EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville High School running back Justin Johnson, Jr. may not have had as many yards rushing as he usually does in the Tigers' 44-17 first-round win over St. Charles East in the IHSA Class 8A playoffs Friday night at Tiger Stadium, but scored four touchdowns in the win. And that's just as important. And the most important thing was the win to advance to this weekend's second round.
"We were very excited for this game," Johnson said in a postgame interview, "and we came out with a 'dub,' which is very good."
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The Tigers' mindset, according to Johnson, was both a team mantra and a longtime team slogan.
"The mindset was hustle, hit, never quit," Johnson said. "That's kind of like our motto, so we never get outhit, and win the turnover battle. We've got to win the turnover battle at all times, which we did very good today."
A big key to the game was the Saints' first possession of the second half, in which St. Charles East held the ball for just over five minutes to start the half, but in the end, missed a field goal and came away empty-handed. It turned out to be one of the biggest turning points in the game, especially after Edwardsville took possession and kicked a field goal to make it 37-17 at the time.
"Oh yeah, that helped a lot," Johnson said. "We had to keep that intensity up. We scored a lot of points the offensive side, and did good on defense, and we have to keep that up during the playoffs."
The Tigers also got off to a great start by taking a 20-0 lead in the opening quarter, with Johnson scoring the game's first three touchdowns on runs of 37, one and eight yards. It set the tone for the remainder of the game.
"No, sir, we had all guts, no breaks," Johnson said, "we couldn't look back. We had to keep the intensity up, and I had to do everything in my power to make sure we got the win tonight."
And although Johnson didn't run for as many yards as he usually does, the four touchdowns were just as important. And the most important thing for Johnson is the Tigers' win.
"Oh, yeah, it's all good," Johnson said with a smile. "Four touchdowns, I didn't have any rushing yards. It's a team sport, it's not all about me. I have to thank my offensive line mostly, because they opened up a lot of holes for me, and did the job very well."
The Tigers have a very talented and hard-working offensive line, and Johnson feels like they should have some recognition for their efforts as well.
"Yes, sir, without them, I would have no success," Johnson said, "so all thanks to my offensive line. They're great."
Edwardsville now moves on to a second-round game against top-seed Minooka on the road, with the game set for late Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. Johnson is looking forward to the game, and ready to get back to work to prepare for the Indians.
"So, we're going to watch the film on Monday, see who we're going against," Johnson said, "and just going to have to practice, trust the process, and we're going to be ready for the game next week."
