The Hearts are coming off a 5-5 season that included a 3-2 mark and third place finish in the Apollo Conference. They lost 13 seniors to graduation, including all-conference performers Charlie Ring (defensive line), Maddox Burner (offensive line), Andrew Lotz (wide receiver) and Spencer Fox (linebacker).
“It’s always good to make the playoffs, but we let a couple games get away from us last year,” Hefner recalled. “We could have easily been 6-3, maybe even 7-2, heading into the playoffs. In the games against Mt. Carmel, Charleston and even (Breese) Mater Dei, we just didn’t play Effingham football.”
The Hearts dropped their playoff opener to Mt. Zion.
“Your record can make a big difference in who you play in that first round,” the coach explained. “When you’re 5-4, you know it’s going to be tough.”
For Hefner, this will be his 10th season leading the Hearts football program. He has compiled a 55-33 record and guided EHS to five playoff appearances.
There are 72 kids total on this year’s roster, including 14 seniors. But there is one thing lacking, according to the head coach.
“We’re not going to have the two-way depth we’ve been fortunate to have the last six to seven years,” Hefner noted. “That’s already been an adjustment for us.”
For example, two offensive linemen may have to split time on the defensive line. A couple defensive backs may see time at wide receiver. A running back might be needed at linebacker.
While that’s not uncommon at many schools, that has not been the norm in the Effingham program.
“It makes things a little more challenging to figure out,” Hefner admitted. “What are the best moves we can make? What kids can we use to put us in the best position to be successful and still keep people fresh? We’ve got a couple kids that are coming along and could really help us. Plus, injuries could also play a role, too. We’ve still got some decisions to make.”
At the top of that “decisions” list is naming a starting quarterback. Gone is Gaige Gillum, who threw for 1,041 yards and ran for another 496. He tossed nine touchdown passes and scored another 10 TDs on the ground.
“Anytime you lose a senior quarterback, it’s tough,” Coach Hefner said. “Gaige was in our system for four years and had a good understanding of what we wanted to do.”
A pair of juniors – Max Buzzard and Jaxon Bridges – are battling for the starting job. Neither has any varsity experience. Sophomore Jack Hartman figures to serve as the backup QB.
“There’s a good chance we could play both of them,” Hefner noted. “If one takes charge, however, he’ll be the starter. But if we need to, we’ll play them both.”
There is also very little experience returning at wide receiver. Lotz led the team with 25 catches for 476 yards and five touchdowns. The leading pass catcher coming back is senior tight end Colton Webb, who caught five passes for 76 yards.
There are five players that figure to see action at the wide receiver spot. That group includes juniors Nolan Fearday, Wade Bushur, Braden Tucker and Hayden Wendling, along with sophomore Maxx Kistler.
“We have a lot of inexperience at quarterback and wide receiver,” Hefner admitted. “How quickly we can catch up and make plays in the passing game is certainly one of the challenges we face.”
While there are question marks surrounding the passing game, the ground game should be in excellent hands. The Hearts have three starting offensive linemen, plus the tight end, returning. Add the all-conference running back from a year ago and it’s easy to understand why the Hearts will be a run-first offense.
Senior running back Weldon Dunston IV figures to be one of the best around. He ran for 1,510 yards and 17 touchdowns a year ago. He checks in this year at 200 pounds.
“He’s definitely a quality back,” Coach Hefner admitted. “And he’s done a heckuva job during the off-season. He put on about 20 pounds. He improved his body and improved his speed. He’s really looked good so far in practice.”
Joining Dunston in the backfield will be senior fullback Kaden Koeberlein. He will return to that position after playing linebacker a year ago.
“Kaden can catch the ball well coming out of the backfield and he’s going to get a chance to run the ball some this year,” Hefner noted.
Both Dunston and Koeberlein will have a big and talented group blocking for them up front.
Senior Landon Wallace (235 pounds), an all-conference selection a year ago, and junior Chase Smith (230 pounds) will be at the guard positions. Seniors Seaton Hall (265 pounds) and Rylan Pals (235 pounds) will be at tackle and junior Brian Westendorf (220 pounds) will play center. Wallace and Hall both started every game. Westendorf started several games and alternated between center and tackle. Pals would have been a starter, but missed last year due to an injury.
Senior Colton Webb (205 pounds) will be the tight end. He is also a returning starter.
“I think our offensive line will be one of our strengths and a key to our offensive success,” Hefner noted. “We have to run the ball. With our inexperience at quarterback, we don’t want to put them in position where they have to make plays all the time.”
When speaking of strengths, Coach Hefner also lists his defensive line.
“Oh yeah,” he said. “Our defensive line has a chance to pretty darn good. We’ve got a little more depth defensively, plus there are some good pieces back. This group has been pretty good the last couple years and I think they can be again this year.”
Heading up that group will be two-time all-conference defensive end Michael Love. The senior’s specialty is using his strength and quickness to apply pressure or sack the opposing quarterback. Senior Kayden Mietzner, who started every game a year ago, will be the other defensive end. Junior Max Flack will also see action at DE.
Seaton Hall and Chase Smith figure to anchor the defensive line, while junior Aiden McCarty and sophomore Clint Metcalf also figure to see playing time along the defensive line as well.
There will be three new starting linebackers – senior Logan Jones and juniors DJ Latham and AJ Lybarger. Koeberlein could also see some playing time there.
In the secondary, senior Nick Martin and Wade Bushur will return as starters – Martin at corner back and Bushur at free safety. Bushur led the team with four interceptions last year.
The other starters in the secondary figure to be sophomore Will Hecht at corner back and junior Aidan Carrell at strong safety. Juniors Hunter Holland and Hayden Wendling are also battling for playing time in the secondary.
“We need to get better at covering in the secondary,” Hefner admitted. “Our guys up front can help by creating pressure on the quarterback and I think they can do that.”
The kicking duties will be handled by junior Maicol Sefton. He was one of the best in the conference a year ago. Hefner refers to him as “a real weapon.”
In just a few days – Friday, Aug. 30 – the Hearts will open their nine-game schedule at home against Robinson. That will be followed with two non-conference road games – Sept. 6 at Mt. Carmel and Sept. 13 at Breese Mater Dei.
EHS will then face Apollo Conference foes five consecutive weeks – Sept. 20 at home against Mattoon; Sept. 27 at home against Charleston; Oct. 4 at Taylorville; Oct. 11 at home against Mahomet-Seymour; and Oct. 18 at Mt Zion.
The Hearts will then conclude their 2024 campaign with a non-conference home contest against Centralia.
“We’ve got a tough schedule this year,” Hefner said. “Our goals are the same as every year – compete for a conference title and put ourselves in a position to make a run in the playoffs. Those goals will never change.”
Hefner says Mahomet-Seymour and Mt. Zion are the favorites to win the conference.
“After that, I don’t know what to expect,” he added. “Taylorville returns a ton of people and I figure Mattoon and Charleston will continue to improve. I imagine both Mahomet-Seymour and Mt. Zion will be state-ranked.”
As always, Hefner and his team are ready for the season to begin.
“I believe our kids will hit hard and I know they’ll battle,” the coach said. “It’s not a whole lot of fun to play us because of our physicality. That’s just the way our kids compete.
“We need to stay healthy and, hopefully, get off to a good start,” Hefner added. “If we can do that, the momentum will just start to build.”
