By Mike Monahan

Mattoon High football coach Jarad Kimbro was pleased with the Green Wave running game last Friday in a 35-6 win over Olney at Gains Field. 

“Our rushing game was phenomenal as we rushed for 330 yards. And anytime you can do that you give yourself a chance to win. Our defense gave up 220 yards and when you can almost double a team’s offensive output you give yourself a chance. Holding them to six points was fantastic.”

Mattoon travels to face Highland in a game between two 1-1 teams. The Bulldogs compete in the Mississippi Valley conference and are coached by Jimmy Warnecke, who has led Highland to 10 straight playoff appearances, nine in Class 5A and one in Class 4A, where they reached the semifinals. Warnecke is 90-38 in his 13th season. 

Mattoon opens up Apollo Conference play on Sept. 15 with a home game against Effingham. 

One thing Kimbro wants to see improvement in the play in the first half as they led Olney just 6-0. 

“From a quarterback standpoint, he (Slater Trier) was 1-for-10 in the first half, but finished 12-of-20 for 144 yards. We have got to get better at completing passes that we should complete. We have got to make sure we capitalize on trips to the red zone.”

Highland is coming off a 28-0 loss to Mahomet-Seymour.

“We were in the red zone four times in the first half and only came away with one score,” said Kimbro. “That is not a good ratio. In the second half every time we were in the red zone we punched it in. “

Kimbro said it doesn’t help them much that they are familiar with Mahomet-Seymour. 

“We know the quality of Mahomet. We are going to prepare the best we can and see what happens on Friday.”

Highland won its first game 35-14 over Breese Central. The Bulldogs have 16 seniors on their squad of 38. 

Highland last played Mattoon in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs in 2018, 56-35 at Highland. In 2015 Matton fell 45-6. The Greenwave received a forfeit in the 2014 season and then lost 57-26 in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. 

The Bulldogs are quarterbacked by sophomore Blake Gelly, who according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch  is 29-of-45 for 420 yards, but no touchdowns and three interceptions. 

“They are a fairly balanced team,” said Kimbro. “Their quarterback is a heck of a runner (119 yards rushing). He completes passes they are expecting him to make.”

Last week Mattoon’s Trysten Sewell ran for 183 yards on just 15 carries and scored two touchdowns, while Deaiden Aiden had 83 yards rushing on nine carries and two TDS. Sewell has 25 carries for 254 yards to lead MHS. Trier is 23-of-47 for 304 yards with the top target being Cale Kimbro with seven catches for 57 yards. 

The Highland defense plays a 4-3, just like Mattoon does. 

As for the keys to winning Kimbro said of the first half, “We worked quite a bit on talking about not coming out flat and coming ready to play. The first series we punched it in and kind of fell apart after that. It could have been my play calling. I have to help in my area. The keys for us is the ability to run the ball; first and foremost for us. We have to limit their big plays and stop their quarterback and get him slowed down. Then we will give ourselves a chance.”