Hearts Lose Wild One to Mattoon; Other High School Football 9-17-21

The Mattoon Green Wave held off the Effingham Hearts 20-14 in high school football Friday. The Military Appreciation Night game at Klosterman Field was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com

Prior to the matchup, Hearts players honored the 13 Servicemen and women who were killed recently in Afghanistan, a tribute organized by the football moms.

The game was hardly an artistic success, as the teams combined for double figures in turnovers. 

Hearts quarterback Tanner Pontious was 18-for-30 passing for 268 yards and two turnovers, but also threw four interceptions. When you throw in two lost fumbles, it's a lot to overcome. Still, the Hearts were in the game until the finish. That's in part because Mattoon threw one interception and lost three fumbles.

Mattoon scored on a 49-yard pass play from quarterback Jackson Spurgeom to Derrius White with 9:46 left in the opening quarter, then scored on a three-yard run by Taerick Grace with 1:39 left in the period. Mattoon missed both extra point tries but still led 12-0 heading for the second period.

Effingham got on the board with seven seconds left before halftime. The Hearts staged a textbook drive, running off nine plays covering 80 yards in less than two minutes before Pontious threw a 19-yard touchdown strike to Caden Walls. Ozzie Angel's extra point brought the Hearts to within 12-7 at halftime.

Effingham got the ball to start the second half, but immediately began making mistakes. Mattoon grabbed a fumble recovery with 10:31 remaining in the third quarter, and the Green Wave's White headed 21 yards for the end zone. This time, a two-point conversion was successful and, instead of continuing on a drive that could've tied the game, the Hearts found themselves down 20-7. 

The turnovers continued aplenty, but it looked like Mattoon had the game wrapped up, moving the ball down the field with just more than two minutes remaining in the game, but they fumbled again and gave the Hearts the ball just across the Effingham 20-yard line. After a play for a two-yard loss, Pontious fired a 79-yard pass play to Armando Estrada who scored with 2:10 left. The extra point moved the Hearts to within 20-14. An attempt at an onside kick was unsuccessful, but Mattoon again turned the ball over. This time, Pontious threw an interception to end the game.

Effingham picked up 22 first downs to 16 for Mattoon, with 12 of the Hearts coming via the rush. The Hearts rushed the ball 54 times for 169 yards. Effingham ran a whopping 84 plays, rolling up 437 total yards.

Photos by Riviera Records & Video Production. Additional game photos are available here

Effingham punted three times for 102 yards, returned four kickoffs for 32 yards, lost two fumbles, and were penalized eight times for 75 yards.

Mattoon ran 56 plays for 403 yards.

John Westendorf led Effingham in rushing with 89 yards on 23 carries. Pontious rushed 23 times for 47 yards, and Keegan Baker had eight carries for 33 yards.

Again, Pontious was 18 of 30 passing for 268 yards and two touchdowns, but four interceptions.

Armando Estrada had a huge night for the Hearts, catching 11 balls for 210 yards and a touchdown. Caden Walls had four catches for 37 yards including a touchdown, and Jacob Weaver had an 18-yard catch. 

For Mattoon, Taerick Grace had 11 rushes for 87 yards including a three-yard touchdown run. The Green Wave quarterback, Jackson Sturgeon, rushed 18 times for 61 yards. Gavin Cline rushed six times for 25 yards.

Photos by Riviera Records & Video Production. Additional game photos are available here

Spurgeon completed 13 of 20 passes for Mattoon for 231 yards with one touchdown and one interception. For Mattoon, Derrius White had seven catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, Tanner Baker caught an eight-yard pass, Matthew Gordon had two catches for 57 yards. Slater Trier caught a five-yard pass, Gavin Cline caught a 15-yard pass, and Owen Hawkins caught a two-yard pass.

On the tackle sheet, Dalton Fox led the Hearts with 16 tackles, Osvaldo Angel four, Connor Simmons eight, Edgar Castillo seven, Maddox Burner three, Blake Bushue two, Logan Heil five, Damon Kalber two, Charlie Ring four, Evan Waymoth one, Max Nelson one, Armando Estrada one, and Noah Jones one.

The loss leaves the Hearts at 1-3, 1-2 in the Apollo Conference, while Mattoon is 3-1, 2-1 in the Apollo. Effingham travels to Taylorville next Friday night.

Arcola 20  Cumberland 14 

Lawrenceville 34  Newton 19

Collinsville 49, Charleston 14 

Fairfield 52, Flora 14 

Pana 49,  Staunton/Bunker Hill 7 

Mt Zion 55  Taylorville 14 

ALAH 41  Tri County 14 

St Theresa 68  Meridian 8 

Mt. Carmel 43, Casey-Westfield 7

Mahomet-Seymour 53 Lincoln 22 

Shelbyville 26, Tuscola 21

Robinson 46  Marshall 6

Breese Mater Dei 65  Marquette Catholic 12