By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
It’s just Week 5, but the push to qualify for the playoffs is front and center for high school football teams throughout the state.
And that certainly includes the Effingham Hearts.
After starting the season 0-2, the Hearts have bounced back with two impressive outings to even their record, meaning they are just three wins away from the necessary five-win mark to make the playoffs.
“We’re definitely in playoff mode,” EHS coach Brett Hefner confirmed. “Every week is important for us, especially after losing our first two and knowing we finish with Mater Dei and Highland
“But it’s important that we not look too far ahead,” Hefner added. “We try to keep the focus on what we have in front of us each week.”
And for this week, that’s Taylorville.
The Tornados will bring a 1-3 overall mark and 0-2 Apollo Conference record into Friday night’s match-up at Washington Saving Bank Stadium.
Taylorville has been outscored 99-44 through four games. They have dropped games to Mt. Vernon (40-0), Mattoon (17-14) and Mt. Zion (21-6). Their only win came in Week 2, a 24-21 decision over Elgin St. Edward.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
The Effingham Hearts were simply dominant Friday night.
They controlled both sides of the ball from the outset.
Their defense was stifling and their offense was both relentless and efficient.
And when the final horn sounded, the Hearts had their second straight win and first shutout of the season with a convincing 34-0 road victory at Mattoon.
“This was an outstanding team win,” a happy Brett Hefner said after the game. “Our special teams were very good, our defense didn’t allow a point and our offense finished drives. Unbelievable job! It was a great win for us.”
Mattoon was averaging 20 points after its first three games. The Green Wave offense only crossed midfield twice against the team in red and white.
The Green Wave’s 200-pound running back Taerick Grace was averaging 6.5 yards per carry and 70 yards a game. The Hearts ‘D’ limited him to 29 yards on 14 carries, just two yards per carry. They tackled him for a loss four different times.
“We got penetration all night,” the veteran coach noted. “We had a good game plan. We made him bounce outside and really got hats to the ball. He can be hard to tackle.”
Quarterback Slater Trier was completing 46 percent of his passes. But against the Hearts, that slipped to 37 percent and that include two interceptions.
Effingham’s defensive effort was – here’s that word again – dominating.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
The Effingham Hearts used a balanced offensive attack Friday night to post their first win of the season, a 31-13 thumping over Charleston at Washington Savings Bank Stadium.
The Hearts amassed 410 yards of offense – 211 on the ground and another 199 through the air – and established dominance for most of the contest. And had it not been for a couple turnovers, the margin of victory could have easily been even greater.
“Winning is hard,” EHS coach Brett Hefner said moments after the victory. “You have to celebrate every win. And getting the first win is really good. You can’t get the second, third or fourth win until you get that first one.”
Beginning midway through the first quarter, the Hearts had seven consecutive drives they either scored or threatened to score. Those possessions resulted in four touchdowns, a school-record field goal and two turnovers inside the Charleston 10.
Effingham got some outstanding performances on offense. Evan Waymoth, normally the starting fullback, took over the tailback duties after John Westendorf was lost for the season due to a torn ACL and backup Weldon Dunston missed the game due to an ankle injury, sustained last week at Mahomet-Seymour.
In his first start at tailback, Waymoth cracked the 100-yard plateau, finishing with 101 yards on 23 carries.
“They say the most important ability is availability,” Hefner noted. “That was certainly the case tonight for Waymoth and Kaden (Koeberlein, who replaced Waymoth at fullback). They both stepped up and played well. It’s tough moving from fullback to tailback. You move three yards further back and become the guy running the ball rather than the guy blocking.”
Quarterback Tanner Pontious also had a strong game. He completed 11-of-17 attempts for 199 yards and two TDs. He also ran for 48 yards and a score.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sport Report
The Effingham Hearts will look to notch their second straight win Friday night when they travel to Mattoon to face the Green Wave.
Both teams will enter with identical records of 1-2 overall and 1-1 in Apollo Conference action.
The Green Wave opened their season with losses to Troy Triad (41-22) and Mt. Zion (42-21), before recording their first win last week, a narrow 17-14 victory over Taylorville.
The Hearts also got into the win column last week, using a balanced offensive attack to thump Charleston 31-13.
“The hardest win to get is always that first one,” said EHS coach Brett Hefner. “I was happy for the guys. Hopefully, that takes a little of the heat off.”
But Hefner and the Hearts now have their sights set on a Mattoon team that posted a 20-14 win over them a year ago at Jack Klosterman Field. EHS was flagged for eight penalties and turned the ball over six times. It was ugly, to say the least.
Now, after dropping their first two games, they know the importance of each remaining game in their quest for a playoff berth.
“This is Game 2 of an important stretch,” Hefner admitted. “Any time you start 0-2, the rest of them are all important.”
The Hearts are hoping to put together another balanced offensive attack. Against Charleston, EHS amassed 410 total yards – 211 on the ground and 199 through the air. Quarterback Tanner Pontious had his best game of the season, completing 11-of-17 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. The senior QB has now connected on 31-of-57 attempts (54%) for 352 yards, three TDs and two interceptions.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
The Effingham Hearts won’t be facing a state-ranked opponent Friday night, but EHS coach Brett Hefner said the preparation doesn’t change.
“There’s no difference in how we prepare,” the veteran coach emphasized. “Finding the balance in still getting the work in but also staying as fresh as you can is a challenge. But we’ve got a good opponent coming here Friday and we’ve got to be ready to play.”
The Hearts will play host to the Charleston Trojans. Both teams will enter the game 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the Apollo Conference. Effingham dropped an 18-0 decision to St. Teresa, the No. 2 team in Class 2A, in the season opener; and then fell 35-14 to Mahomet-Seymour last week. The Bulldogs are the No. 3 team in Class 5A.
The Trojans opened their season with a 41-30 loss to Herscher and were then shutout, 20-0, by conference foe Lincoln last week. They have just three seniors on their roster, but still return an experienced team after playing a lot of underclassmen a year ago.
Charleston racked up 277 offensive yards, but gave up 447 in the defeat to Herscher. The Trojans were limited to just 139 offensive yards, while allowing 273 to Lincoln. Senior running Jeremiah Hayes, after running for 112 yards against Herscher, was limited to only 37 last week. Junior quarterback Brett Spour threw for 112 yards against Herscher, but had just 41 yards through the air against the Railsplitters.
“Offensively, they are similar to us,” Hefner noted. “They’ll run from the I-formation with three receivers and a tight end. They’re more of a traditional offense.”
Defensively, Charleston will present an even front “and they won’t blitz or have much movement. They will be the direct opposite of what we saw last week.”
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