Highland posts season-ending win over Jerseyville in MVC third place game
When the Highland football team learned sophomore quarterback Brent Wuebbles would miss Friday’s spring season finale against Jerseyville due to COVID-19 quarantine protocol, it was up to senior running back Logan Chandler to run the offense and keep the Bulldogs going.
Chandler did that and a lot more, as he ran wild and scored three touchdowns to help Highland race to a 50-13 season-ending victory in the Mississippi Valley Conference Bowl Series third-place game at Highland High School.
The outcome put a nice cap on a very challenging and COVID-truncated spring 2021 campaign.
“It really feels great to end it all with a win. We didn’t have the season that we wanted. But as a team, we ended it off with a win,” said Chandler. “I thank my seniors, I thank my sophomores, I thank them all for giving me their everything and it feels great.”
Jerseyville actually stormed ahead 7-0 early a 35-yard scoring dash by running back Chase Withrow.
Late in the first quarter, Chandler rumbled in from 11 yards out. Chandler, who took turns alternating with Cade Altadonna at quarterback throughout the game, ran in the 2-point conversion for an 8-7 lead.
“I was our running back and they put me in there at quarterback. And being at quarterback, it’s a little more straightforward running,” Chandler said.
Highland (3-3) went ahead 16-7 in the second quarter when Altadonna rolled out and hit Brendan Gelly with a 6-yard scoring pass. Altadonna ran in the 2-point conversion.
Then Chandler and the Bulldogs’ run game went to work. Chandler scored on touchdown runs of 21 yards and 5 yards in the final 6 minutes of the first half for a commanding 32-7 lead.
Chandler, who is considering Greenville University next fall, had a career-high performance with 331 yards on 31 carries.
“I had a few butterflies before the game, but after the one (touchdown) that feeling went away,” Chandler said.
The outputs from Chandler and Altdadonna impressed HHS coach Jimmy Warnecke.
“We the Cade and LC (Chandler) combination there a little bit. We had a lot of smoke and mirrors out there tonight and for the most part, things went pretty well,” Warnecke said. “LC, he’s a workhorse, he can take it (the load). He’s a big boy and people see what he does on the field and some people ... they’ve just got that C on their jersey ... some people they own it and he’s one of them.”
Bulldogs keep up the pressue in 3rd quarter
HHS added a pair of scores in the third quarter as Jeffrey Blunt scored on a 2-yard run and senior wideout Reid Thole’s 8-yard touchdown romp put the Bulldogs comfortably in front 44-7.
“Usually, our game plan is to play what’s ahead of you whether you win or lose,” Chandler said. “Play what’s ahead of you and do your job.”
Highland’s run game powered by Chandler’s big night dismantled the Jerseyville defense to the tune of 518 yards on 51 carries.
“We made a couple of adjustments and really got that run game going,” Warnecke said.
Altadonna was 5-of-5 passing for 101 yards with 50 of those yards coming on a bomb to Thole.
Excellent ending to season for Highland
In the end, Warnecke was very happy for Chandler, Thole, Liam Gallagher, Sam Buck, Blunt, and all of his 2021 Bulldogs seniors who left the field on a high note.
“It’s great to end on a positive note and to send the seniors off. It’s a positive note for our guys before they start summer ball as we’re trying to build positive momentum,” Warnecke said. “It’s great to be able to send them off like this and I’m proud of the underclassmen. Their day will come, and I think that reflects how the underclassmen feel about the seniors and the love we have on this team.”
Jerseyville ended its season at 1-5.