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EDWARDSVILLE – Much like last year's IHSA Class 8A first-round football playoff game, Edwardsville found themselves going into overtime.
The outcome this time was much different.
A 17-yard Riley Patterson field goal, his third of the game, on the Tigers' first play from scrimmage in overtime gave Edwardsville a 23-20 win over Oak Park-River Forest at Tiger Stadium Friday night. The win has Edwardsville taking on fifth-seeded Oswego, 10-9 winners over Joliet West Friday night, in the second round next weekend; the time, date and venue for the game will be announced Monday in the IHSA office.
“Riley's a good kicker,” Tiger coach Matt Martin said of his senior kicker. “It's tempting to try to get more yardage (before sending out the kicking team), but let's just put it down – let's just kick it.”
Patterson's field goal came followed a blocked punt in the final quarter what the Huskies' Sharmore Clarke brought back 30 yards for the tying touchdown with 7:59 left in regulation; quarterback Jeremy Hunt then ran it in for a two-point conversion to bring both teams even. “That was big (the game-winning field goal) for Riley,” Martin said. “He was so disappointed; he took too much time. For him to come back and kick that game-winning field goal, I'm proud of him; he showed his toughness.”
The way the game ended was what Martin is expecting throughout the entire postseason in Class 8A. “I think 8A is going to be like this the whole way – I really do,” Martin said. “I think there's a lot of tough, stiff competition – it's going to come down to four or five plays.” 
“We wanted to walk away with the win tonight,” Huskie coach John Hoerster said. “We got beat by a really good team, a really well-coached team and the kids made some plays out there. I was proud of our kids, they never quit; they kept fighting and kept scrapping out there.
“Some of our kids stepped up and made some really big plays; we had a shot at the end there and we got beat by a really good team.”
Dionte Rodgers had another outstanding game for EHS, running 20 times for 247 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, one a 55-yard carry, the other 72 yards. “Is he not a special sophomore?”, Martin said. “We try to keep the hype down about him because he is a sophomore, but he's a special young man and a special football player.”
Patterson's field goals included one of 36 yards and one of 51 yards that gave the Tigers a 20-12 lead In the third quarter before the blocked punt that sent the game into overtime. In the overtime period, the Huskies got to the five before firing three straight passes that fell incomplete to keep OP-RF off the board; Patterson was immediately sent in to bring the game to an end.
Brenden Dickmann had 11 carries for 84 yards rushing in addition to going 4-for-7 for 29 yards passing for the Tigers.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
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