Hearts Season Ends w/Loss at Rochester

A big third quarter led the Rochester Rockets to a 45-14 victory over the Effingham Hearts in the first round of the Class 4A football playoffs Saturday afternoon. The game was heard on 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

It was anybody's game in the first half, as the Hearts took advantage of two Rochester's turnovers to score. 

Effingham ended up with the ball at the Rockets' 17-yard line after Rochester fumbled on its opening play. They then staged a four-play drive that ended with Tanner Pontious' one-yard run and Armando Estrada's extra point to put the Hearts on top 7-0 with 9:49 left in the first quarter.

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

Rochester came right back to tie the game on a 36-yard passing play from Keeton Reiss to Parker Gillespie with 8:55 left in the quarter. 

The Rockets scored again with 4:39 remaining in the period on a six-yard keeper by Reiss to move in front 14-7, but Effingham came back to get the ball on another takeaway. The Hearts put together an eight-play, 34-yard drive that ended with Pontious again scoring from the one and Estrada's extra point to tie the game at 14-14 with 1:01 left until halftime. 

Rochester scrambled right back to stage a one-minute drive capped by an 11-yard pass from Reiss to Jack Swaney with seven seconds left to pull back in front 21-14 going into the half.

It was all Rochester in the second half as they cleaned up their turnover problems and scored four times in the third quarter to put the game away. The scores came on a four-yard run by Reece, a 25-yard pass from Reiss to Gillespie, and a 63-yard pass from Reiss to Gillespie, along with a 34-yard field goal by Zoe Cormier.

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

The final quarter was pretty uneventful and Rochester had the win.

The Rockets rolled up 502 yards in total offense, 311 yards in the first half. 367 of those yards came through the air, 135 yards on the ground.

The Hearts totaled just 118 yards in offense, 85 yards on the ground, and just 33 yards through the air. 

For Effingham, Weldon Dunston rushed 24 times for 78 yards, Pontious had 19 carries for nine net yards, Caden Walls rushed once for minus one yard, Evan Waymoth carried twice for one yard, and Muhammad Freeman rushed twice for minus two yards.

It was a tough day throwing the football against Rochester. Pontious was two for 10 for 25 yards with two interceptions. Andrew Lotz caught an eight-yard pass and Jacob Weaver had a 17-yard grab. Gaige Gillum finished the game and completed an eight-yard pass to Colton Loy on his only attempt. 

Reiss had a huge day for Rochester, going 20 of 34 for 367 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 11 times for 31 yards and two scores. Gillespie had three touchdown receptions on his way to an 11-catch, 265-yard day.

Another noteworthy stat for Rochester was 416 yards on eight kickoffs by Reiss.

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

Other stats for the Hearts: Pontious punted seven times for 289 yards, Armando Estrada had three kickoffs for 114 yards, Dunston had two kickoff returns for 63 yards and Caden Walls had six kickoff returns for 108 yards. The Hearts had fumble recoveries by Myles Maxedon, Kaden Koeberlein, and Evan Waymoth had an interception.

As to tackle sheet: Connor Simmons 9, London Rinkel 9, Jack Harper 2, Spencer Fox 4, Charlie Ring 5, Michael Love 7, Logan Heil 4, Colton Loy 1, Myles Maxedon 3, Evan Waymoth 5, Zach Donaldson 1, Eli Middendorf 2, Armando Estrada 2, and Maddox Burner 1. 

Effingham closes out its season with a 5-5 record, made the playoffs for the first time since 2019, posted three shutouts, and graduates 23 seniors. Rochester is now 9-1 on the season.

Other first-round playoff scores:

CLASS 1A--

Cumberland 34, Rushville-Industry 8

Salt Fork 42, Red Hill 31

Tuscola 20, Brown County 18

Sesser-Valier 49, Central A&M 12

CLASS 2A--

Pana 59, Auburn 30

Belleville Althoff 38, Shelbyville 34

St Teresa 49, Chester 0

ALAH 41, Vandalia 34

Johnston City 36, Flora 20

CLASS 3A--

Roxana 13, Hillsboro 7

St. Joseph-Ogden 55, Robinson 39

CLASS 4A--

Breese Central 21, Mt. Zion 18

Waterloo 76, Olney Richland County 28

CLASS 5A--

Highland 50, Dunlap 0

Centralia 27, Troy Triad 14

Mahomet-Seymour 40, Ottawa 14