Scrappy Highand falls just short in home loss to large school power Edwardsville

In a hard-fought football game that featured two teams looking to avoid starting the 2021 season 0-2, the Edwardsville Tigers did just enough down the stretch to defeat host Highland.

The Tigers produced a key first down on a third-down run with 1:46 left and held on for a 41-33 victory Friday night at Highland High School. Edwardsville improved to 1-1, while the Bulldogs dropped to 0-2.

Needless to say, the young Tigers were thrilled to avoid an 0-2 ledger.

“We didn’t play four quarters last week and I thought we did this week,” said Edwardsville coach Matt Martin, whose team lost to De Smet 44-7 in week one. “I really thought the Highland kids were tough kids, hard-nosed, well-coached, and I knew (Highland coach Jimmy Warnecke) was a great coach and even more (so) now.”

Edwardsville struck first as Kellen Bnfre returned a Highland punt 69 yards for a 6-0 lead 3 minutes into the first quarter. The early special teams slip up didn’t sit well with Warnecke.

“We’ve got to be better on special teams,” said Warnecke, whose team lost 30-20 to IHSA Class 6A power Washington in week one. “That field position has been killing us for two weeks.”

Highland answered at the 6:04 mark of the quarter on Travis Porter’s 4-yard touchdown run to go ahead 7-6.

In the second quarter, the Tigers offense began to heat up as Jordan Bush scored one of his two touchdowns on a dazzling 70-yard run. Bush was a tough runner for the Bulldogs defense to corral with his quickness and downhill running.

“Jordan is special and our o-line and receivers block hard for him and they know that if they do, good things will happen,” Martin said.

A James Distaso-Hutchins 18-yard pass to David Deuanephenh pushed the Tigers lead to 20-7 with 8:44 left in the first half.

The Highland offense promptly answered on the next series as junior quarterback Brent Wuebbels hit Gabe Marti with a 65-yard bomb, cutting the lead to 20-14.

The Tigers quickly answered as Distaso-Hutchins connected with Beau Brant on a 26-yard touchdown pass, stretching the lead to 27-14.

Once again, HHS battled back. This time it was Wuebbles, who capped the drive with a 5-yard keeper, shaving the Tigers lead to 27-21 just before intermission.

The Bulldogs resilience throughout the night pleased Warnecke.

“I wanted a four-quarter dogfight and we got down two scores early a couple of times in the first half and in the second half and to our boys credit, they kept responding and they made plays,” Warnecke said. “I was extremely proud of my coaches and players for keeping the foot on the gas pedal and battling adversity.”

Bnfre scored on an 11-yard with 6:24 left in the third quarter to extend Edwardsville’s lead to 34-21.

Both teams trade touchdowns

Porter answered for the Bulldogs with a 2-yard touchdown run that trimmed the deficit to 34-27 with 2:38 left in the quarter. The 2-point conversion run failed.

Edwardsville re-established control early in the fourth quarter when Bush, a sophomore, scored his second touchdown of the evening on a 6-yard run for a 41-27 cushion.

Bush, the Tigers lead running back, praised the work of his offensive line for allowing him running room and being able to score.

“I really want to thank my o-line,” he said.

Highland draws closer but Tigers close out the win

The Bulldogs challenged once more as Porter scored his third touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run to cut the lead to 41-33 with 2:41 left. Porter’s big night on the ground and knack for the end zone pleased Warnecke.

“He’s not the biggest, he’s not the fastest, but he’s great at reading blocks. And the biggest thing that stuck out to me about Travis Porter tonight was how he sniffed the end zone,” Warnecke said. “He finds a way to get in there and that’s a special trait and you saw some flashiness (from him) against a large school defense.”

The Tigers got the ball back on the ensuing kickoff and churned out 22 yards to run down the clock.

Highland will look for its first win at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, against host Marion in another non-conference game.