Hearts Improve to 2-0 w/Win at Mt. Carmel

The Effingham Hearts improved to 2-0 on the young football season with a 26-22 win over the Golden Aces in Mt. Carmel Friday night. The game was heard on Classic Hits 979XFM.

Effingham scored first with 9:27 left in the opening quarter at the conclusion of a seven-play, 54-yard drive. Weldon Dunston galloped 28 yards for the score and Maicol Sefton's extra point made it 7-0.

The Hearts scored with 6:18 left in the second quarter at the end of a 10-play, 67-yard drive. Dunston carried it in from the six and, while Sefton's kick was no good, Effingham was ahead 13-0.

Mt. Carmel scored with 3:21 left before halftime when quarterback Shaun Meador scored from four yards out. The extra point try was unsuccessful but the Golden Aces were within 13-6.

The Hearts scored 29 seconds before halftime when Dunston scored on a run from the four and Sefton's kick was good to make it 20-6. The Hearts moved 65 yards in 10 plays for the score.

Mt. Carmel staged a 79-yard drive with 2:06 left in the third quarter when Meador scampered 47 yards down the far sideline, then carried in the two-point conversion to close to within 20-14.

Effingham scored once more wih 9:03 remaining at the end of a 10-play, 60-yard drive on an 11-yard pass from Max Buzzard to Kaden Koeberlein. The conversion kick was no good but the Hearts were up 26-14.

Mt. Carmel closed to within four again wth 5:20 remaining on a three-yard run by Jackson Kling who then ran in the two-point conversion and it was 26-22, but that was the end of the scoring and the Hearts had a four-point win.

Effingham rolled up 322 yards in total offense, 205 yards rushing and 117 yards passing, to 227 yards for Mt. Carmel, all on the ground. The Hearts ran 59 plays to 36 for Mt. Carmel and racked up 21 first downs to six for the Golden Aces.

Weldon Dunston led the Hearts with 143 yards rushing and three touchdowns, giving him eight on the young season. Max Buzzard rushed for 69 yards. 

It was a high percentage passing night for Effingham, as Jaxon Bridges was 8 for 12 for 94 yards and Buzzard was three for three for 23 yards with one touchdown. Koeberlein had three catches including the touchdown grab for 44 yards, Dunston caught two passes for 46 yards, Nolan Fearday two catches for three yards, Wade Bushur one for 11, Hayden Wendling one for seven, and Maxx Kistler one for six.

Maicol Sefton had three punts for 99 yards and four kickoffs for 213 yards.

For Mt. Carmel, Elliott Acree ran nine times for 118 yards, Meador nine times for 53 yards and two scores, Jackson Kling 10 for 36 including a touchdown, and Tobias Fullop four for 16 yards.

The Hearts travel to Breese next Friday night to take on the Mater Dei Knights at 7pm on 979XFM.