Hearts Complete Undefeated Season w/Win at Lincoln

The Effingham Flaming Hearts completed an undefeated season with a 43-6 win Friday night at Lincoln over the Railers. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. Video from the game is now available:

The Hearts put the game away early against the Railers, who finished the season without a victory. Effingham staged a five-play, 62-yard drive highlighted by a four-yard touchdown run by Trevor Donsbach with 6:54 remaining in the first quarter.

Effingham got the ball back and scored 13 seconds later on a two-play, 35-yard drive capped by a six-yard touchdown run by Donsbach with 5:20 remaining in the quarter.

Lincoln got the ball and a collision between their quarterback and a running back resulted in the football coming loose. Quarterback Elijah Pollice recovered the ball, but was tackled in the end zone for a safety to make it 16-0 with 4:18 remaining in the period. Lincoln then kicked off to the Hearts with Effingham recovering the ball at midfield. On the first play from scrimmage, the Wolfe brothers worked some magic, as Parker Wolfe quarterbacked for one play and heaved a pass downfield to his brother Garrett for a 50-yard touchdown with 4:09 remaining in the busy opening quarter. That made it 23-0, and the first quarter was little more than half over.

(GARRETT WOLFE HEADS FOR THE END ZONE AFTER CATCHING A 50-YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS FROM BROTHER, PARKER)

Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riviera Records. Additional game photos are located here

The Hearts next scored with 11:35 remaining in the second quarter on an 86-yard rush from scrimmage by Donsbach for his third touchdown of the half to make it 29-0.

Effingham also scored with 8:43 remaining before halftime on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Noah Jones to Tristin Duncan to make it 36-0, then scored again with 3:35 left before halftime on a one-yard run by Chase Woomer to complete a seven-play, 62-yard drive to move ahead 43-0. 

The Hearts didn't score in the second half, by which time a continuous clock helped decide the final score. Pollice completed an 86-yard touchdown pass to Scottie Battin with 10:24 remaining to get Lincoln on the scoreboard, but that was the end of the scoring.

It was another dominating performance by the Hearts, who generated 22 first downs to two for Lincoln. Effingham amassed 388 rushing yards, to -25 yards for Lincoln. The Railers had 121 yards passing to 113 for Effingham, but the Hearts only tried one pass play in the second half. Effingham racked up 501 total yards to 96 yards for Lincoln.

(SHAWN COCHRAN {#30} DELIVERS AN EMPHATIC TACKLE ON LINCOLN'S ISAAC DECKER)

Photo by Gary Stanfield of Riviera Records. Additional game photos are located here

Individually, Noah Jones, who stepped in at quarterback since Nathan Thompson broke his hand in last season's Mt. Zion game, played pretty well. The junior was two for three passing for 63 yards with one touchdown and one interception. In addition to the touchdown pass to Duncan, Jones completed a 29-yard pass to Holden Lewis. 

The Hearts had a stable of running backs Friday. Chase Woomer rushed 12 times for 169 yards and a touchdown, Trevor Donsbach scored a touchdown on each of his first three rushes, runs of four, six, and 86 yards, but another five-yard run for a total of 101 yards rushing on four carries. Keegin Baker rushed 14 times for 79 yards, Edgar Castillo carried four times for 19 yards, John Westendorf had four rushes for 19 yards, and Jons rushed three times for one net yard.

Here's the tackle sheet: JACOB STONEBURNER 8, KALEN REARDON 3, ALEX BAUGHMAN 4, ZAC SLIFER 3 INCLUDING TWO SACKS, MAX NELSON 2, GABE KIHNE 3 INCLUDING TWO SACKS, AUSTIN HERBOTH 3, JAKOB LOGAN 2, GUNNAR FRANKLIN 1, SHAWN COCHRAN 1, DALTON FOX 1, LOGAN HEIL 1, EDGAR CASTILLO 1, AND PARKER WOLFE 1)