MTZ football loses close one to Breese Central
Patrick Brock making the sack in a 16-13 loss against Breese Central in IHSA 4A Playoffs.
By BLAKE FAITH
Staff Writer
Down 16-0 midway through the third quarter, the Mt. Zion football team didn’t lay down and due to an interception and defensive tackle from Chase Fink, the Braves seized momentum and scored 13 unanswered points, but fell 16-13 to Breese Central in the second round of IHSA 4A 4A Playoffs.
“I think in the first half, their kids did a great job,” Head coach Patrick Etherton said. Their kids are well coached, they did a great job and I thought the first half we did some stuff that’s uncharacteristic of us that we haven’t done all year. I am very proud of the way our guys came back in the second half though. They could have folded at halftime and then we fixed some things and we got ourselves out there and we had a chance in the fourth quarter.”
Fink’s interception came early in the third quarter, but the moment that changed the game happened as the third quarter was expiring. On a third and short, Fink snubbed out the run play, tackled the Cougar’s ball carrier for a loss and forced the Cougars to punt to end the fourth quarter.
“I just kept telling myself, make every play you can and keep my teammates up,” Fink said. “Keep the mentality up, keep our heads up even though things were going downhill down 16 points, we had to make a play and that ball came my way and I said this is the time. And I picked it off and honestly I thought I could have been gone, but I tripped up and then later in the game I just saw that hole. I saw that run coming. I was like, I gotta fill that. And I did.”
The Braves offense took the ball up the field behind a couple passes from Makobi Adams and two first-down carries for Bryson Richardson. Adams then on the eight-yard line fired a screen pass to Brayden Trimble. Trimble ran and leapt into the endzone for a touchdown. The Braves extra point attempt was no good as the Cougars’ lead was narrowed to 16-6.
“We came out flat in the first half with the second half,” Adams said. “At halftime, no one’s getting down on each other because our backs were against the wall. But we know we still gotta lean into our family and we know we can do something great. We scored 13 straight and we had a chance to win. We might have lost, but look at this season, we won a home playoff game. We’ve lost two years in a row, sophomore, junior year in the first round. I am proud of the team and we are all proud of each other. I wouldn’t rather lose with any other group of guys.”
The Braves’ defense came up with another stop and the Braves offense went down the field and on third and nine, Adams ran and finished the first down play. Trimble then went under center and rushed in a seven-yard touchdown staying on his feet through contact. Gabe Shumaker nailed the extra point to narrow the Cougars’ lead to 16-13.
The Braves forced the Cougars to turn the ball over on downs and the offense had one last shot, but then turned the ball over on downs. The Cougars got a first down run with less than 30 seconds in the game and kneeled for the win.
The Braves finished their season 8-3, 2nd place in the Apollo conference and won their first playoff game in three years.
I am just proud of our guys, proud of what they did and, and you know, this is a group that went through Covid and they just keep battling back and they just keep making plays and doing what we ask,” Coach Etherton said. I am just proud to be their coach and appreciate all they did for our program.”
Offensively, Patrick Brock (offensive lineman), Grant McAtee and Brayden Trimble (wide-receivers) made All-Apollo Conference first team. Defensively, Brock (defensive lineman), Cameron Schroth (linebacker) and Trimble (defensive back) made All-Apollo Conference first team.
Owen Owens made All-Apollo Conference first team specialist as a punter. JC Anderson (tight end) and Adams (quarterback) made All-Apollo Conference second team on offense and Tyson Evans (defensive lineman), Jayger Damarin (linebacker) and Jacob Harvey (defensive back) made All-Apollo conference second team on defense.
The Braves graduate 19 seniors: Schroth, Richardson, Tyler Zuber, Evans, Logan Hutton, Damarin, Joelen Blair, Fink, Braden Bolt, McAtee, James Anderson, Caleb Miller, Karson Bollhorst, Landon Weigler, Adams, Trump, Vincent Fiore, Brock and Owens.
“Honestly, this year means a lot more than any other one, because in JFL, I always said, oh you can move on to high school, we’re gonna move on to JFL, freshman, sophomore, junior year. Oh we got another year,” Adams said. But this year, I mean this is it. I’m not going anywhere to play football. I’m kind of content with being done with it, but I wanted to play as long as I can have it, as long as I can. And I mean that’s basically what kept me going. Getting to play with my brother again, knowing we get to suit up.”
Fink offered a similar thought to the end of the football season.
“Beating Triad was one of the best moments from this season, because we were big time underdogs at home. Getting that seventh win at home, which we haven’t done in about three or four years, was awesome. And then winning that first playoff game at home, a revenge game against Effingham, that was great,” Fink said. “And I love that. And I love these boys and I’m gonna continue to love them for the rest of my life.”
