By Fred Kroner
Two Villa Grove/Heritage quarterbacks passed for more than 100 yards and each threw a touchdown pass, but the Blue Devils couldn’t recover from a 14-0 deficit in the game’s first 7 ½ minutes and lost their football finale at home, 26-21, to Arcola on Friday (April 23).
Blake Smith passed for 137 yards, and Liam Barr threw for 113 yards before being sidelined with a concussion. Barr’s TD pass was hauled in by Smith.
Smith tossed a scoring strike to Jack Benschneider. Smith also rushed for one TD.
Following each score, VG/Heritage’s Daelin Price converted the extra-point kick.
“Friday night was a great game overall,” Villa Grove/Heritage coach Heath Wilson said. “A couple questionable calls and we would have possibly been on the winner’s side of the game.
“Carson Howard intercepted a pass late in the second quarter and took it in for six (points) and it got called back because of a block in back. That would have been a huge score going into halftime.”
Barr passed for 507 yards and six TDs this season. Smith threw for 382 yards and four TDs.
Arcola held a slender 349-332 edge in total yards.
“Had the ball at the end to win the game, but Arcola’s defense was too tough,” Wilson added. “Senior Blake Smith led us in the second half to a great comeback, but fell just a little short.
“Hats off to Arcola. They are always tough and well-coached.”
Kurt Zimmerman was the Blue Devils’ top rusher, gaining 47 yards on 13 attempts.
Howard recorded his third 100-yard receiving game of the year, gaining a season-high 158 yards on his eight receptions. For the year, Howard caught 28 passes for 528 yards and six TDs.
Issac Mahoe had six catches for 63 yards.
Defensively, Zimmerman was in on 14 tackles, matching his season’s high game. He was in double figures in tackling in four games.
Benschneider had 11 stops, including eight solos. Howard matched his season’s best with nine tackles.
Brady Clodfelder and Tyler Wilson each had seven tackles.
Villa Grove/Heritage ends the season with a 3-3 record. The team averaged 22.7 points per game and defensively allowed 21.7 points per contest.
“I’m glad we got to play in all six games,” Wilson said. “Some kids were quarantined here and there, but we gave our players a chance to play every week.
“Not a lot of teams can say that. We have a great senior class and I hope they made some memories. Younger classmen got a lot of varsity playing time and these players will be fun to watch come August.
“It was nice feeling some normalcy. It will be a short layoff and back to work come June. Hope we have a normal fall season.”
