Mater Dei dominated from the opening kickoff, putting together a 13-play drive that finally stalled at the EHS nine. But Markus Kehrer booted a 25-yard field goal to put the Knights on the scoreboard.

On Effingham’s third play, quarterback Gaige Gillum’s pass was intercepted, giving the Knights the ball at the Hearts 42. It took just 4 plays and 69 seconds for Mater Dei to capitalize on the turnover. Quarterback Trenton Zeeb avoided the EHS rush and scampered 11 yards for the score to make it 9-0.

Thanks to a pass interference penalty, the Hearts ensuing drive reached the guests’ 48-yard line, but a fourth down run fell short, giving the Knights the ball again.

And, again, they responded.

This time, it took seven plays to reach the end zone. A 38-yard completion from Zeeb to Carter Murphy moved the ball to the EHS two and Zeeb then connected with Garrick Winkeler for a short TD pass to increase the margin to 16-0 at the 10:33 mark of the second period.

“We just seemed uninterested,” Hefner said. “We had missed coverages, we ran the wrong routes, had penalties. Just too many mistakes.”

The Knights made it 22-0 later in the quarter when Zeeb hooked up with Winkeler again after he got behind the EHS secondary for a 34-yard scoring strike.

The Hearts finally responded offensively and did so quickly. Weldon Dunston broke loose for a 34-yard gallop on the first play. Other than the penalty, it was the Hearts first offensive first down of the game and it came just three minutes before intermission.

After another short run by Dunston, Gillum found Andrew Lotz downfield for a 48-yard touchdown pass. Maicol Sefton’s extra point narrowed the gap to 22-7, which is what it was at halftime.

Fans were hoping for a repeat of the previous week’s offensive showing in the second half. After being shut out in the first 24 minutes against Mt. Carmel, the Hearts put 30 points on the scoreboard in the final two quarters and the overtime.

But that repeat performance never materialized.

It was a three-and-out on the first possession. A short punt, plus a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Hearts, gave the Knights possession at the EHS 26. Four plays later, and a 15-yard TD pass from Zeeb to Brock Revermann, it was 29-7.

The Hearts had an opportunity to get back in the game when Wade Bushur intercepted a Zeeb pass and returned it 31 yards to the Mater Dei 24-yard line. Effingham took advantage of the turnover. Two runs by Dunston gained 12 yards, a Gillum pass to Brodie Belcher netted 11 more, and Dunston capped the four-play drive with a one-yard plunge to make it 29-14 with 6:28 to play in the third period.

But Effingham never threatened again offensively. And following a fumbled punt return, Mater Dei was able to tack on one final score. Taking possession at the Hearts 19, it took just three plays to reach the end zone. An 18-yard strike from Zeeb to Gabe Schlimme accounted for the touchdown at the 11:51 mark of the fourth period.

Coming into Friday night’s game, Zeeb had completed just 38 percent of his passes in the first two games, connecting on just 13-of-34 attempts for only 162 totals yards and one TD. Against the Hearts, he was 19-for-30 – a 63 percent clip -- for 259 yards and four touchdowns. Winkeler had nine of those receptions for 137 yards and two scores.

The Knights only ran for 43 yards, but finished with 302 total yards.

The Hearts had 223 yards – 114 on the ground and 109 through the air. Dunston gained 86 yards on 18 carries, while Gillum was 9-for-25 in pass attempts.

The Hearts were also penalized nine times for 65 yards. They have now been flagged 25 times in three games for 194 yards.

“Too many mistakes, but at the end of the day, I’m responsible for that,” Hefner said. “We’re going to go back to work, but we have some people that have some soul-searching to do.

“We were not at a competitive level,” Hefner added. “That has not been an issue around here for a long time. But tonight, it was.”

The Hearts, now 1-2 on the season, will open Apollo Conference play next Friday at Mattoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.