By Steve Raymond
The News Report
The Effingham Hearts needed something positive to happen.
They were coming off back-to-back tough losses. They committed way too many mistakes in both games and even had their effort questioned after last week’s disappointing setback.
But it was a different team that took the field Friday night in Mattoon. There was an energy level that was noticeably absent just seven days prior.
And the end result was a much happier bus ride home.
There were still too many penalties, but Weldon Dunston had a huge game on the ground and the Effingham defense pitched a shutout in the final 24 minutes.
When the final horn sounded, the Hearts had posted a 42-21 victory, starting Apollo Conference play in winning fashion and spoiling Mattoon’s Homecoming celebration.
“These kids heard a lot of negative things the last couple weeks,” EHS Coach Brett Hefner said. “And not just from me. They heard from a lot of different people, especially former players. They needed this tonight. It should be a confidence boost for them.”
The game featured a lot of offense. The two teams combined for 63 points, 40 first downs and 817 total yards.
The Green Wave ran more plays – 74 to 55 – but had 65 fewer offensive yards. The Hearts averaged nearly eight yards per snap and were especially hard to stop on the ground. They piled up 314 rushing yards, led by the hard-running Dunston.
The junior carried the ball 31 times and gained 264 yards. He had six runs of 11 or more yards, including gains of 21, 35, 35 and 53. He also scored twice.
By Steve Raymond
The News Report
The Effingham Flaming Hearts will open Apollo Conference play on the road Friday night at Mattoon.
EHS Coach Brett Hefner is certainly hoping for a better effort and performance than his team had last week in the 36-14 setback to Breese Mater Dei.
“In all my years here, I never walked out of a game feeling as disappointed as I was last week,” Hefner admitted. “There was just no effort. Nobody seemed interested in being there. I don’t know what caused that, but we’re trying to find out. Practice has gone a little better so far this week.”
The Hearts will face a Green Wave squad that also stands 1-2 after the opening three weeks.
Mattoon dropped a 56-20 decision to Triad in the season opener and was beaten 44-22 last week by Highland. The Green Wave also have a 33-6 victory over Olney.
“They have played a pretty good schedule so far,” Hefner noted. “Triad and Highland have very good programs.”
By Steve Raymond
The News Report
Big, strong and physical.
That’s how Effingham football coach Brett Hefner describes Breese Mater Dei.
But those are words Hefner has used to describe Knights teams for several years, especially since these two teams seem to face each other almost every season, either during the regular season, the playoffs or both.
“We’re very familiar with each other,” Hefner noted. “They have a good program and are always well-coached.”
Mater Dei and Effingham will enter Friday night’s contest with identical 1-1 records. The Knights beat Columbia 22-14 in their opener, but dropped a 17-14 decision to Breese Central last week on a last-second field goal.
The Hearts defeated Robinson 31-7 in their opening game, but then suffered a tough 36-30 overtime setback to Mt. Carmel in their home opener last week.
“There’s always a little bit of a hangover effect after a game like that,” Hefner admitted. “As a coaching staff, we have to be aware of that. In fact, it might linger longer with the coaches than it does the kids. We preach to the kids to ‘play the next play.’ The coaches have to do that, too.”
The focus this week has been on correcting mistakes. The Hearts simply made too many of them last week. Whether it was penalties, bad snaps, missed assignments and even players running on the field late, Hefner realizes those things must be improved.
“All of our mistakes are correctible,” the veteran coach said. “But if we don’t get them corrected, we’re not going to beat good teams and that’s all we’re playing from here on out. So, this week has been all about correcting those mistakes and finding ways to improve as a football team.”
By Steve Raymond
The News Report
It was a long night at Washington Savings Bank Stadium.
And, unfortunately, it was not a good one for the Effingham Flaming Hearts.
Breese Mater Dei scored on its first three possessions and was never seriously challenged the rest of the way, finishing with a 36-14 victory on Military Appreciation Night at Jack Klosterman Field.
Effingham coach Brett Hefner used words like “disappointing” and “embarrassing” in describing his team’s performance.
“I wish I could find something positive to say, but I don’t think I can,” Hefner said following the non-conference game. “We had absolutely zero energy; zero anything. And it was that way from the very start. It was very disappointing.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been somewhat embarrassed, especially here on our own field,” the coach added. “But that’s exactly what happened tonight. There’s a lot that needs corrected; a lot that needs fixed. We continue to have of the same issues. We’ll go back to work Monday.”
The first 13½ minutes summed up the entire game. With 10:33 to play in the first half, Breese Mater Dei had run 21 plays and racked up 161 offensive yards already. The Hearts, meanwhile, had just 7 snaps and 16 yards, plus a turnover, during that same amount of time. And the visiting Knights owned a 16-0 lead.
By Steve Raymond
The News Report
Wow!
What a high school football game!
Even though the home team didn’t come away with the victory, it took nothing away from the effort and excitement that filled Washington Savings Bank Stadium Friday night.
As it turned out, it was a 10-yard scoring strike from Blayne Sisson to his favorite target, Andrew Gillihan, in the second possession of overtime that proved to be the margin of victory, as the Mt. Carmel Golden Aces came away with a 36-30 win.
But Effingham had its chance. A fourth down pass from the 3-yard line was just off the fingertips of the tight end, preventing the Hearts from a tying score and an opportunity to kick a winning extra point.
While EHS coach Bret Heffner praised his team for their “fight and effort” moments after the tough loss, he also stressed the importance of eliminating crucial mistakes that probably meant the difference between a win and a loss Friday night.
He noted two face mask penalties that resulted in first downs and kept Mt. Carmel’s game-tying touchdown drive alive late in the fourth period. One of those penalties negated what could have been a game-clinching interception by Wade Bushur.
“There was also a snap that sailed over the punter’s head earlier the game,” Hefner added. “There were numerous times when players were running on the field late for a special team’s play and some breakdowns in the secondary.
“Too many mistakes,” Hefner stressed numerous times. “It’s ridiculous to have those face mask penalties. We had silly penalties last week, too. These mistakes will be corrected this week in practice. I guarantee it. Until we eliminate that stuff, we’re not going to beat good teams.”
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