CLASS 8A - EDWARDSVILLE 42, HUNTLEY 38
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HUNTLEY - Junior quarterback Kendall Abdur-Rahman's 10-yard touchdown run after the Tigers gained a turnover from a kickoff with 5:23 left in regulation climaxed an Edwardsville rally as the Tigers eliminated Huntley 42-38.
"It was a great victory," said Tigers coach Matt Martin. "The boys didn't quit, kept battling, and made some good plays. I'm really proud of them."
Red Raiders quarterback Eric Mooney ran for four touchdowns and passed for a fifth to lead Huntley.
After giving up the opening touchdown, the Tigers tied it up at 7-7 on freshman Justin Johnson's two-yard run in the first. A 34-yard touchdown pass from Abdur-Rahman to Joe King put Edwardsville ahead 14-7 before a Mooney touchdown run, touchdown pass and a field goal put the Red Raiders ahead 24-14 at halftime.
A seven-yard touchdown run by Mooney put Huntley ahead 31-14 before the Tigers launched their comeback. A 84-yard touchdown pass from Abdur-Rahman to Reginald Wilson and a 84-yard touchdown run by Abdur-Rahman pulled Edwardsville to within 31-28 at the end of the third quarter.
A six-yard touchdown run by Mooney early in the fourth quarter extended the Red Raiders lead to 38-28, but a six yard run by Abdur-Rahman brought the Tigers back to 38-35, and set the stage for the key play of the game.
The Tigers gained a turnover on the ensuing kickoff, and the play paid off when Abdur-Rahman scored from 10 yards out with 5:23 to play to put Edwardsville up for good 42-38.
"The kids executed it," Martin said, " and it worked out well."
The Tigers defense snuffed out a final Huntley drive to preserve the win.
Edwardsville, now 7-3, will play the winner of the game between South Elgin and Palatine. Those two teams square off Saturday afternoon at Streamwood High in a 1:30 kickoff.
"We'll enjoy the four-and-a-half-hour bus ride home," Martin said, "and we"ll start working on the next game tomorrow."
Sites, dates and kickoff times for the Redbirds' and Tigers' second round games will be announced by the IHSA on Monday.
