WESTVILLE — Saturday’s game between Westville and DuQuoin looked like a close playoff matchup on paper.
Both teams combined for a 19-1 record coming in and there were strong playmakers on both sides.
But the Tigers made the most of their plays when they had the chance and were able to come away with an 49-13 win over the Indians in an IHSA Class 2A playoff matchup at Memorial Field.
Westville coach Guy Goodlove said the offensive line was the key as they wore down the Indians through the game.
“We talked all week long about getting four yards a carry and I thought our offensive line did that,” Goodlove said. “I thought our backs had good vision today and it took more than one guy to bring them down. We fought hard for four yards and we kept moving the chains. I thought our best defense was the offensive line because it kept the ball in our hands. The linemen and backs did a great job.”
The first seven minutes of the quarter was a little different from both teams as it was scorleless. But the Tigers broke through when senior running back Lincoln Cravens scored on a four-yard run with 5 minutes, 23 seconds left.
“Coach (Dylan) Allen in the press box recognized the defense and he was able to find the holes and I was able to get the ball to the places they needed to,” Cravens said. “With yards come touchdowns and I have to give credit to the O-Line because without them, I wouldn’t be able to do that.”
After fumbling the ball in the first quarter, senior running back Jack Ajster more than made up for that in the second. Ajster scored two touchdowns of his four touchdowns in the game in the second quarter and — along with a touchdown run by Easton Barney — jumped the Tigers to a 28-0 lead.
“I knew the corner was going to play it and they punched the ball out,” Ajsters said. “It was a reality call for me and it woke me up and I had to get into gear and it ended up with four touchdowns.”
But the Indians were not going to leave without a fight. Johnathan Brown would hit Jeremiah Jones for an 81-yard touchdown pass to go into overtime down 28-7.
The Indians got the ball to start the third quarter and once again was driving, but Easton Bolin put an end to the drive with an interception in the end zone.
“They make calls, communicate, coachable and work hard that equals success and that’s what we had today,” Goodlove said. “I am glad of the defense and if you would have told me that we would have held them to 13, I would have said no way. We bent a little bit, but we didn’t break and when we got the ball in our hands, we took chunks of time off the clock. When they got close to the end zone, Easton Bolin stepped up to make the play. If they scored there, it would have been a two-score game and who knows what would have happened. So when we needed to make plays, we did.”
Cravens had an interception in the ensuing drive to end the third quarter after scoring earlier in the quarter.
“It was the first interception of the season for me and it was amazing,” Cravens said. “Every other week, the crowd gets bigger and everyone plays better with all the emotions. To get another home game and to get more people coming is amazing.”
Ajster scored the last two touchdowns for Westville in the fourth. He said that the number of playmakers were too much for the Indians to overcome.
“We have 11 guys that put it all on the field,” Ajster said. “We lost (Landon) Coon early on and we had secondary people step up and that’s the thing you need is players stepping up making plays. Bolin had a huge turnover in the end zone and that shifted the momentum and my final touchdown was the nail in the coffin. I like that saying and you could tell that because you can see the other team laying down.”
On the last play of the game, Brown hit Jones again for a 19-yard score, but the Indians’ season was already done by them as they end up at 9-2.
For the first time since the 2017 season, the Tigers are in the quarterfinals and will stick around Memorial Field on Saturday.
“It was a good feeling again,” Ajster said. “Just like last week, we showed that we are contenders and we proved it once again.
“It is amazing,” Cravens said. “I know coach Goodlove has made a few big runs like this, but he called it: If we played hard, we could make a good run and it feels good to have a plaque.”
“That is a credit to the job the coaches have done on the offensive line and the kids who have listened, learned, bought in and worked hard,” Goodlove said. “They played together for three years and it shows.
“We are excited and happy. One of the kids asked me ‘How does it feel to be in the Elite Eight?’ I have been there and done that, but it feels real good.”
The Tigers will take on Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond next week. The Knights are also 11-0 and are coming off a 34-16 win over Cumberland.