The Mt. Zion Braves wasted little time establishing control Thursday night, striking for two touchdowns in the opening two minutes and using an explosive passing attack to pull away for a 51-13 victory over Effingham.
The Braves scored in all four quarters and finished with 473 yards of total offense, including 378 through the air. Mt. Zion’s defense was just as effective, limiting Effingham to 135 total yards and forcing two interceptions.
Mt. Zion made an immediate statement on the opening kickoff. Brody Lipa fielded the kick and raced 86 yards for a touchdown, giving the Braves a 7-0 lead just 14 seconds into the game.
The offense followed less than two minutes later. Quarterback Connor Fox connected with Kellen Bollhorst for a 46-yard touchdown, quickly extending Mt. Zion’s advantage to 14-0.
Effingham answered late in the first quarter when Jack Hartman scored on a two-yard run. The extra point was unsuccessful, leaving Mt. Zion ahead 14-6 entering the second.
Declan Woosley added to the Braves’ lead early in the second quarter, converting a 28-yard field goal to make it 17-6.
Effingham responded again with 3:43 remaining before halftime when quarterback Jenner Keyes connected with Jenner Pals for an eight-yard touchdown, cutting Mt. Zion’s advantage to 17-13.
The Braves needed just 42 seconds to answer.
Fox found Lipa for a 29-yard touchdown pass, and Woosley converted the extra point to send Mt. Zion into halftime with a 24-13 advantage.
From there, the Braves took complete control.
Fox and Lipa connected again early in the third quarter, this time for a 52-yard touchdown that stretched the lead to 31-13. Later in the quarter, Bollhorst finished a drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown to make it 37-13.
Mt. Zion’s defense kept Effingham off the scoreboard throughout the entire second half, allowing the Braves’ offense to continue creating separation.
Quarterback Noah Schmahl took over the scoring duties in the fourth quarter. He first connected with Lipa for a 15-yard touchdown, giving Lipa his fourth total touchdown of the night.
Schmahl then delivered one of the Braves’ biggest plays of the game, finding Jaxon Good for a 70-yard touchdown with 8:19 remaining. Woosley’s extra point brought the game to its final score of 51-13.
Lipa was at the center of Mt. Zion’s explosive night. The senior caught four passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns, while also producing the 86-yard kickoff-return touchdown to account for four total scores. He finished with 247 combined receiving and kickoff-return yards.
The Braves also received highly efficient performances from both quarterbacks. Fox completed 9 of 13 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns, while Schmahl went 4-for-6 for 144 yards and two scores. Together, the two quarterbacks finished 13-of-19 for 378 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.
Good led Mt. Zion in receiving yardage with 138 yards and a touchdown on four catches. Lipa followed with 129 yards, while Sam Toth added a 56-yard reception and Bollhorst contributed the 46-yard touchdown catch.
Although Mt. Zion did most of its damage through the air, Bollhorst led the ground game with 41 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. The Braves finished with 95 net rushing yards to complement their 378-yard passing performance.
Defensively, Mt. Zion made life difficult for Effingham throughout the night. The Flaming Hearts were held to just 62 rushing yards and 73 passing yards, averaging only 2.4 yards per offensive play. The Braves intercepted two passes and recorded two sacks, while Effingham finished just 4-of-14 through the air.
After Effingham pulled within four points late in the second quarter, Mt. Zion responded by scoring 34 unanswered points to close the game. The Braves’ combination of explosive passing plays, Lipa’s four-touchdown performance and a defense that pitched a second-half shutout turned a competitive first half into a decisive 51-13 Mt. Zion victory.
