COAL CITY - The Coal City football team used a very tough defense and held East Alton-Wood River's offense off the board after an opening touchdown in going on to defeat the Oilers 22-6 in the first round of the IHSA Class 4A football playoffs Saturday afternoon in Coal City.
Things started off great for EAWR when, after recovering a fumble in Coalers' territory. Seth Slayden ran in from three yards out to give the Oilers the lead at 6-0, with a two-point convert pass falling incomplete.
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That would be all the Oilers would be allowed to have, as the Coal City defense tightened up, not allowing EAWR to score again, while sophomore quarterback Landin Benson took over for the Coalers. Benson ran in from three yards out late in the first quarter, then took in the two-point convert to give Coal City the lead for good at 8-6, where the score stood at halftime.
In the third quarter, a Coaler interception helped set up a Benson 28-yard run for another touchdown which made the score 15-8 after the conversion, then later in the quarter, Braden Reilly hit Chris Cholico in the end zone with a 22-yard touchdown pass to make it 22-6.
The Oilers had good opportunities to score but were turned back by the tough Coal City defense as the Coalers went on to win.
Coal City is now 7-3 and advances to a second-round game at Carterville, who defeated Geneseo 36-7 in their opener, this coming weekend, with the date and time to be announced Monday. The Oilers' successful season ends at 6-4.
