight-play, 71-yard drive capped by Drew Vasquez's one-yard touchdown run. A run play for two was unsuccessful.

Mahomet-Seymour came back to tie the game with 1:14 left in the third quarter on a two-yard run by Tyler Morfey and Matthew Prather's extra-point kick to make it 13-13.

Two plays later, after a one yard loss on a run play, the Hearts' Graham helped Effingham regain the lead on a 71-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Hill. Zerrusen's extra point kick made it 20-13 Effingham with 19 seconds left in the third.

Effingham extended their lead to 27-13 with 6:39 left in the game after getting the ball at the Bulldogs' 26 yard line. Joe Niemann dove over the pile at the goal line from the two for the score and Zerrusen was again good on the extra point try.

Mahomet-Seymour wasn't done, though, staging a four-play, 78-yard drive capped by Morfey's six-yard touchdown run and Prather's extra point to make it 27-20 with 5:30 remaining. However, Caleb Martin's block of a punt set the Hearts up at the Mahomet-Seymour 19-yard line, which led to Vasquez's second touchdown of the night, a 17-yard gallop that put the Hearts up 34-20 after Zerrusen's extra point kick with 3:03 left in the contest.

Mahomet-Seymour wouldn't quit, though, staging a nine-play, 81-yard drive in just 1:29 capped by Joe Kenney's 27-yard touchdown grab and a two-point conversion on a pass play to pull back within 34-28 with 1:34 remaining. The Bulldogs tried an onside kick, but the Hearts recovered the ball, Mahomet-Seymour was out of timeouts, and Effingham had the win.

Mahomet-Seymour had the edge in all of the stats except the score, putting up 425 total yards in offense to 305 for the Hearts, and had 15 first downs to seven for the Hearts. Effingham had just 38 yards rushing in the game, but 267 yards through the air. M-S generated 36 yards rushing and 287 yards passing.

It was tough sledding on the ground for both teams; for Effingham, Vasquez carried 14 times for 24 yards, but two touchdowns. Terrence Hill picked up 11 yards on 18 carries.

The passing game had much more success, with Graham going nine for 17 for 267 yards with two touchdowns and two picks. Cory Osborn had three catches for 129 yards, Hill had the 77-yard touchdown catch, Harrison Smith had two grabs for 23 yards, Wyatt Keith had a 33-yard reception, and Joe Niemann caught two passes for 11 yards.

Effingham capitalized on five interceptions; two by Drew Vasquez and one apiece for Grant Wolfe, Blake White and Griffin Paige.

Other stats: Logan Smith punted seven times for 222 yards, Sean Zerrusen had five kickoffs for 158 yards, Cory Osborn had two kickoff returns for 42 yards and Terrence Hill a 15-yard return.

Here's a look at the Friday night scores for the last week of the regular season:

Effingham 34, Mahomet-Seymour 28 - FINAL

Newton 40, Paris 0 - FINAL

Cumberland 50, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond 20 - FINAL

Shelbyville 40, Central A&M 27 - FINAL

Olney 41, Casey-Westfield 10 - FINAL

Robinson 38, Edwards County 12 - FINAL

Pana 41, Hillsboro 14 - FINAL

Greenville 50 Vandalia 49 - FINAL

Waterloo 28, Breese Mater Dei 21 - FINAL

Highland 45, Charleston 0 - FINAL

Centralia 57, Mascoutah 13 - FINAL

Mattoon 28, Jerseyville 21 - FINAL

Bethalto Civic Memorial 46, Mt. Zion 28 - FINAL

Salem 45, Freeburg 39 - FINAL

Taylorville 38 Chillicothe IVC 21 - FINAL

Red Hill 30, Flora 14 - FINAL

Marshall 31, Lawrenceville 0 - FINAL

Cumberland and Mattoon captured wins to become playoff-eligible at 5-4. Taylorville and Newton posted wins to each finish undefeated in the regular season at 9-0. Here are the teams from our region who are at least playoff-eligible heading into tonight's football pairings announcements: Newton, Pana, Taylorville, Shelbyville, Mt. Zion, Olney, Cumberland and Mattoon.