Hearts Head to Mt. Carmel Friday Night

One of the most exciting games of the 2023 football season for the Effingham Hearts was a 36-30 overtime loss to the highly-rated Mt. Carmel Golden Aces.

Both teams scored in overtime, but a second score allowed Mt. Carmel and top-rated quarterback Blayne Sisson, now at the U of I, to claim the victory.

Now, it's rematch time. Game time at Mt. Carmel is 7pm. The game can be heard on Classic Hits 979XFM with pregame coverage set for 6:45pm.

Effingham won its opener last Friday night, defeating the Robinson Maroons 54-30. Mt. Carmel, hit hard by graduation losses, lost to highly-rated Indiana power Gibson Southern, 42-6. 

The Hearts rolled up 403 yards in total offense last week. Senior running back Weldon Dunston carried for 246 yards and five touchdowns. Quarterbacks Jaxon Bridges and Max Buzzard combined for 107 passing yards.

Mt. Carmel totaled 227 yards, 155 of that on the ground. Sophomore quarterback Shain Meador threw for 72 yards on just three attempts. Meador also rushed for 78 yards, while Elliott Acree carried for 50 yards.

The tackle totals are now available for last week's game. For the Hearts: D.J. Latham 9; Max Flack 5; Logan Jones 5; Hunter Holland 4; Kayden Mietzner 4; Seaton Hall 3; Aiden McCarty 3; Kaden Koeberlein 3; Wade Bushur 3; Clinton Metcalf 2; Aidan Carrell 2; Will Hecht 2; Michael Love 1; Nick Martin 1

Next week, the Hearts will continue their road trip, journeying to Breese to battle the Mater Dei Knights.

Here are the Week 2 matchups:

EFFINGHAM ________ at Mt. Carmel _____________

Paris _________ at CHARLESTON ______________

MAHOMET-SEYMOUR _________ at Highland _____________

MATTOON _________ at Olney Richland County __________

MT. ZION ____________ at Troy Triad ____________

TAYLORVILLE ______________ AT Robinson _______________

Paxton-Buckley-Loda ________ at Newton ____________

Sangamon Valley ___________ at Cumberland ___________

Breese Central __________ at Breese Mater Dei ___________

Centralia ___________ at Collinsville ______________

Casey-Westfield _____________ at El Paso Gridley _________

Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton _______ at Flora _________

Vandalia ___________ at Staunton ___________