Hearts Fall to Taylorville in Homecoming Game

The Effingham Hearts fell to the Taylorville Tornadoes 28-19 in Apollo Conference football action Friday night. The contest, the Hearts' Homecoming game, was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

The weather and field conditions were again factors as they rendered a passing game pretty much non-existent for the two teams. Both squads could run the ball, though.

Effingham picked up 260 net yards rushing, as opposed to 39 yards passing. Taylorville did not complete a pass in the game, attempting just one. They pounded the ball, however, totaling 384 yards on the ground.

Taylorville scored on the second play of the game, a 71-yard touchdown scamper by quarterback Parker Stokes. 

The Hearts came back to pull within 7-6 in the next series, going 45 yards on nine plays capped by Terrence Hill's three-yard touchdown run. The extra point try was blocked, but Effingham had made it a one-point game. 

Taylorville came right back to score on a three-yard run by Stokes and an extra point to make it 14-6.

After that flurry, though, the scoring stopped for the rest of the first half.

Taylorville put another touchdown on the board with 5:44 left in the third quarter on a 36-yard run by Evan Champley to make it 21-6, but the Hearts came right back to stage a six-play, 65-yard drive with 3:51 left in the period capped by a 25-yard run by Hill and Danny Hortenstine's extra point kick to pull within 21-13.

It appeared that might be how the game ended, but Effingham had one last shot. The Hearts marched 47 yards on five plays, highlighted by Hill's two-yard run to make it 21-19. The Hearts were unsuccessful on a two-point conversion play that would've tied the game, and an onside kick failed. Taylorville rather than taking a knee had Stokes run with the ball and he broke through the defense to score on a 46-yard run with :33.9 left and kicked the extra point to establish the final score.

Terrence Hill had another great game for the Hearts, carrying the ball 45 times for 295 yards and three touchdowns. He was the only Heart, though, with positive yardage rushing.

As for the Hearts' quarterback combo, Lucas Vasquez was two for five for 26 yards and an interception, while Landon Wolfe was one for four for 13 yards. Gabe Herron caught a 15-yard pass, Harrison Smith a 13-yard grab, and Paul Smith an 11-yard catch.

Stokes rushed for 216 yards and three touchdowns for Taylorville, while Evan Champley gained 168 yards on 21 carries, plus a touchdown.

The Hearts fell to 3-3 on the season, 2-1 in the Apollo Conference, while Taylorville improved to 5-1, 2-1 in the Apollo.

Effingham travels to Mattoon next Friday night for its final road game of the regular season.

Other stats on the game:

Logan Smith had four punts for 162 yards, just over 40 yards per punt

Danny Hortenstine had two kickoffs for a total of 89 yards.

Tyler Marschewski returned a kickoff 17 yards, while Jordan McCabe returned twice for 62 yards.

The Hearts picked up 18 first downs, 15 on the ground. Taylorville picked up 13 first downs, all on the ground.

Here are the Friday night scores:

Taylorville 28, Effingham 19

Mt. Zion 40, Charleston 0

Mattoon 29, Salem 6

Newton 49, Flora 0

Cumberland 30, Oblong 14

Olney Richland County 26, Paris 7

Shelbyville 44, Meridian 6

Vandalia 34, Hillsboro 27 (OT)

Pana 37, Greenville 12

Monticello 36, Casey-Westfield 0