Overtime Thriller Eludes Tribe

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ For the third consecutive time, <span id="lw_1221288492_0" class="yshortcuts">Du Quoin High School</span>&#185;s visit to

Harrison-Bruce Sports Complex has ended in overtime frustration.

Friday night, the seventh-ranked Indians dropped a heartbreaking 34-33

decision against the host Tigers, losing the game on Ethan Grounds&#185;

point-after touchdown kick in overtime.

Du Quoin (2-1) also fell in similiar fashion during 2004 and 2006 visits to

Herrin. The host Tigers, 3-0, evened their all-time series against Du Quoin at

15-15-2.

"I said earlier in the week that any <span id="lw_1221288492_1" class="yshortcuts">high school football fan</span> who wanted to

see a great game needed to be here,&#178; said Herrin coach Jason Karnes. "

"You couldn&#185;t be disappointed after that game. Both teams left everything they

had out there.&#178;

A.J. Hill&#185;s three-yard touchdown blast put Du Quoin ahead 33-27 on the

second play of the extra session, but Hill and Dalton Morgan missed

connections on the PAT pass.

Herrin needed just two plays on its OT session to tie things, knotting the

score on a three-yard run by B.J. McGee.

After a timeout, Grounds kicked the deciding point through the uprights to

trigger a wild celebration.

"That was just a great football game,&#178; Indians coach Al Martin said. " We

made some mistakes and its pretty frustrating right now. But there areas

where will work on and get better at. "

<span id="lw_1221288492_2" class="yshortcuts" style="border-bottom: medium none; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> Du Quoin</span> drew first blood, moving 75 yards in 14 plays on its opening drive.

Hill covered the final 25 on a perfect fourth down and 10 toss to wideout

Seth Flint. The PAT kick was blocked.

Herrin bounced back quickly, jumping ahead 7-6 on the first of Garrett

Butler &#338;s (16 carries, 86 yards) touchdown blasts.

The margin reached 14-6 by halftime when the Tigers scored just prior to the

break. Butler again ran in from the four at the 22.8 second mark. Grounds

booted the extra point and carried 26 yards on a third down and long to keep

the chains moving.

In the third quarter, Du Quoin moved ahead briefly on Hill&#185;s 16-yard scoring

strike to Morgan.

As he crossed the goal line, Morgan fumbled.

The senior, however, beat two Tiger defenders to the ball for a TD. Hill hit

<span id="lw_1221288492_3" class="yshortcuts" style="border-bottom: medium none; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">David Rose</span> on the PAT, tying things at 14-14.

Herrin&#185;s special teams&#8249;a thorn in the <span id="lw_1221288492_4" class="yshortcuts">Du Quoin side</span>&#8249;struck on the ensuing

kickoff when Marshall Anderson raced 85 yards all the way down to the

Indians 11.

Kyle Hudson finished the one-play drive to put Herrin back in front.

After Grounds&#185; kick, the score was 21-14.

In the third quarter, Du Quoin sandwiched a pair of three-yard TD runs

around Butler&#185;s eight-yard scoring dash.

When Hill ran in with 3:45 left, the score was tied at 27-27.

Nick Baskin&#185;s PAT try was blocked for the second time, keeping things even

and setting the stage for a wild finish.

"Both teams made so many big plays," Martin said. "I felt like if we could

just contain their running attack a little bit that we would be in good

shape."

Herrin ran for 186 yards with Grounds (44 yards) complimenting Butler

nicely.

Grounds completed just one pass, a 20-yard strike to David Mallow.

Hill finished 17-for-128, totalling 168 yards.

Flint had six catches with Rose adding four. Marcus Clarry and Morgan added

two receptions each.

Hill (20 carries, 109 yards) was the game&#185;s top rusher. Jamar Reed added 59

yards.

Defensively, Evon Stolhans and Flint (seven tackles) led Du Quoin.

Kyle Paxton recorded six stops.

The Indians host Chester (0-2) next Friday night.

"That was just a tough game, &#179; Martin said.

&#179;A tough game.&#178;