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Saturday Romp Returns Tribe to Class 3A Elite Eight

Posted November 10, 2008 10:00 pm

Jeff Profitt

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In 79 previous Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Football Playoff games, Du Quoin had never reached the 50-point plateau.

Saturday afternoon-in a flurry of long passes, interceptions, fumble recoveries and special teams plays-that all changed.

The Indians exploded for 51 points, its all time post season best, in a 51-19 throttling of undefeated Carterville.

Advancing into the Elite Eight round in Class 3A for the 17th year, Du Quoin (10-1) hosts another undefeated foe, Decatur St. Teresa (11-0), this coming Saturday.

Carterville, which was outscoring its opponents by nearly 50 points per contest, ended the season 10-1.

"Sometimes in a game like this momentum is the big thing," Indians coach Al Martin said. "It could have been a different ballgame if Carterville would have gotten a break or two. It just kind of snow balled in the game. We've been on the other side of that before."

Du Quoin's offense rolled up 466 total yards, 257 coming from the left arm of quarterback A.J. Hill.

The senior standout tossed six touchdown passes-a single game DHS record-to four different receivers and rushed for 50 more yards.

An opportunistic defense forced five Carterville turnovers, three leading directly to scores, and held the Lions vaunted mid-line option offense to almost 38 points under its season average.

"That's what great teams do," Carterville coach Dennis Drust said of Du Quoin. "They take advantage of your miscues. They threw it very well and that was a big difference in this game. We just really had no answer for stopping them."

The Indians stayed on the ground for all but the final play of their first scoring drive.

After 10 running plays, Hill found Cale Bastien wide open on a fourth-down-and-goal swing pass from the 3-yard line.

Nick Baskin booted the extra point and Du Quoin led 7-0.

Carterville bounced back to knot things at 7-7 early in the second quarter, marking on Brad Drust's 5-yard run. Alec Waldron's extra point tied the score and things stayed the same for the next 8 1/2 minutes.

Momentum appeared to be on Carterville's side after Hill was stopped short from the one-yard line on fourth down. Du Quoin's defense buckled down and forced a Lions punt from the end zone.

Dalton Morgan rushed in to easily block the punt of Jeremy Rasor, sending the ball about 15 feet out of the end zone.

The safety put the Indians ahead 9-7 and set the stage for a wild final 2:16 of the half.

Rasor's punt on the free kick was returned 34 yards by Marcus Clarry to the Lions 42.

Hill and a streaking Seth Flint connected down the left sideline on the first play, pushing the Indians in front 15-7.

Baskin's kick made the score 16-7 as things began to quickly unravel for the hosts.

Clarry stripped David Khoshaba on the ensuing kick return and Matt Gossett recovered, putting Du Quoin in business again.

Hill connected with Morgan twice on a pair of 21-yard tosses, the last going for another touchdown.

After another Baskin kick, Du Quoin's lead had ballooned to 30-7. 16 points in a 44 second span.

"We couldn't afford to give a team like that any extra chances," Drust said. "We did. And they made us pay for every single mistake."

Hill's fourth touchdown pass, a 53-yard strike to David Rose and Stephen Bleyer's four-yard run, accounted for the third quarter scoring as Du Quoin led 30-13 starting the final frame.

Barely two minutes into the quarter, Hill struck again.

Flint was on the catching end of his second TD, a perfectly-thrown fade from the 25-yard line.

Ahead 37-13 following Baskin's kick, Flint put the final nails in Carterville's coffin with a leaping interception at the Lions return and 27-yard return.

Starting at the Carterville 29, Hill needed one play and just eight seconds, for another Indians score.

This time, he found Rose wide open again on a backside drag pass. The play totalled 29 yards and pushed Du Quoin in front 44-13.

"I thought A.J. and all the kids really executed the passing game well," Martin understated. "I also was very happy with how we ran the ball."

David Gayton's 21-yard run with 4:36 left capped the scoring and put Du Quoin into the 50-point club. Baskin's seventh straight extra point tacked on the final margin.

Prior to Saturday, Du Quoin's biggest playoff point total had came in 1992's 49-21 rout of Breese Mater Dei.

Hill hit on 15-of-23 attempts.

Rose (108 yards), Flint (82 yards) and Morgan (62 yards) were the top targets.

Gayton ran for 76 more with Ben Conner (44 yards) and Jamor Reed (41 yards) also enjoying solid days.

Defensively, linebacker Colin Jones had a game-high 12 stops.

Morgan added nine, Kyle Paxton and Gossett eight each. Reed and Conner both made seven tackles.

Bryce Hamburger (five tackles) and Reed recovered fumbles. Reed also had an interception.

Morgan deflected a late first half field goal try.

"Our special teams play has continued to improve and it was very good today," Martin said.

"To win games deep in the playoffs there'll be times when you've got to play great defense and special teams."

Carterville had 266 total yards, 160 coming in the last quarter.

St. Teresa blitzed Anna-Jonesboro 49-14 to reach the quarterfinals.

In round one, the Battlin' Bulldogs eliminated Christopher/Zeigler-Royalton (44-7).

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