The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
BY: Evan Bell, Quill Reporter
The Heat traveled to Polo, Illinois, last Saturday to take on the defending champion Marcos in the I8FA Semifinals of the 2022 playoffs.
Snow flurries and cold conditions once again were no match for the Heat, who took the first opening possession and drove down the field. #12 Kaiden Droste was able to cap off the drive with a 28 yard rushing touchdown. A failed two point conversion saw the Heat up 6-0.
Polo wasted little time answering, with #17 Brock Soltow breaking a run up the middle to score from midfield on the Marco’s first play from scrimmage. The two pointer was also no good to keep the score even at 6-6.
A successful onsides kick by the Marcos gave them the ball back and they once again looked in business. The Heat forced them into a fourth and goal from the four yard line. Soltow looked to have the edge for an easy score but #35 Parker Meldrum made the touchdown saving tackle to give the shift the momentum back to the Heat on a turnover on downs.
Playing with their backs to the goal line the Heat brought the ball out to the five on a couple carries, but in the snowy conditions Droste lost the ball and the Marcos recovered to give them another goal to go situation.
This time the Heat could not come up with a stop, and Soltow found the endzone for the second time. After two offensive penalties backed the two point try up to the thirteen, Soltow was able to find #23 Cayden Webster for the two point reception to put the Heat down 6-14.
Into the second quarter the Marcos were able to force a Heat punt and looked to stretch their early lead. That was not the case though, as the Heat forced another fourth and four near midfield. Once again Meldrum came up with a big time stop, along with Droste, to give the Heat the ball back on another turnover on downs.
The Heat ran drove through the middle of the Marco’s defense with #8 Mason Carnes and Meldrum. Droste finished the drive with his second score. Meldrum got in for the two to even the score 14-14, with 7:29 remaining in the first half.
Polo’s #31 Noah Dewey was able to slip a tackle and scamper down the sideline for 28 yards before Droste forced him out. A pass from Soltow to Webster brought the ball down to the Heat’s two yard line. Another offensive penalty would back the Marcos back to the seven. A resulting fourth and goal from the half yard line saw Webster go under center and sneak it in for the score. A converted two point try saw the Heat down 14-22 with 2:23 left in the half.
The Heat drove once more, aided by a Polo facemask call, and eventually Droste broke a forty yard run for his third score of the half. A failed conversion left the Heat down 20-22, where it would remain into halftime.
On the opening drive of the third quarter #22 Delo Fernadez broke free down the sideline. He was met by Meldrum at the pylon but was in for the score. An incomplete Soltow pass left the Heat down 20-28.
The Heat responded with a long drive of their own. Even after committing their first penalty of the night (a false start), Polo was unable to come up with a stop. Meldrum scored his first rushing TD of the day, with Carnes keeping it on the two to tie the score back at 28-28, 4:42 left in the third.
The Marcos ended the third with the ball, overcoming two fourth downs, one aided by a Heat offsides penalty the second by a Soltow carry. Into the fourth quarter Soltow once again found the endzone, breaking a run up the middle. Meldrum was shaken up on the play but returned for the two point try after a timeout was taken. #9 Landon Winters broke up Soltow’s pass on the two to keep the Heat down 28-34 with 10:24 remaining in the fourth.
Droste broke a 57 yard score on the Heat’s ensuing 61 yard drive and also carried in the two to give the Heat their first lead since their opening possession of the game. 36-34 with 9:36 remaining.
The Marcos answered with their next drive. A Soltow to Fernandez pass on third and long set up Fernadez’s second rushing touchdown, this one from 30 yards out. Soltow found Dewey on the conversion to give the lead back to the Marcos, 36-42 with 7:00 remaining.
The Heat countered with a 62 yard Droste TD to cap off their 73 yard drive. Carnes kept it on the two to make the score 44-42, with 5:20 left in regulation.
The Marcos were able to recover their own fumble on the following drive and then Soltow spun off the pile on a fourth and one from the nine to run in the go ahead score. The two pointer was shut down to keep the lead to four, 44-48 but with only 42 seconds remaining in the final quarter.
The Heat quickly found themselves in a fourth and nine from midfield, with 25 seconds left to play and no timeouts Carnes went on to find Meldrum for two consecutive passes to bring the ball to the 26 yard line with 4 seconds remaining to play.
With a trip to next week’s I8FA State Championship at April Zorn Memorial Stadium in Monmouth on the line, the Heat went back to what they have done all year. A toss sweep to the left and with blockers including Meldrum out front, Droste broke to the outside before cutting inside of three Marcos defenders to score the game sealing touchdown as the clock expired. The Heat edged the Marcos 50-48 final, in an extremely close and hard fought game.
Next Friday at 7pm the #2 seeded West Central Heat will make the short trek to Monmouth to take on the #5 seeded Amboy Clippers for the Championship Game.