Prairie Central employs the triple option. The Hawks have averaged more than 300 yards rushing and 35 points. Their goal is to control the ball and keep the opposing team’s offense off the field. And they’ve been successful at doing that.

Last week, in a 28-22 loss, Columbia scored three touchdowns, and was close to scoring a fourth before fumbling the opportunity away, and threw an interception in the final minute of the game. But they had the ball for only 14 minutes the entire game. Prairie Central’s offense was on the field for nearly 34 minutes.

If that trend continues, the Hawks will be a difficult team to beat.

As Effingham coach Brett Heffner says, “we’re going to face an entirely different animal this week.” It’s a type of offensive attack defenses just don’t see very often. It will require specific assignments on defense and assignments that must be followed.

The triple option features three runners – a quarterback, fullback and tailback. Its success depends on the quarterback making the correct read and either handoff to the fullback, pitch to the tailback or keep the ball and run it himself.

Prairie Central has a good running quarterback in junior Kaden King. He has gained more than 1,000 yards on the season and has been outstanding during the Hawks two playoff wins that included a 35-14 win at Olney in addition to the victory over Columbia.

King had 162 yards on the ground last week and racked up 250 yards and scored four touchdowns against Olney.

Fullback Connor Casner had rushed for more than 900 yards and tailback Dailen Loveless has another 700 yards in the Hawks effective three-pronged attack.

The Hearts faced a similar offense at Jerseyville in the third week of the season. They gave up 184 yards on the ground, but prevailed 34-28. Coach Hefner said if the Hearts give up just 184 yards against Prairie Central, “I’ll like our chances.”

Hefner said Prairie Central is confident in its ability to run the ball. It’s not unusual for the Hawks to go for it on fourth down and short, regardless of their position on the field.

“It’s almost like facing a four-down team,” the EHS coach noted. “And they don’t like to throw it very much.”

In the five game films Hefner watched on Prairie Central, he said they passed the ball a total of 29 times, and on 14 of those plays, their quarterback was sacked. Like most teams that run this style of offense, passing the football is not their strength. And having to play catch-up is difficult for them to do.

The Hawks defeated Rantoul (42-20), Bloomington Central Catholic (28-21), Pontiac (52-28), St. Joe-Ogden (33-13), Olympia (48-7), Monticello (59-37) and St. Thomas More (52-20) during the regular season.

Prairie Central’s two losses came against the top two teams in the Illinois Prairie Conference -- 22-0 against Tolono Unity and 27-7 to Chillicothe IVC.

As these scores indicate, the Hawks defense does allow points, giving up 21 per game. The key is stopping their offense and getting that defense on the field.

It will be a tough assignment, but the Effingham defense has been playing very well, and has been nothing short of dominant in the first two playoff games that included a 55-13 rout of Breese Central in the opener.

In those games, the Hearts defense has allowed a total of just 303 yards and three touchdowns. One of those scores came on a fluke play against Benton and another came in the Breese Central game when an EHS defensive back slipped and fell on the wet, slippery grass, resulting in a TD pass.

In addition, Effingham has forced 10 turnovers – five interceptions (all by Parker Wolfe), four fumble recoveries and a blocked punt. They have also recorded 16 tackles for loss, including six quarterback sacks.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Hearts continue to feature a balanced attack, utilizing the various weapons they have. There are good reasons why they averaged 41 points a game this season.

Quarterback Nate Shackelford has been brilliant in the playoffs, running for 322 yards and five touchdowns and passing for another 365 yards and six more scores. Chase Woomer and Logan Brown provide a good running combination and the receiving corps of Tristin Duncan, Jeff Gillum, Cam Kalber, Kollin Waymoth, Jacob Briggerman, Holden Lewis and Parker Wolfe has been effective the entire season.

Effingham’s offense/defense combination has totally controlled both playoff games. The Hearts have outgained their two opponents 954-303 and outscored them 97-20.

But Coach Hefner doesn’t expect a lopsided game Saturday.

“At this stage, that’s just not going to happen,” he said. “The teams that are still playing are pretty good.”

So the stage is set.

Can the Hearts advance and play in Week 13 for the very first time in school history?

Can that EHS defense follow assignments and contain the triple option?

Can Effingham’s high-scoring offense avoid turnovers and continue to find the end zone?

All of these questions will be answered Saturday afternoon in Fairbury.

What’s Ahead?

The winner of the Effingham-Prairie Central game will face either Murphysboro or Kankakee Bishop McNamara on November 23. If the Hearts prevail, they will play either at home against Murphysboro or at Bishop McNamara.

In the Northern Bracket of Class 4A, Saturday’s contests will feature Coal City against Wheaton St. Francis and Richard-Burton against Elmhurst Immaculate Conception.

The Class 4A championship game will be played at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb on Friday, Nov. 29.