MAHOMET — Crete-Monee senior running back Dominic Jackson slowly walked to the end zone to gather with his team after host Mahomet-Seymour beat the Warriors 35-22 on Nov. 7 in a Class 5A second-round playoff game.
Two of Jackson’s coaches walked side by side with their arms around him. He left it all on the field, rushing for a game-high 122 yards on 14 attempts. He was dejected, and he was tired.
“I was emotional, and I can’t play without them again,” said Jackson of his teammates.
Crete coach John Konecki said Jackson is an exceptional athlete.
“He’s a tremendous young man,” Konecki said. “He’s a great wrestler, and (we’re) looking forward to wrestling season with him. He’s going to obviously continue to do outstanding things for us.”
Jackson’s and his teammates’ efforts weren’t enough, as the second quarter proved to be their undoing.
Crete (8-3) gave up 14 points in the second quarter that put Mahomet (11-0) up 27-7 just before halftime.
“We just came up short, and that’s just kind of how it goes,” Konecki said. “I’ve got a lot of gray hairs. I’ve been doing this a little bit, so I’m proud of my team, and I’m proud of how my kids battled all the way to the end, and that’s all you can ever ask for as a coach.”
After Anson LaBranche dove in from 3 yards out to put Crete up 7-6 with 4:02 left in the first quarter, Mahomet scored 21 straight points. Konnor Fisher tossed a TD pass to Bryson Tiefenthaler for a 14-7 lead with :55 left in the first.
On the ensuing possession a Crete fumble on its own 13-yard line set up another Mahomet score to go up 21-7 with 10:30 left in the second quarter. Crete was then stopped on a fourth-and-2 at the Mahomet 19-yard line on its next possession.
The Bulldogs capitalized with a time-consuming drive that finished with a 11-yard TD pass from Fisher to Noah Snyder for the 27-7 lead.
“That’s how it goes,” Konecki said. “I’ve coached a lot of football games. Obviously you want to win them all. I’m disappointed that we lost, but I’m proud of my team. I’m proud of my coaching staff. I’m proud of how much effort everybody gave. Obviously, that’s a great team over there, and it’s playoff football.
“I told the kids before we left, there are no more blowouts. They’re just 14 point games, and that’s exactly what transpired here today.”
Crete scored on its second possession of the second half on a 13-yard pass from August LaBranche to Aven Atkins to cut the deficit to 27-14. Mahomet scored a short rushing TD to make it 35-14 with 5:23 left in the game.
August LaBranche connected with Isaiah Jordan for a 30-yard TD pass for a 35-22 count with 3:19 left, but Mahomet was able to run out the clock after recovering the onside kick.
“I was just checking the plays to the open spots, getting the ball to the open end,” said LaBranche who completed 8 of 12 passes for 123 yards. “That’s all I was doing.”