Arcola Playoff homes dim with 34-0 loss to Sangamon Valley/Tri-City
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By Mike Monahan
NIANTIC – After five weeks the Arcola football team was 3-2 and on a three-game winning streak where they outscored its opponents 42-15 and needed just two wins in the last four games. Last Friday the Purple Riders fell to 3-4 overall as Sangamon Valley/Tri-City improved to 4-3 with a 34-0 triumph in a Lincoln Prairie Conference game.
The playoff hopes are still alive, but just barely as Arcola travels to Arthur to face undefeated Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond (the No. 9 team in the latest Associated Press Class 2A rankings). To become playoff eligible the Purple Riders have to beat ALAH and then Cerro Gordo/Bement (a team that is winless (0-7) in the final regular season game on Senior Night at Thomas-Bradford Field.
“We knew that this was not going to be an easy game,” said Sangamon Valley coach Carl Spath. “I know what the score says on the scoreboard. It is not reflective of what they were able to put out on the field. They should be extremely proud. We knew with them coming here it was going to be tough competition. They have a lot of tradition. We knew when we came out tonight we would have to play a very, very good football game. I am just extremely proud of my guys.”
The last time Sangamon Valley beat Arcola was in the first year as the Storm in 2004, a 46-21 victory. The Purple Riders had won 14 in a row over the Storm.
Sangamon Valley finished with three players that ran for at least 100 years and scored on 46, 70, 70 and 40 yard touchdown runs, scoring on a one-yard run as well. Jaeger Hill and Ayden Lynch finished with 10 carries for 100 yards and three carries for 100 yards as well as one touchdown respectively, while Hunter Martin led the team with nine carries for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Sangamon Valley had 27 carries for 359 yards and five touchdowns.
Making his first start at quarterback for Arcola was Breyvn Whisman, a 6-2 junior. He was 7-of-16 for 96 yards, no interceptions or touchdowns.
“Brevyn stepped up huge for us,” said Arcola coach Steve Snider. “Talking about throwing and running and being able to lead was great. He is a kid that is always loose. So, there wasn’t a ton of worries going into the game about the nerves getting the better of that kid. He threw the ball all over the yard and made a lot of good ones. We were just not able to string it together on offense over and over. “
Arcola did get into Sangamon Valley territory on five of the nine drives, including the 12 in the first half, which was the closest they came to scoring. Their average drive started at its own 39 and ended at the Storm 47.
The Purple Riders found out at 12:30 p.m. Friday that Jayden Henson-Stice was cleared to play after missing the game last week.
“Sangamon Valley played a really good football game,” said Snider. “I wasn’t practicing the entire week planning to have him. We didn’t know until today (Friday). He still came out and did some really nice things for us. Right now the plan is to keep moving forward with Breyvn, we know we have Jayden back. He looked really good tonight coming off the injury. I think everybody was able to see what we have potential wise with that group on the field. We just have to make it more consistent.”
The Storm, who forced Arcola to punt on its first possession, scored on the second play of the game as Hill scampered 40 yards on the left side into the end zone and Hunter Martin booted the extra point for the 7-0 SV/TC lead.
Arcola trailed just 14-0 at halftime and on its best possession got into the red zone on its third possession of the game. The drive started at its own 44 and included a 17-yard pass to Braden Phillips from Whisman on the first play. The two hooked up for 23 yards later in the drive. However, on a fourth and six from the 12 the pass was incomplete and the Storm took over.
In the second half another early score occurred as the Storm scored on its second possession as Martin rambled 46 yards for a touchdown. His extra point made it 21-0.
When it happens like that in short situations,” said Snider. “I feel like it hurts the most. We have to make sure that we are getting 11 guys to the football. I coached girls basketball for a couple of years back in my time in Orangeville and it was always hard to try and get the girls to understand if you are getting pressed it is alright to get a 10 second call instead of a turnover because a turnover is going to result in a layup. If we get a 10 second call we at least get to set up our defense. And that’s the way you can think about big plays. Hey, even if they get a chunk play, we get to sit up our defense and play again. If we don’t do that, that is what happens.”
Arcola struggled running the ball as they had 27 carries for 38 yards. On defense Bryan Mendoza blocked a punt and Whisman had a sack for a loss of seven.
Spath said this about Hill and the defense.
“Jaeger Hill is a dual threat athlete. What is nice about him is he does a really nice job of sharing the ball especially with our line. Hunter Martin had a few long runs and we were able to throw the ball a little bit. It is just nice to have multiple weapons on the field at the same time. Our line has done a phenomenal job this year. I can’t praise them enough. It was our third shutout and we take a lot of pride in that. Our senior class has a ton of leaders that really want to have this program have success. It has been a process of changing the culture in the last three years and I have just been fortunate. Our school board, our community, our staff, everybody has been extremely supportive and it has made my job as a head coach a lot easier. “
Arcola 0 0 0 0–0
Sangamon Valley 7 7 13 7–34
First quarter
S-Jaeger Hill 40 run (Hunter Martin kick) 9:09
Second quarter
S-Wyatt Lappe 1 run (Martin kick) 9:56
Third quarter
S-Martin 46 run (kick failed) 11:02
S-Martin 70 run (Martin kick) 2:03
Fourth quarter
S-Ayden Lynch 70 run (Martin kick) 9:52
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
A-Brevyn Whisman 6-19; Ryder Wilcox-Rich 6-6; Bryan Mendoza 10-10; Jayden Henson-Stice 2-0; Blain Helmuth 3-3; Totals 27-38
S-Jaeger Hill 10-100, TD; Hunter Martin 9-144, 2 TDs; Brody Beals 1-3; Wyatt Lappe 4-12, TD; Ayden Lynch 3-100, TD; Totals 27-359, 5 TDs
Passing
A-Whisman 7-16-0-96, 0 TDs
S-Hill 2-10-1-43, 0 TDs
Receiving
A-Braden Phillips 6-91; Henson-Stice 1-5
S-Beals 1-20; Lynch 1-23
Totals plays-yards
A-43-134 0 TDs
S-37-403-5 TDs