By Eric Stock
The second week of the Illinois High School Association football playoffs saw three out of four Heart of Illinois Conference teams get eliminated and the last intercity team fall at home.
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Duquoin 42, Tri-Valley 28
Duquoin converted two fumbled kickoff returns into touchdowns in first 1:18 of the game as the Indians spoiled Tri-Valley’s state title defense with a 42-28 win in a Class 2A playoff game at Downs.
The Indians raced out to a 35-7 second quarter lead after Evan Smith was stripped and Zayne Fornear scored his second of three touchdowns. He led Duquoin with 141 yards on 27 rushes.
Tri-Valley’s sophomore sensation returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter but was limited to 23 rushing yards on eight carries and two receptions for 18 yards.
Jared Nelson rushed for 91 yards on six carries and scored two touchdowns for the Vikings.
Aaron Kussmann completed 5 of 14 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings but an interception midway through the fourth quarter helped seal the upset for Duquoin.
Tri-Valley’s (10-1) winning streak ends at 24 games.
Lisle Benet Academy 38, Normal Community 14
The Ironmen were outscored 24-0 after the first quarter as Benet Academy pulled away for a 38-14 win in a Class 7A second round playoff game at Normal.
Grant Price threw touchdown passes of 45 yards to Dakota Creemens and 61 yards to J.D. Villafuerte in the first quarter. Price finished with 130 passing yards a one interception.
NCHS (9-2) managed just 50 yards rushing in the loss.
Marty Dosen rushed for 165 yards and scored two touchdowns for the Redwings. Jack Sznajder threw three touchdown passes.
Dee-Mack 91, Chicago Hope Academy 70
Jacob Carnicle and Jared Reese both rushed for 264 yards on 19 carries and combined for five touchdowns as the Chiefs defeated Chicago Hope Academy, 91-70, in a record-setting Class 2A playoff game at Mackinaw.
The combined 161 points shattered the old playoff scoring record of 141 set by Greenville vs. Mount Carmel (141) in 2013, while the Chiefs fell five short of the team playoff scoring record, which Peoria set on Friday in a win over Decatur Eisenhower.
Derrick Baker completed 4 of 12 passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. His 12-yard scoring pass to Carnicle with 10 seconds left in the half gave Dee-Mack a 64-42 lead at halftime.
The Chiefs (11-1) will play at Sterling Newman next Saturday.
Freeport Aquin 28, LeRoy 14
Trevor Bulington rushed for 129 yards on 27 carries and scored a touchdown as the Panthers were ousted in the second round of the Class 1A playoffs by Freeport Aquin at LeRoy.
LeRoy (7-4) led early after Brett Egan connected with Adam Phillips on a four-yard touchdown pass and threw to Dylan Knudsen for the two-point conversation at 6:42 of the first quarter.
Jonah Diemer threw four touchdown passes for the Bulldogs, completing 16 of 23 passes for 270 yards.
Annawan-Wethersfield 21, GCMS 14
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley was eliminated in the second round of the Class 2A football playoffs with a 21-14 loss to Annawan-Wetherfield at Kewanee.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
