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The Illini West Varsity Football Team Wins in Overtime

The Illini West Chargers defeated the Bushnell-West Prairie Sparclones by a final score of 28 - 22 Friday night.

This final score came after both teams were tied at the end of regulation at 22 points each.

Bushnell-West Prairie started the scoring off at the 1:14 mark of the first quarter on a 6 yard run. However, the Chargers would answer back scoring twice before the end of the half. The first of these two scores came on a 75 yard touchdown pass from IW Quarterback Jackson Porter to Split End Jace Norman. Connor Artman would complete the two point conversion.

The second IW score came at the 8:30 mark of the second quarter when Connor Artman broke free for a 55 yard touchdown run and this time Jace Norman caught another pass from Jackson Porter for the two point conversion to give the Chargers the 16 - 6 lead at halftime.

The Sparclones would score two unanswered touchdowns to start the second half and take the lead 22 - 16 with 10 minutes left in the 4th Quarter. However, Illini West would put together a scoring drive of its own with less than five minutes remaining capped off by Connor Artman who would score his second touchdown of the night on a 7 yard run behind the blocking of offensive linemen like Kennedy Gooding.

The Chargers failed on their two point conversion try to leave the score tied 22 - 22 at the end of regulation.

The Chargers won the coin flip and elected to take the ball first in overtime. They would score in just two plays from the 10 yard line when once again Jackson Porter completed a 5 yard pass to Split End Jace Norman.

And again IW failed to convert the two point conversion which left the Chargers up 6 points when Bushnell-West Prairie began their attempt on offense.

However, the IW defense would come up strong stopping the Sparclones four times from the 10 yard line. On Bushnell-West Prairie's last chance to score they had fourth down and goal from the 3 yard line but the IW defense led by Camyrn Marshall and a host of Chargers would get the Sparclone ball carrier brought down short of the goal line to preserve the victory for Illini West.

The Charger defense played well the whole night recording three takeaways. Connor Artman intercepted a Sparclone pass and both DeVante Jackson and Colby Claassen each recovered Bushnell-West Prairie fumbles.

And Jace Norman, Ross Neff, DeVante Jackson, Dominick Foster, Colton Sargeant, and Drake Huss all had 9 tackles for the Chargers.

Illini West will play host to Peoria Heights this coming Friday night at 7:00 p.m.