by Steve Dunford

MURPHYSBORO, IL – “That was crazy, I am glad we came out of here with a win.  I will have a much better weekend”, said West Frankfort coach Brian Beery.  “We are coming a long way as a team.  I am proud of my guys.  They never quit, said Murphysboro coach Gary Carter.  Carter was honored last night for picking up his 100th win as a coach.  In week five the Red Devils defeated Massac County 42-20, for the Devils first win of the season.

Carter was an eyelash away from picking up win 101 Friday night.  I have been around sports a long time.  Last night down at Murphy is one of those games I will tell my grandkids one day when they are sitting on my knee.

Here is where things started.  The Redbirds just went up 36-20 at the 7:48 mark on a three yard run by Madison Allen.  Ben Souders forced a fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter.  The Redbirds were very conservative on that drive, being a one possession game and the clock was their best friend.

On the second play of the drive at the 7:14 mark of the fourth quarter the Johnson brothers came up big.  Brendan stripped the ball and Brock recovered a fumble.

With West Frankfort up 14 with the ball, there was a mass exodus of Red Devil fans.The Redbirds were taking their time on what was an eight play drive.

I was making my way to the field, as time was under the two minute mark to catch up with the coaches.  The Redbirds were taking their time, on what was an eight play drive.  They were smelling victory.  They get the ball to the Murphysboro five.

I was thinking on the next play WF would take a knee. There was a low snap that Connor Eaton fumbled.  It was loose on the field.  Jordan Haskins recovered at his own 15, broke several tackles, and scored.  Braden Caldwell ran in the two point conversion to cut Frankfort’s lead to 36-28.

The pandemonium continued.  The Red Devils attempted an on side kick.  The ones across the way were claiming Muphy touched the ball.  On my end, it looked like it struck Madison Allen’s ankle, and he was out of bounds.  Caldwell recovers and the ball is awarded the Murphysboro.  There was a lot of barking from the Redbird faithful, who was outnumbering the Red Devil fans at this point in the game.

The next drive started at the Murphysboro 48.  The Red Devils had all their time outs left and went to the air.  Quarterback Jamar McZeke finds Haskins in the end zone with a 22 yard pass with :28 to go.  Caldwell runs it in for the two point conversion to tie it at 36.

The Redbirds come out and run one play and the game goes into overtime.  Murphy wins the coin toss, and elects to defer.

Madison Allen scores on fourth down and six inches to put the Redbirds up 42-36.  It was the sixth fourth down conversion on the night for the Red Devils.

Murphy goes to the air on first and fourth down.  Allen came up with two big tackles on Caldwell.  The Big Red Army goes nuts, as they escaped out of Jackson County with the win.

Now lets rewind to the beginning.  On the kickoff Brock Johnson recovers a fumble.  Four plays later Eaton scores on a five yard run at the 10:30 mark.  He rushed for 180 yards on 21 carries.  The two point conversion failed and West Frankfort led 6-0.

Murphy answers back at the 6:52 mark with an 11 yard run from Zane Caraway.  He led Murphysboro with 115 yards on the night.  The extra point failed, and it was all knotted up at six.

The Redbirds did not waste anytime answering back.  Allen scores with 15 of his 151 yards on the night.  He took in in on the two point conversion, and it was 14-6 WF.  The eight yard drive was featured by Eaton hitting Kyle Hammers for a 20 yard pass. Allen also broke loose for a 26 yard run on the drive on fourth down.

Murphy answers back with an eight play drive.  Caraway scored a TD with a five yard run at the :48 mark of the first quarter.  The conversion failed and it was 14-6 West Frankfort at the end of the quarter.  Caldwell had a 30 yard run on the drive.  He had 73 yards on the night.

The Redbirds get back on the board again with a ten yard run by Eaton.  Allen picks up the conversion and it was 22-12 Redbirds at the 8:11 mark in the first half.

Murphysboro answers back at the 3:48 mark of the first half with an 11 play drive.  Jake Hoppenstedt picks up a touchdown with a five yard run.  McZeke completes a pass to Caldwell for the two point conversion.  The Red Devils cut the West Frankfort lead to 22-20,

The Redbirds don’t waste any time to answer back.  Eaton runs it in from mid field at the 1:05 mark.  He also picks up the two point conversion as both teams go to the locker room 30-20.

The score remained the same until the bizarre events of the night broke out at the top of the story.

Going into the game, It was a must win for the situation for the Redbirds to keep their playoff aspirations alive.  They currently sit at 23 points.  To get in, they will have to be 6-3.  I think WF is in good shape.   It would be the upset of the decade if they knock off the Herrin Tigers next week at the Graveyard II.

I think you could count them as heavy favorites against Massac County and Nashville.  If the Redbirds take care of business, they are in.

With the enrollment falling, I see the Redbirds solidly in 3A this year.  I need to do some research this week on some teams in the central part of the state in case the IHSA divides the state into quadrants.  In 3A they do that a lot.

Potential opponents for the Redbirds would be, the Fairfield Mules, a rematch with Anna-Jonesboro, or possibly an all Franklin County matchup facing the S-V-W-W Red Devils at Carroll Kelly field.

Dropping to 1-5, Murphysboro was officially eliminated from the playoffs.  With all the sophomores they play, they will be a very dangerous team in the River-to-River.