VIDEO: Hearts Post First Win of Season; Other Week Three Area Football Scores

The Effingham Hearts posted their first win of the varsity football season Friday night, downing the Charleston Trojans 31-13 on Military Appreciation Night at Klosterman Field at Washington Savings Bank Stadium. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

The Hearts staged a 10-play, 92-yard drive to open the scoring. The drive was highlighted by a 47-yard touchdown pass from Tanner Pontious to Andrew Lotz with 5:13 left in the opening period. The extra point try was no good, but the Hearts had their first lead of the young season.

Photos by Gary Stanfield of Effingham's Riviera Records. Additional game photos are located here

Effingham added to its lead with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Pontious to Lotz on the first play of the next drive and an Armando Estrada extra point made it 13-0 with 2:49 left in the period.

Charleston made it 13-7 on the first play of the second quarter on a 40-yard pass play from Brett Spour to Luke Bonnstetter and a Max Weber extra point.

Effingham scored again at the end of a five-play, 43-yard drive with 3:44 left before halftime when Pontious completed a scrambling six-yard run and Evan Waymoth's two-point conversion made it 21-7. 

The Hearts made it 28-7 with 9:47 left in the game at the end of a four-play, 59-yard drive on a 49-yard touchdown run by Caden Walls and an Estrada extra point.

Photos by Gary Stanfield of Effingham's Riviera Records. Additional game photos are located here

The capper for Effingham came when Estrada set a school record with a 44-yard field goal with 2:40 left in the contest. Estrada's boot broke the school record set 45 years ago by exchange student Stig Anderson, who hit a 43-yarder against Hillsboro during the 1977 season.

Charleston staged a six-play, 80-yard drive to score on a 35-yard pass from Brett Spour to Bornstetter with 34 seconds left to account for the final score.

The Hearts picked up 20 first downs to 11 for Charleston, 12 of those on the ground, eight through the air. Effingham rushed 38 times for 221 yards and two scores, while catching 11 passes in 17 attempts for 199 yards and two more touchdowns. The Hearts ran 55 plays for 420 net yards.

Effingham only had to punt one time for 37 yards, returned two kickoffs for 22 yards, fumbled three times and lost one, got intercepted once, and were penalized five times for 50 yards.

Charleston gained just 11 net yards rushing, but caught 18 of 23 passes for 178 yards.

Photos by Gary Stanfield of Effingham's Riviera Records. Additional game photos are located here

After injuries sidelined two running backs for the Hearts in as many weeks, Evan Waymoth was shifted from blocking back to tailback and made the most of the opportunity. Waymoth carried 23 times for 101 yards. Tanner Pontious rushed 12 times for 56 yards including the touchdown run, and Caden Walls gained 64 yards on three carries.

Pontious completed 11 of 17 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns against one interception. Lotz caught five passes for 128 yards and two scores, Walls caught a 10-yard pass, Jacob Weaver a four-yard pass, Garrett Wolfe a five-yard grab, Logan Kessler a 12-yard grab, Kaden Koeberlein had a 16-yard catch, and Connor Thompson a 24-yard catch. 

Pontious hit the 37-yard punt; Connor Thompson had the lone punt return; Estrada had six kickoffs for 341 yards; and Caden Walls had a 22-yard kickoff return.

Here's the tackle sheet, understanding that a few guys were wearing different uniform shirts due to the Military Appreciation Night theme: London Rinkel 5; Charlie Ring 8; Connor Simmons 7, Spencer Fox 7, Myles Maxedon 3, Logan Heil 4, Michael Love 5, Chris Hemwall 7, Armando Estrada 2, Caden Walls 3, Josh Kelley 6, Jack Harper 2, Evan Waymoth 1.

The Hearts improved to 1-2 on the season and 1-1 in the Apollo Conference. Effingham heads to Mattoon next Friday night at 7:00 for another Apollo Conference clash.

Here are area football scores from Friday night:

Effingham 31, Charleston 13 Final

Flora 20, Eldorado 16 Final

Mattoon 17, Taylorville 14 Final

Jerseyville 26, Lincoln 14 Final

Olney Richland County 41, Salem 20 Final

Decatur St. Teresa 48, Central A&M 7 Final

Cumberland 41, Sangamon Valley 6 Final

Lawrenceville 34, Newton 7 Final

Mahomet-Seymour 49, Mt. Zion 14 Final