One of Editor & Publisher\u2019s \u201810 That Do It Right 2021\u2019
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<\/i> Updated: December 18, 2021 @ 1:48 am<\/small><\/p>\n
Sports Editor The Mustangs entered the postseason with a No. 13 seed and 5-4 record. They’ve since won two games by an average of 27.5 points and can take down a No. 1 seed on Saturday.
College\/Prep Sports Reporter
Recapping Saturday\u2019s second-round area playoff action:<\/em>
BENTON \u2014 Turnovers hurt Monticello early, and the sixth-seeded Sages couldn\u2019t recover in a second-round playoff road loss to a No. 3 seed.
Monticello (8-3) trailed the host Rangers (11-0) 7-6 in the first quarter after a 98-yard touchdown pass from Joey Sprinkle to Peyton Scott.
But that was as close as the Sages would get the rest of the afternoon. Benton went ahead 21-6 at the end of the first quarter and led 35-6 at halftime.
Sprinkle finished 16 of 32 for 238 passing yards but threw three interceptions.
Jacob Tackett produced a team-high 78 rushing yards on nine carries for the Sages.
PRINCETON \u2014 A scoreless first quarter quickly turned against the visiting Hawks in a second-round playoff game.
Second-seeded Princeton (10-1) took a 13-0 lead into halftime against seventh-seeded Prairie Central (8-3) before outscoring the Hawks 20-0 in the third quarter to take a 33-0 lead into the fourth quarter and cruise to the win.
Prairie Central committed three turnovers, and Princeton outgained the Hawks 377-72 in total offense.
Drew Fehr (36 rushing yards on 16 carries) and Camden Palmore (22 rushing yards on nine carries) tried to spark Prairie Central\u2019s run game but couldn\u2019t deliver consistently. Both of Owen Rafferty\u2019s passes were intercepted by Princeton.
BISMARCK \u2014 Third-seeded Bismarck-Henning\/Rossville-Alvin never led, but almost mounted an epic comeback before falling a touchdown short in a second-round home playoff loss.
Sixth-seeded Nashville (10-1) enjoyed a 33-13 lead to start the fourth quarter, but the Blue Devils (10-1) cut the Hornets\u2019 lead to 33-20 on a 3-yard touchdown run by Michael Hackman and 33-26 after a 44-yard touchdown pass from Dawson Dodd to Mason Hackman with only 1:54 remaining.
Dodd finished 14 of 23 for 296 passing yards with two touchdown passes.
Rhett Harper (71 rushing yards on 13 carries) and Michael Hackman (54 rushing yards on eight carries) also chipped in. Mason Hackman caught a team-high six passes for 141 yards and two scores.
MT. STERLING \u2014 The fifth-seeded Purple Riders (9-2) blasted out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back in shutting down the 13th-seeded Hornets and advancing to the quarterfinals.
Arcola\u2019s ninth consecutive win overall was powered by Beau Edwards\u2019 125 passing yards, 66 rushing yards and five all-purpose touchdowns. Tanner Thomas caught six passes for 116 yards and three scores, and Jed Jones rushed for 94 yards and one touchdown.
The Purple Riders will host ninth-seeded Central A&M (8-3) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals.
COLFAX \u2014 Kaden Farrell rushed for 193 yards on 35 carries and three touchdowns, lifting the 13th-seeded host Mustangs to a second-round playoff win over a No. 5 seed.
Carter Coffman went 2 of 3 for 63 passing yards, with both of his completions resulting in touchdowns for Ridgeview\/Lexington. Farrell hauled in a 48-yard touchdown catch and Logan Friedmansky added a 15-yard touchdown reception as the Mustangs trailed 20-19 early in the third quarter before rattling off 28 unanswered points.
Ridgeview\/Lexington (7-4) will host top-seeded Abingdon-Avon (10-1) at 1 p.m. next Saturday in the state quarterfinals.
ABINGDON \u2014 Eighth-seeded Iroquois West fell behind 24-0 at the end of the first quarter and could not recover in a second-round road playoff setback against a No. 1 seed.
Trystyn Schacht and Auston Miller each rushed for a touchdown for the Raiders, who added a scoring throw from Sam McMillan to Aiden Tilstra.
POLO \u2014 Angel Salinas rushed for 257 yards and four touchdowns, but it wasn\u2019t enough as the visiting eighth-seeded Bearcats saw their season end with a quarterfinal loss to the No. 1 seed.
Sawyer Laffoon added 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns on eight carries for Milford\/Cissna Park (7-4).<\/p>\n
Sports Editor
Matt Daniels is sports editor at The News-Gazette. His email is mdaniels@news-gazette.com.
College\/Prep Sports Reporter
Colin Likas covers Illinois football and high school sports at The News-Gazette. His email is clikas@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@clikasNG).
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