By WJBC staff
Normal Community, Tri-Valley, LeRoy and Deer-Creek-Mackinaw were winners Saturday in opening round games of the state football playoffs.
PODCAST: Postgame interviews here.
Tri-Valley 49, Rushville-Industry 0
The Class 2A defending state champions had little trouble disposing of the Rockets to run their winning streak to 24 and move their record to 10-0. Tri-Valley scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters for a 42-0 halftime lead and force a running clock the entire second half.
Tri-Valley plays host to DuQuoin at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The Vikings outgained the Rockets by nearly 400 yards, compiling 402 total yards, including 342 rushing while holding the Rockets to 22 yards. Sophomore Evan Smith led the onslaught with 88 yards on seven carries while scoring three running touchdowns and one receiving score.
Jacob Steiner added 84 yards on just four carries, while quarterback Aaron Kussman completed all four of his passes for 60 yards and one touchdown. Jared Nelson got the Vikings on the scoreboard first with a 1-yard run at the 5:43 mark of the first quarter. Smith added a 6-yard scoring run and a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Smith scored his third touchdown on a 48-yard run in the second quarter before Jacob Steiner added a 39-yard score and Kussman had a 2-yard scoring strike to Hunter Merritt. The only score in the
second half was an 11-yard run by Zach Woodring in the third quarter, Jake Ward had six conversion kicks and Dayne Wiggins had one.
Thomas Dolan and Cam Elam was the Vikings’ leaders on defense with 10 tackles each while Zacary Simon and Brock Ward each had eight. All the Rockets’ yards came on the ground.
Deer Creek-Mackinaw 58, Orion 10
Jared Reese became the school’s all-time leading rusher with over 4,000 yards by gaining 217 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns as the Chiefs moved to 9-1 overall at Mackinaw. Dee-Mack plays host to Chicago Hope in a second round game Saturday.
Orion took the lead in the first quarter on a 27-yard field goal before Reee scored on a 3-yard run and Weston Sauder added a 35-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead after one quarter. The Chiefs broke the game open in the second quarter with four touchdowns.
Reese had touchdowns on runs of 5 and 51 yards, while quarterback Derrick Baker had a 25-yard scoring strike to Alex Kerner. Dee-Mack’s other scores came in the second half on a 4-yard pass from Baker to Christian Smith, a 57-yard run by Smith and a 77-yard kickoff return by Connor Craig. Sauder had eight conversion kicks.
Normal Community 20, Belleville West 18
The Ironmen thwarted a two-point conversion in the final minute to preserve a 20-18 win over Belleville West in a Class 6A playoff game at Ironmen Field. The Maroons had rallied from a two-touchdown deficit late after NCHS built a 20-6 second half advantage.
Grant Price passed for 175 yards and two touchdowns.
The Ironmen will host Lisle Benet Academy at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Elmwood Brimfield 36, Central Catholic 14
Elmwood-Brimfield rushed for 350 yards and used three second-quarter touchdowns to roll to a 36-14 Class 3A playoff victory in Elmwood.
The Trojans also held the Saints to 40 yards rushing. Max Moews threw two touchdown passes to Bobby Brady, who led the Saints with four catches and 70 yards.
LeRoy 40, Kirkland Hiawatha 12
The LeRoy Panthers dominated in a 40-12 win over the Hiawatha Hawks in a Class 1A playoff game at Kirland. The Panthers advance to the second round to host Freeport Aquin next Saturday.
