Hearts Football Season Comes to End w/Loss to Centralia

It was a tale of two seasons for the Effingham Hearts football team.

The squad stood 4-1 after five games, but then lost four straight to finish 4-5 and miss a playoff berth. That was the outcome after a 35-19 loss to the Centralia Orphans Friday night at Klosterman Field at Washington Savings Bank Stadium. The game was heard on Classic Hits 979XFM and www.979xfm.com. 

The teams exchanged touchdown drives with the Hearts' Weldon Dunston scoring from the one and Maicol Sefton's extra point tying the game at 7-7 with 1:30 left in the opening quarter.

Things went a little sideways from that point, though, as Centralia scored three times in a row to lead 28-7 at halftime. 

The Hearts staged a comeback, scoring with 41 seconds left in the third quarter on a four-yard run by Dunston, then scoring with 4:46 left in the game on a two-yard Dunston run to make it 28-19.

Centralia, though, scored  with 2:58 remaining to shut the door on any further comeback. 

The Hearts picked up 21 first downs to 20 for Centralia. Centralia racked up 352 yards to 310 yards for Effingham.

The Hearts' Weldon Dunston rushed for 119 yards on 28 carries, scoring three touchdowns. 

Jaxon Bridges completed 17 of 25 passes for the Hearts for 197 yards with one interception. As far as who caught the ball, Maxx Kistler had four catches for 35 yards; Kaden Koeberlein two for 45 yards; Weldon Dunston three for 47 yards; Wade Bushur three for 42 yards; Nolan Fearday two for 16 yards; Max Flack two for eight yards; and D.J. Latham a four-yard catch.

Maicol Sefton had two punts for 43 yards, and four kickoffs for 177 yards.

Mike Brown rushed 24 times for 182 yards and four touchdowns for Centralia. 

Archie Goewey, Centralia's freshman quarterback, was 16 for 22 passing for 181 yards and a touchdown.

Centralia finished the regular season with a 6-3 mark and will head to the playoffs.