The Blue Devils’ football team moved one step closer to becoming playoff-eligible on Friday (Oct. 1) with a 37-14 win at Niantic over Sangamon Valley.

Villa Grove, which led 22-0 at halftime, is 4-2 overall ahead of the Friday (Oct. 8) Senior Night home-finale against Tri-County.

“We didn’t play our best, but we got the job done,” Villa Grove coach Heath Wilson said.

Any momentum that Sangamon Valley had gained by scoring early in the third period was alleviated seconds later when Gunner Cline returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown.

Luke Zimmerman posted his third consecutive 100-yard rushing performance, rambling for 165 yards on 13 carries. He scored two touchdowns.

“He’s a play-maker and wants the ball,” Wilson said. “He gets stronger as the game goes on. He and Parker Stevens are a couple of workhorses.”

Liam Barr hooked up with Layne Rund for a 57-yard scoring strike.

Zimmerman had a team-high 10 tackles. Other defensive leaders were Brady Clodfelder (eight tackles), Robert Fancher (five tackles), Elijah Kiesel (five tackles) and Daelin Price (five tackles).

Barr intercepted two passes and Tyler Wilson picked off one Sangamon Valley pass.

“Our defense played well,” Wilson said. “Elijah had three sacks. We told the defensive line they would win or lose the game.”

Joining Kiesel on the defensive front were Deandre Reinhart, Price and Parker Knierim.

“From last week to this week, they got back to hard-nosed football,” Wilson said. “We stressed defense, defense, defense.”

Villa Grove gained 242 total yards and held Sangamon Valley to 196 yards, the first opponent it kept under 200 yards this season.

Price converted three conversion kicks for the Blue Devils.

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State-ranked Toledo Cumberland took a 40-0 lead into halftime of a Friday (Sept. 24) homecoming game at Villa Grove and went on to a 47-8 triumph.

The Blue Devils got on the board with 7 minutes to play when Liam Barr hooked up with Brady Clodfelder on a 10-yard scoring strike.

Tyler Wilson ran in the two-point conversion.

Barr completed 5 of 16 passes for 27 yards.

Luke Zimmerman (64 yards) and Parker Stevens (39 yards) were the top Villa Grove ground-gainers.

Cumberland, ranked 14th in Class 2A, held a 332-165 edge in total yards.

Defensively, the Blue Devils’ leaders were Clodfelder (seven tackles), Zimmerman (six tackles) and Stevens (five tackles). Robert Fancher and Elijah Kiesel each ended with three tackles.

“We got beat on both sides of the ball,” Villa Grove coach Heath Wilson said. “They pretty much took away everything.

“I’m proud of our kids. They played until the very last minute.”

Wilson said there are some lessons that can be taken from the game.

“It’s kind of a learning process,” Wilson said. “We’ll see if our boys have some grit.

“We have to learn that not everything is easy. This determines where we have to go from here.”

Villa Grove (3-2) returns to action on Friday (Oct. 1) against Sangamon Valley (1-4) in Niantic.

“We have to take care of business this week,” Wilson said.

Tackle Connor Black, who has missed the last two games, is expected back, and Wilson said, “we will ease him back into things.”

The post Toledo Cumberland defeats Villa Grove football first appeared on SJO Daily.

The Blue Devils were held to 217 total yards in their football home opener on Friday (Sept. 3) and dropped a 40-14 decision to Ridgeview/Lexington.

Liam Barr scored both of the Villa Grove touchdowns and also passed for 196 yards, completing 16 of 32 attempts.

Brady Clodfelder had 70 receiving yards, Layne Rund had 49 receiving yards and Robert Fancher had four receptions.

Barr was the team’s rushing leader with eight yards.

“Their offense was not the same that we saw on film,” VG coach Heath Wilson said. “They ran the spread Week 1, but ran a double tight I-formation and overpowered us.

“Their offensive line won the game. They got a good push.”

The Blue Devils’ aerial attack came out of necessity.

“They shut down the run so quickly, and we passed more than we intended,” Wilson said. “I was not unhappy with our effort.”

Daelin Price had six tackles and also returned a fumble recovery to the 1-yard line, setting up Barr’s first quarterback sneak.

Tyler Wilson had a team-high nine tackles in the second game. Clodfelder (seven), Price (six), Luke Zimmerman (six), Gunner Cline (five) and Deandre Reinhart (five) were other team leaders.

“We can’t do anything about last week,” Wilson added. “All we can do is prepare for Cerro Gordo/Bement (1-1) and get better. We hope to get back on track.”

The upcoming home game will be played on Friday (Sept. 10) and will serve as the opener for the Lincoln Prairie Conference teams.

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