Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009

Field goal ends year for Althoff; Crusaders lose 10-7 to Effingham

EFFINGHAM -- He may have been the backup kicker before last week, but senior Graham Glasby is now the most popular player at Effingham High School.

Glasby's first career field goal was a 20-yarder with 9.4 seconds remaining Friday, lifting the Flaming Hearts past Althoff 10-7 in a Class 4A first-round playoff game.

It was Effingham's first field goal attempt all season, but this one off the muddy turf by a 5-foot-11, 260-pound lineman sent the Flaming Hearts (9-1) flying into the second round.

Althoff's season ended at 6-4.

"To tell you the truth, we don't practice field goals very much," Effingham coach Mike McDonald said. "Graham didn't kick an extra point until last week, but he practiced his butt off and he looked pretty good. He's got a foot on him."

The teams battled through extremely muddy field conditions to a 7-7 draw late in the fourth quarter. A low snap on an Althoff punt caused Brady Nowak, who also is the quarterback, to fall on the ball at the Crusaders' 29 with 1:18 remaining.

A quick pass over the middle to Brad Reedy netted nine yards and a face mask penalty against Althoff on the play pushed the ball to the 10.

On fourth-and-1 at the 3, Glasby came on to try the kick and was so excited he forgot the tee. Althoff burned a timeout trying to create some additional tension, but the straight-on kicker split the uprights.

"We felt like we were bigger and could power the ball, but we had too many turnovers," Althoff coach Ken Turner said. "We haven't turned the ball over this much throughout the season. But with this (mud), that's bound to happen."

Both teams struggled in the swamp-like quagmire throughout the night, leading to several turnovers by both teams.

"It's tough, but you can't get mad at the kids because it's a sloppy field, sloppy weather," Turner said. "Kids are running the ball with mud, trying to catch snaps with mud. They made the plays, so give them credit.

"I really do feel like we're a better team, but they're moving on."

Althoff scored first on a 12-play, 99 1/2-yard drive lasting nearly six minutes powered by running back Paul Cefaratti.

The drive began after Althoff's defense stopped Effingham's Jaron Allred just short of the goal line on fourth down.

Backed up to their own half-yard line following a false start penalty at the 1 that cost them half the distance to the goal, the Crusaders slowly dug themselves out of a hole.

With Cefaratti carrying the ball 12 times in a row, including a 35-yard scamper, the Crusaders moved to the Effingham 5-yard line.

Nowak hooked up with junior tight end Carson Sonnenberg for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 10:33 remaining in the first half. Bobby Rowan's extra point made it 7-0.

Cefaratti finished the first half with 104 yards on 20 carries, but got just 18 more after halftime.

Althoff dodged potential danger when a Nowak pass in the second quarter was intercepted by Effingham's Grant Johnson. Johnson nearly reached the end zone, but fumbled inside the 5 and it was recovered by Althoff's Nick Spreen at the 3.

The Crusaders outgained the Flaming Hearts 183-124 in total yards.

Taking over at their own 30 with 1:08 to play in the first half, the Flaming Hearts moved the chains quickly on two long gains by Johnson and another by Sean Dammerman.

Alex Steppe tossed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Tate with 14.7 seconds left in the half and Graham Glasby booted the extra point to tie it.

It was Tate's first career touchdown.

"We dominate the first half and then we just let them go down with (14.7) seconds and score a touchdown," Turner said. "That can't happen. We overpowered them in the first half like we felt like we could do.

"Then we let them drive 70 yards. That can't happen."

The second half was a close battle in the mud, but Effingham took advantage of three Althoff turnovers to thwart drives.

The final one on the low punt snap led to the winning score.

"We mishandled the ball just as much as they did, it was tough conditions all around," McDonald said. "Everybody across the state is (playing in bad weather conditions), so we're not ashamed of anything we've won."