By the end of the opening quarter, EHS had run the ball nine times and gained just one yard.

“They didn’t do anything different or line up any different,” Hefner explained. “We just didn’t win up front. We didn’t move them or get after them like we did the last time. I thought their defense played better, plus we didn’t run block well or pass block well. I felt like we were going backwards most of the game.”

Mt. Zion scored what proved to be the winning touchdown late in the opening period. Taking over at their own 48-yard line, they put together a five-play, 2½-minute drive. They even overcame two penalties, including a holding penalty – their first of six they were flagged for.

But on the fifth play, Braves QB Makobi Adams threw a perfect pass, hitting Karson Bollhorst in stride down the sideline for a 45-yard scoring strike, making it 7-0 with 59 seconds left in the first quarter.

It stayed that way until late in the half. After Effingham’s fourth punt of the game, the Braves took over at their own 42. Adams ran for nine yards and then, after another holding penalty, broke loose and scampered 20 yards to the Hearts 17. After a pair of incompletions, he then found Brayden Trimble breaking open in the endzone for a 17-yard TD strike to send Mt. Zion into the locker room with a 14-0 halftime lead.

“We were hoping to get to halftime and be able to re-set,” Hefner said. “That touchdown really hurt.”

Mt. Zion gave the Hearts some additional opportunities by fumbling the ball three times. But EHS was unable to get a first down after any of those turnovers.

Effingham did start what looked like a promising drive midway through the second period. Runs by Dunston and Gillum produced back-to-back first downs. But an untimely unsportsmanlike conduct penalty brought an end to that drive and the Braves scored on their ensuing possession to take the two-touchdown lead at intermission.

It was much the same in the second half. The Hearts found it virtually impossible to run the ball and Gillum was under constant pressure when he tried to pass.

The Braves tacked on their final score midway through the third period following a fumbled punt return by Effingham. Mt. Zion got the ball at the Hearts 14, and it took only seven seconds to find the endzone. Adams connected with Bollhorst again, increasing the lead to 21-0.

Effingham’s only points came in the opening seconds of the final quarter. Backed up to their goal line, the Braves snapped the ball out of the back of the endzone, resulting in a safety.

For the second game in a row, the EHS defense did a good job maintaining the potent Mt. Zion attack. The Braves only had 228 total yards, which is far below their season average of 360. They ran for 100 yards and Adams completed only 8-of-23 attempts for 128 more.

But that’s all they needed. The Mt. Zion defense limited Effingham’s offense to its lowest output of the season – 126 yards on 60 plays. A Hearts team that averaged 210 rushing yards, was held to 60. Dunston came into the game averaging 164 yards on the ground. He ran for 185 against the Braves two weeks ago. He was held to just 25 yards on 17 carries Saturday. There was simply nowhere for him to run.

When looking back over the 2023 season, there was a little frustration by the coach.

“I really thought we should have been 7-2, which would have allowed us to host a playoff game,” Hefner said. “So, overall, it’s a little frustrating. But we can’t forget this team did make the playoffs, which is a good accomplishment. There were only 32 teams that made it.”

It was a disappointed and emotional team that huddled around the coach following the game. Especially for the 13 seniors.

“This group gave a lot of time, effort and commitment for four years,” the veteran coach said. “If it was easy to do that, more people would do it. Their leadership has been outstanding. They finished their high school career with two playoff appearances. That’s pretty darn good.”