VIDEO: Hearts Remain Unbeaten w/Shutout Win at Mattoon

The Effingham Flaming Hearts remain unbeaten after shutting out the Mattoon Green Wave 28-0 Friday night. The game at Mattoon was heard on 979XFM and 979xfm.com.

The Hearts, who have given up just three touchdowns in three games this season, ran the same number of plays as the Green Wave, but gained twice as much yardage, 325 yards to 150 yards. 

Effingham started the scoring with 11:17 remaining in the second quarter at the end of a nine-play, 80-yard drive. The drive was capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Nate Thompson to Parker Wolfe. Beau Hefner's extra point try made it 7-0.

The Hearts came right back to score with 5:33 left in the period at the end of a six-play, 52-yard drive. Chase Woomer carried the ball in from seven yards out and Hefner's kick made it 14-0.

Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riviera Records. More game photos are available here

Effingham scored a third touchdown with just three seconds left in the third quarter on a nine-yard pass from Thompson to Holden Lewis. That completed a 13-play, 52-yard drive that took 5:42 to complete.

The Hearts' final score came with 3:47 left in the game at the end of an eight-play, 80-yard drive that took 3:22 to complete. Thompson and Lewis connected again, this time on a 44-yard scoring strike. Hefner's kick accounted for the 28-0 final score.

Effingham picked up 18 first downs, 11 rushing, to just six for Mattoon, three on the ground. Effingham gained 170 yards rushing to 92 yards for Mattoon. Effingham picked up 155 yards passing to 58 yards for Mattoon.

Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riviera Records. More game photos are available here

Individually for Effingham, Trevor Donsbach was the leading ground gainer with 71 yards on 16 carries. Keegan Baker rushed six times for 46 yards. Chase Woomer rushed 11 times for 44 yards and a touchdown. Thompson had two carries for nine yards.

Thompson attempted 19 passes and completed 11 for 155 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. Parker Wolfe caught four passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, Holden Lewis caught three passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns, and Austin Herboth, Edgar Castillo, Tristin Duncan, and Trevor Donsbach each caught a pass. 

On special teams, Tanner Pontious punted three times for 113 yards; Osvaldo Angel had four kickoffs for 184 yards; Armando Estrada kicked once for 43 yards; Trevor Donsbach had a kickoff return for 17 yards; Shawn Cochran recovered a fumble; and Gunnar Franklin and Parker Wolfe each had an interception. 

For Mattoon, Jakai Johnson had 29 rushes for 96 yards, while quarterback Jackson Spurgeon was 8 for 15 passing for 58 yards and two interceptions.

Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riviera Records. More game photos are available here

As far as the tackle sheet, Austin Herboth had 12 tackles including one for a five-yard loss; Jakob Logan eight; Alex Baughman two; Zac Slifer nine; Trevon Benavides five; Shawn Cochran two; Kalen Reardon one; Jacob Stoneburner nine; Gunnar Franklin four; Parker Wolfe three; Logan Heil two; Gabe Kihne five and a sack; and Dalton Fox one.

With the win, Effingham improved to 3-0 and return home Friday night to host the Taylorville Tornadoes in Apollo Conference action. Kickoff at Klosterman Field will be at 7pm.