The Illini West football team is on a roll.
The Chargers have won four straight games, the latest a 34-7 victory over Bureau Valley on Senior Night.
Illini West won the toss and deferred to the second half. Bureau Valley started its first drive at its 35-yard line. They held the football for three minutes before turning it over on downs after a Brady Hartz three-yard reception kept them seven yards short of the first down after a 10-play, 54-yard drive at the eight-yard line of the Chargers.
The Chargers threw incomplete on first down. Ethan Carlisle had a four-yard run on second down. Tre Neiderman caught a Carlisle pass for a 15-yard gain and the first down. Nick Johnson was stopped for two-yard and three-yard losses on consecutive plays. Carlisle lost six yards on the next play and the Chargers were forced to punt it back to Bureau Valley.
The Storm’s next drive started at their own 44-yard line. Elijah Endress had a seven-yard carry on first down. The drive ended as Helms tired to fake the handoff and fumbled the football and it was recovered by Issac Jones of the Chargers at the 35-yard line.
Carlisle was dropped for a seven-yard loss by Endress on a keeper on first down. He lost four more yards on the next carry. Max Kinnamon was thrown for an eight-yard loss. Kinnamon punted it away on fourth down. The Storm went three-and-out punted back to the Chargers.
Johnson ran for 12 yards to end the scoreless opening quarter. Carlisle had a three-yard gain to open the second period. Neiderman caught consecutive passes of 12 and 13 yards. Carlisle was incomplete on first down. He connected with Kinnamon at the 30-yard line and Kinnamon ran it in from there to put the Chargers up 6-0 on a 48-yard pass play. Neiderman caught a pass for the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead with 9:56 to play in the half.
The Storm’s next drive featured a Helms 36-yard run. Four plays later, Endress was stopped at the line of scrimmage by a herd of Chargers on fourth down to turn the football back over to the Chargers at their own 22-yard line.
Carlisle had positive gains of seven, two and four yards to pick up the first down. Johnson ran to the right and broke an Endress tackle near the line of scrimmage and then raced 66 yards for the touchdown to put the Chargers up 14-0 after the two-point conversion failed with 4:48 to play in the half.
The Storm had another three-and-out and punted it back to the Chargers.
Carlisle threw incomplete on first down. He ran for 36 and two yards on consecutive plays. Johnson added a four-yard carry. Carlisle ripped off a six-yard gain to pick up the first down. Kinnamon was dropped for a six-yard loss after taking a double handoff. Carlisle threw back-to-back incompletions to set up a fourth and 14 at the 14-yard line. Carlisle rounded right and threw back across his body to the left and found a wide open Kinnamon who ran into the end zone from 14 yards out to make the score 20-0. The conversion failed.
Bureau Valley was called for illegal procedure and Endress had a two-yard run to end the half with the Chargers leading 20-0.
The Chargers took the second-half kickoff and Neiderman caught a pass from Carlisle for five yards. Johnson tried to turn the corner on the right side and was dropped for a two-yard loss by Tyce Barkman. A Carlisle pass intended for Johnson was picked off by Blake Foster of the Storm.
The Storm had the football for eight plays before turning it over on downs to the Chargers. The Chargers took over at the Storm 45-yard line. Johnson ran for seven yards. Back-to-back penalties on the Chargers for a false start and holding made it second and 17. Carlisle threw two straight incompletions and Kinnamon punted it back to the Storm.
The Next Storm drive featured a Foster 13-yard reception and on the next play a Helms 20-yard run. But the Chargers defense held strong as Khile Stonger broke up a pass on fourth down to keep the Storm scoreless.
Starting at their own six-yard line, the Chargers got two yards from Carlisle. Bureau Valley was offsides making it second and three. Johnson was stopped in his tracks for no gain and Carlisle was incomplete to set up a fourth and three from the 13-yard line. The Storm’s Bracin Patnoe was called for roughing the kicker to keep the football with the Chargers. Johnson had a two-yard run. Sparks caught a three-yard pass and that play ended the third quarter. Johnson broke off a 78-yard run and was caught from behind by Hartz at the three-yard line. Carlisle pitched to Johnson and he ran it in from three yards out. Trish Mokosch kicked the extra point for a 27-0 score.
The Storm went three-and-out, punting the football back to the Chargers. The next Chargers drive started at the Storm 37-yard line. Johnson had back-to-back three-yard runs. Carlisle followed with a six-yard carry. Johnson went for 12 yards and then lost four yards on the next play. Johnson had a six-yard carry and Neiderman with a run of four off the pitch to set up fourth and five. Sparks out-jumped Hartz for a pass and came down in the end zone for the touchdown. Mokosch added the successful extra point for a 34-0 lead.
The Storm got a run of 19 yards from Helms on first down. Five plays later, Helms found Foster in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown and Barkman added the extra point for the final score of 34-7.
“There were a lot of doubters when we were 0-3. They have dug themselves out of a huge hole and have put themselves in the position to make the playoffs,” Illini West Head Coach Jacob Calvin said after the game. “It was a great team win and even more special for the seniors who were playing their last regular season game at home.
“I coached these seniors at the JV (junior varsity) level and I am happy for them,” he added. “Our defense executed the way we knew they could. Nick (Johnson) getting his carries and running the football well has helped the passing game. And the offensive line continues to gel.”
Stats: Nick Johnson carried the football 16 times for 150 yards two touchdowns. Carlisle ran for 55 yards on 13 attempts. Carlisle was 8-15 for 118 yards and three touchdowns. Kinnamon had two catches for 62 yards and touchdowns of 48 and 14 yards. Sparks caught three passes for 16 yards and a touchdown.
