Effingham Hearts Fall to Decatur St. Teresa, Other Area Scores

Problems at the start of the game against one of the top-rated teams in the state proved fatal for the Effingham Hearts Friday night. Effingham fell behind 28-0 in the first quarter to the St. Teresa Bulldogs and lost the game 42-7. The contest at Decatur was heard on 979XFM. 

Effingham fumbled on their first possession with St. Teresa recovering and starting their first series at the Hearts' two-yard line. With 10:06 remaining in the opening quarter, running back Christion Harper took it into the end zone and the extra point made it 7-0. 

On the next possession, the Hearts again fumbled and St. Teresa again recovered the ball, starting the drive at Effingham's 26-yard line. On the sixth play of the drive, senior running back Denim Cook rumbled across the goal line from the five-yard line and the extra point made it 14-0 Bulldogs. 

Photos by Riviera Records & Video Production. View additional game photos here

Before the Hearts could bring some order to the situation, Cook scored on a 23-yard run and the kick made it 21-0 with 3:55 left in the period, and Zakhi Hayes caught a 21-yard pass from quarterback Joe Brummer to increase the lead after the kick to 28-0 with 14 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

By the second quarter, the Hearts had regrouped with the only score of the period coming with 40 seconds remaining before halftime as St. Teresa's Brummer completed a 40-yard pass to Tre Spence with the extra point making it 35-0.

The Hearts scored their only touchdown with 3:33 left in the third quarter. Effingham staged a six-play, 56-yard drive capped by a 42-yard pass play from Tanner Pontious to Dalton Fox. Osvaldo Angel's extra point made it 35-7. The Hearts then tried an onside kick and recovered the ball, but couldn't get to the end zone and that was the end of the Hearts' scoring in the contest.

St. Teresa added a score with 3:08 remaining in the contest on a seven-yard touchdown run by Harper.

Photos by Riviera Records & Video Production. View additional game photos here

Effingham amassed 13 first downs, seven in the second half. 10 were on the ground, three through the air. The Hearts rushed the ball 52 times for 164 yards, just over three yards per carry. Effingham attempted nine passes and completed five for 75 yards and a touchdown. The Hearts ran 61 plays and totaled 239 yards. Effingham punted twice for 58 yards, 29 yards per punt. One punt was returned for nine yards. Five kickoffs were returned to 31 yards. The Hearts were penalized five times for 45 yards and totaled 29:32 in time of possession.

St. Teresa totaled 16 first downs, 12 on the ground. They rushed for 151 yards on 30 carries and completed 10 of 18 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns. The Bulldogs gained 332 yards on 48 plays. St. Teresa totaled 18:28 in time of possession.

Individually for the Hearts, Pontious was five for nine for 75 yards with a touchdown. Fox had the 42-yard touchdown grab and another two-yard catch. Caden Walls caught three passes for 31 yards. 

As far as rushing the ball, Pontious rushed 21 times for 39 yards, John Westendorf had 21 carries for 93 yards, Keegan Baker carried three times for -4 yards, Armando Estrada had a rush for 16 yards, and Kaedyn Gillman carried six times late in the game for 20 yards.

Pontious punted twice for 58 yards, Westendorf returned a punt nine yards, Estrada had a 55-yard kickoff, and as far as kickoff returns, Westendorf was two for 19 yards, Baker had a 12-yard return, Max Nelson had a return for no gain, and so did Connor Thompson. Estrada also recovered a fumble. 

For St. Teresa, Denim Cook carried 16 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns, moving past 3,000 career yards for the Bulldogs, while Christion Harper rushed six times for 22 yards with two scores. Joe Brummer went four for nine passing for 76 yards with two touchdowns, while Cayden Wilkens was six for nine for 105 yards.

The Hearts will play their home opener and Apollo Conference opener next Friday, hosting the Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs at Klosterman Field. Kickoff will be at 7pm, with pre-game coverage at 6:45pm on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

Local Area Sports Scores

Football

St. Teresa 42, Effingham 7

Taylorville 13, Mt. Vernon 0 

Newton 7, Paris 6 

Cumberland 51, Shelbyville 28 

Troy Triad 26, Mattoon 13

Mt. Zion 44, Bartonville Limestone 13

Lincoln 58, Clinton 6

Baseball

Altamont 4, St. Anthony 0

Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City 10, Neoga 1 

Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 14, Brownstown-St. Elmo 3 

Soccer

St. Anthony 6, Robinson 1

Junior High Softball

Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg 2, Teutopolis 1 

St Anthony 12, Dieterich 3