Bulldogs had to wait a day to find out for sure they made the playoffs

It would have been a lot easier if the Harrisburg football team had beaten Benton on Senior Night at Taylor Field Friday, but the Rangers used a punishing running game and an opportunistic passing game to win, 34-7, in the regular season finale and make the Bulldogs wait until Saturday night to find out their playoff fate.

“We knew Benton was a really good team coming in, but we still executed very well, in my opinion,” said coach Matt Griffith. “First half, we were hanging in there, despite a couple of big mistakes. Towards the end of the game we didn’t capitalize on the big moments when we had them. I was proud how our guys continued to play hard.”

Harrisburg finished the regular season with a 5-4 record for the third time in the past four seasons under Coach Matt Griffth and each previous time the Bulldogs made the playoffs, and it was same this year with Harrisburg earning the 16th seed, so will play at 4A top seed Breese Central Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Cougars (9-0) have made the playoffs four years in a row and 12 of the last 16 years under Coach Brian Short. Breese Central beat Herrin, 50-6, Friday to close out the regular on a run.

“It’s a close away game about two hours away,” Griffith said. “We know the legacy - they’ve always been a powerhouse team that’s made runs in the playoffs. Some of the teams they’ve played we’re familiar with. We’ve played Herrin every year I’ve been here, played Wood River two years ago and Salem three years ago.”

This will be the first time the Bulldogs will face the Cougars in the playoffs and the first time the two teams have played each other overall.

Friday, with 21 seniors most likely playing their last game at Taylor Field, the Benton Rangers were facing the exact same circumstances with the same 5-3 record.

“This is one of the biggest groups of seniors we’ve had in a very long time,” Griffith said. “When I was blessed with the opportunity to take over those seniors laid the groundwork to where we are today (four straight playoff appearances). Losing is not ok here. We are frustrated with the mistakes we’re making, but those kids never quit. Any day of the week I’ll take our Bulldogs on our sideline.”

Lucas Kinsman returned the opening kickoff 23 yards to set up the Rangers at their own 43. After quarterback Tiffin Kouzoukas gained five yards on first down and 18 yards on second, Riley Spencer broke over right tackle and ran untouched into the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown. Jesser Zepeda kicked the extra point and just 1:13 into the game Benton led, 7-0.

After the teams traded punts, the Bulldogs began their second possession at their own 20 with 3:19 left in the first quarter. Sixteen plays and 6:51 later with the help of a Benton offside penalty on 4th-and-4 from the Benton 10, Brendan Hicks scored from the three-yard line. Burke Wilson kicked the point and the score was tied, 7-7, with 8:28 left in the second quarter.

Benton took over on its own 37 following a 21-yard kickoff return by Grant Owens and went on a long 12-play drive of its own with Kouzoukas scoring on a three-yard run slipping three tackles along the way. The extra point was good to give the Rangers the lead, 14-7, with 2:15 remaining in the half.

Harrisburg was forced to punt giving the Rangers the ball back at their 24 with 1:02 left. Kouzoukas almost single-handedly drove his team the 76 yards to take a 21-7 lead at the half.

The drive began with Kouzoukas completing a 25-yard pass to Kinsman followed by a 12-yard pass to Owens for two quick first downs. Kouzoukas made a third on an 11-yard scramble and followed with a seven-yard pass to Owens to set up 2nd-and-3 at the Harrisburg 19.

Kouzoukas and Kinsman connected for an 18-yard pass down to the one where the senior quarterback finished the remarkable drive with a one-yard touchdown run behind left guard. Zepeda kicked the extra point with 10.3 seconds left give the Rangers a 21-7 halftime lead.

Harrisburg had deferred the opening kickoff in order to have first possession of the second half, but its first drive was three-and-out leaving the Rangers at the Harrisburg 44  The Bulldog defense got the ball right back when Kane Lands recovered a fumble at 24.

The drive started with a 15-yard pass interference penalty advancing the ball to the 39, but a six-yard loss on first down followed by a two incomplete passes forced another punt leaving the Rangers at their own 22.

The defense again stepped up forcing a punt four plays later, but Kouzoukas’ punt was a killer rolling 62 yards down to the Bulldogs eight. Three plays later Owen Rann’s pass to Reed Rider was picked off by Owens at the Harrisburg 48.

On the first play, Kouzoukas tossed a lateral to Nolan Schafer, who stopped and threw a perfect pass to Owens behind the defense at the 10 and he walked into the end zone for the touchdown. The kick was good to up the lead to 28-7 with 4:39 left in the third quarter.

Harrisburg was forced to punt again setting up the Rangers at their own 39 with 1:06 left in the quarter. On 2nd-and-10 Kouzoukas connected with Owens for a 39-yard completion to advance to the Harrisburg 30. Six plays later Spencer scored from the two. A new kicker was brought in and the extra point was blocked to up the lead to 34-7 with 9:44 remaining.

The Bulldogs final possession advanced just 15 yards - thanks to a 10-yard holding penalty - using up four minutes and eight seconds. The Rangers took over at the 50 and ran out the clock.