Hearts Survive High-Scoring Apollo Opener at Charleston 

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On a night Effingham High School racked up 454 yards of offense, it took a massive defensive play for the Flaming Hearts to regain control and ultimately win their Apollo Conference football opener and their third straight contest.

Hank Nelson scooped up a fumble off a Max Flack strip-sack in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter at Charleston High School, employing every ounce of propulsion he could muster to beat the pack around 60 yards to the end zone to put EHS back up by two scores in an eventual 51-35 triumph over the winless Trojans.

That 4th and 9 play capped a swift turnaround for Effingham (3-1, 1-0 Apollo) not so long after the Hearts found themselves trailing for the first time. The Trojans (0-4, 0-1), riding an emergent running game and offensive numbers they hadn’t dreamed about in dropping their first three games of the season, took the opening second half kickoff and methodically marched 70 yards in exactly six minutes to set up junior tailback Treylin Couch’s fifth rushing touchdown of the evening.

With the score 35-28 in Charleston’s favor and the Trojans having scored the game’s last three TDs, Effingham’s back was against the wall despite enjoying two-touchdown leads on a couple occasions in the first half. The Hearts responded in a big way, capping their own 73-yard drive with a 31-yard scoring strike from quarterback Jaxon Bridges to fullback Brayden Tucker to knot things right back up.

Tucker showed some nimble footwork staying inbounds as he scooted up the sideline for his second receiving touchdown of the night. Then Effingham forced a fumble on Charleston’s ensuing possession; Clinton Metcalf came away with that fumble recovery and just 70 seconds after Tucker had found the end zone, sophomore tailback Lexton Roberts – capitalizing in a big way on significant second half action due to injury concerns in the backfield – was running one in from eight yards out to reclaim the lead for the Hearts.

The only other scoring after the Nelson’s TD rumble was a 27-yard field goal for senior kicker Maicol Sefton, his 11th career three-pointer to continue adding to his school record total.

Early on, Effingham’s passing game looked unstoppable as Bridges hooked up with Jenner Pals for a pair of first-quarter TDs on Effingham’s first two drives of the game. The scores were the sophomore receiver’s fifth and sixth of the season. Tucker also caught his first touchdown toss from Bridges during that first quarter; it was a good bounce-back performance for Effingham’s senior signal caller after facing some turnover challenges in last week’s victory over Mater Dei.

Still, Couch and the Trojans had answers.

For instance, after EHS scored easily on its game-opening drive Couch responded by breaking loose up the middle for an 80-yard score. Charleston’s second TD also came on a long Couch run, this time 51 yards on another drive-opening play to get back within a score. All in all, the tough runner stacked up 259 yards on 22 carries but was also held more in check by the Hearts’ defense down the home stretch.

Roberts hadn’t seen action in the first three-and-a-half games of Effingham’s season, but between the time the 10th-grader played his first varsity snap of the season in the third quarter and the time the final horn sounded he had amassed his club’s first three-digit rushing total of the season with 112 yards on 16 carries. DJ Latham also ran for 69 yards and his second score of the campaign, mostly before halftime.

Wade Bushur got his hand on yet another punt Friday, setting up a nine-yard field and Tucker’s first TD catch as the Trojans were attempting to kick one away from their own end zone. Effingham also won the turnover margin by a 3-to-1 tally.

Now it’s on to Homecoming Week for Effingham as the Hearts will host Taylorville next week. The Tornadoes (1-3, 0-1) dropped their Apollo opener at Mahomet by a 49-27 final. If you want to know more about Homecoming festivities, including this year’s new 3 p.m. Sunday parade date and time, please check our coverage here.

SCORING SUMMARY

1Q, 9:17, EHS (7-0) – 35-yard pass, Bridges to Pals – Sefton kick good (7 plays, 65 yds, 2:43)
1Q, 8:58, CHS (7-7) – 80-yard run, Couch – Weber kick good (1 play, 80 yds, 0:19)
1Q, 7:06, EHS (14-7) – 59-yard pass, Bridges to Pals – Sefton kick good (5 plays, 80 yds, 1:52)
1Q, 5:23, EHS (21-7)- 7-yard pass, Bridges to Tucker – Sefton kick good (2 plays, 9 yds, 0:44)
1Q, 0:16, CHS (21-13) – 51-yard run, Couch – PAT no good (1 play, 51 yds, 0:09)
2Q, 8:24, EHS (28-13) – 6-yard run, Latham – Sefton kick good (9 plays, 68 yds, 3:52)
2Q, 4:53, CHS (28-21) – 1-yard run, Couch – Couch 2pt run (8 plays, 80 yds, 3:31)
2Q, 2:12, CHS (28-28) – 23-yard run, Couch – PAT Good (4 plays, 64 yds, 1:59)
3Q, 6:00, CHS (28-35) – 1 yard run, Couch – PAT good (12 plays, 70 yds, 6:00)
3Q, 3:30, EHS (35-35) – 31-yard pass, Bridges to Tucker – Sefton kick good (6 plays, 73 yds, 2:30)
3Q, 2:20, EHS (42-35) – 8-yard run, Roberts – Sefton kick good (2 plays, 27yds, 1:11)
4Q, 11:45, EHS (48-35) – 60-yd fumble return, Nelson – PAT no good
4Q, 6:01, EHS (51-35) – 27-yd FG, Sefton (9 plays, 65 yds, 4:36)

EFFINGHAM
Rushing: Roberts, 16 for 112 yds, TD; Latham, 11 for 69 yds, TD; Bridges, 7 for -10 yds; Holland, 2 for 9 yds.
Passing: Bridges, 18-for-25, 274 yds, 4 TD.
Receiving: Pals, 7 for 139 yds, 2 TD; Tucker 5 for 85 yds, 2 TD; Kalber, 2 for 16 yds; Holland, 1 for 13 yds; Latham, 1 for 10 yds; Flack, 1 for 6 yds; Starkey, 1 for 5 yds.
TOTAL OFFENSE: 454 yds on 51 plays (36 rushes for 180 yds; 25 passes for 274 yds).

CHARLESTON
Rushing: Couch, 22 for 259 yds, 5 TD; Stewart, 5 for 44 yds; Taylor-Lutz, 9 for 35 yds; Gordon, 6 for -32 yds.
Passing: Gordon, 6-for-16, 125 yds.
Receiving: Taggart, 3 for 82 yds; Hayes, 1 for 23 yds; Shaffer, 1 for 12 yds, Taylor-Lutz, 1 for 8 yds.
TOTAL OFFENSE: 436 yds on 54 plays (38 rushes for 311 yds; 16 passes for 125 yds).

TURNOVERS: Effingham 1 (fumble), Charleston 3 (3 fumbles).

PENALTIES: Effingham, 6 for 55 yds; Charleston, 4 for 55 yds.

FIRST DOWNS: Effingham 17 (8 rushing, 8 passing, 1 by penalty), Charleston 21 (16 rushing, 4 passing, 1 by penalty).