Hearts Over .500 After Outscoring Salem

When Salem led Effingham 6-0 at the end of the first quarter of Friday night's Apollo Conference football game, you might have thought it would be a close, low-scoring affair.

11 touchdowns later, you would have been proved wrong.

The Hearts outlasted the Wildcats in a crazy contest at Jim Finks Field in Salem, 45-31. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com.

It was a night for the offenses of both teams, but Effingham's superior numbers and a lack of players forced to play on both sides of the ball eventually led to the win.

Following Salem's first quarter touchdown, the Hearts scored little more than a minute in the second period on the first of five Terrence Hill touchdowns, this one from five yards out. Danny Hortenstine's extra point kick made it 7-6 and the battle was on.

Salem scored on an 11-yard run by Eric Schoonover to pull back in front 12-7, but the Hearts came right back to score on a 15-yard run by Jordan McCabe to move back in front 13-12. Salem again scored on a 64-yard pass from Nathan Roth to Schoonover to move back in front 18-13.

However, the Hearts scored again with less than 14 seconds remaining before the half on Hill's one-yard run and Hortenstine's kick made it 20-18 Effingham at halftime.

Effingham scored almost as soon as the second half began on another one-yard run by Hill and Hortenstine's kick made it 27-18.

Salem wasn't done, though, staging an eight-play, 75-yard drive to pull back within 27-25 when Shaun Reid caught a 51-yard touchdown pass with 7:19 left in the third.

The Hearts bounced back, scoring with 7:38 left in the game on a five-yard run by Hill to make it 33-25, and then scored with 4:14 left on a 53-yard gallop by Hill and make it 39-25.

Salem scored one last time on a 20-yard pass from Roth to Reid to pull within 39-31 with 3:01 remaining, but the Hearts scored a final touchdown on Grant Wolfe's pass interception and runback with 1:07 remaining to account for the final score.

Effingham amassed 267 yards rushing and another 211 yards passing for 478 total yards on 62 plays, and registering 26 first downs, 17 on the ground, nine through the air.

Salem totaled 419 yards rushing and receiving, 376 yards through the air, just 43 rushing the ball, and picked up 19 first downs.

Hill is doing some amazing things as a running back, gaining another 224 yards on 38 carries, along with the five touchdowns. He is close to 1,000 yards rushing for the season in just five games.

Friday was probably Effingham's best night of the season throwing the football.

Junior Lucas Vasquez was six for 10 passing for 78 yards, while sophomore Landon Wolfe was seven of nine passing for 133 yards.

As far as catching the football, Gabe Herron had five catches for 115 yards, Harrison Smith three for 44 yards, Logan Smith three for 23 yards, and Terrence Hill two for 29 yards.

Besides Hill's night carrying the football, Jordan McCabe carried four times for 37 yards including a 15-yard touchdown run, and Lucas Vasquez rushed once for six yards.

Other Hearts stats: Punts--Logan Smith, two for 88 yards; Punt Returns--Harrison Smith--one for five yards; Kickoffs--Danny Hortenstine--seven for 310 yards.

Roth had a great night at the start for Salem. The junior quarterback attempted 32 passes, completing 21 for 376 yards and three touchdowns. His percentage of completions to attempts went down noticeably in the second half. Shaun Reid had eight catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

The Hearts are now 3-2 on the season and, more importantly, are 2-0 in Apollo Conference play. Taylorville comes calling to Klosterman Field next Friday night. It''ll be Homecoming Week at EHS.