November playoff football is inching closer to Edgewood.
With Dixie Heights and Conner meeting Thursday night in Hebron in a Class 5A, 5th District clash, a home playoff game was on the line for the winner.
The Colonels left no doubt, the only thing in question was if Dixie had 44 or 45 points to end the game in a 44-8 blowout. (Their final extra point near the end of the third quarter was no good, but the scoreboard had it at 45)
“This was the first complete game we’ve put together,” Colonels coach Pat Burke said. “Offense, defense, special teams wise. We were able to be balanced offensively.”
Dixie provided its most balanced game of the season yet on Thursday. They ran for 267 yards and threw for 210. Levi Gilliland did the work on the ground, rushing for 142 yards and four touchdowns. Brycen Schatzman completed 15-of-18 passes for 210 yards.
Gilliland’s production continues its meteoric rise. His prior three games he tallied 582 yards and seven touchdowns. The four-game total gives him 724 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“Very, very appreciative of my O-line,” Gilliland said. “That’s really where it’s at. My H’s, my lead blockers. That’s that’s all of it. If you just follow your blocks on this team, you it’ll get you as far as you need.”
It also continues Dixie’s positive trend, winners in three of their last four after a 0-4 start.
PHOTOS: Slideshow provided by Charles Bolton
With both teams already losing to Cooper and the Jaguars sitting at 2-0 in district play, Cooper wraps up the No. 1 seed with a win over Scott next week. With tonight’s result and Scott beating Boone County also on Thursday, it puts the Colonels in the driver’s seat at the two-seed, either needing a win at home vs Boone County next week or a Scott loss in one of their two final district games.
“We want a home playoff game,” Burke said. “That was one of our goals, and this certainly helps us get to that. We got to take care of business next week.”
Conner’s hopes were dashed early. A 15-play, 80-yard drive capped by Ethan Estvanko’s eight-yard touchdown made it 10-8 nearly midway through the second. They couldn’t provide much from there, unable to finish drives as they tallied 256 yards on the night.
Gilliland’s first two scores came in the first half, the second giving the Colonels a 17-8 lead with 5:01 left in the second. Schatzman added a rushing TD before the half to make it 24-8. Gilliland’s fourth and final touchdown got the game to a running clock with 1:13 left in the third. Mixed in-between Gilliland scores was a 74-yard touchdown run was by Colston Suedkamp, making multiple defenders miss on his way to the end zone.
Ripping off nearly eight yards per carry shows what Dixie wants to do, but efficiency in the passing game certainly helped. Schatzman’s 15 competions went to seven different receivers, Parks Vonderhaar leading the way with four catches for 61 yards. Brady Speakman’s 66-yard reception set up Schatzman’s rushing score before the half.
“The balance helped a lot. When you know you’re not in long down and distances, and you’re able to throw the ball in second and long, second and mediums, it was a nice performance all around,” Burke said. “It was a nice step forward for us.”
Estvanko finished 14-of-25 passing for 148 yards, EJ Barney his top target, hauling in eight catches for 83 yards. The Cougars run game struggled to get going, finishing with 108 yards on 36 attempts.
The Cougars will get back to the drawing board with a bye on tap and then a matchup with Scott on Oct. 23 for most likely the three-seed in the district.
COLONELS 44, COUGARS 8
DIXIE HEIGHTS — 10-14-20-0 — 44
CONNER — 0-8-0-0 — 8
Scoring Plays
1st Quarter
(DH) Niemeyer 30-yard FG (5:23)
(DH) Gilliland 35-yard run (:58) Niemeyer kick
2nd Quarter
(C) Estvanko 8-yard run (7:28) Campbell pass to Pendleton
(DH) Gilliland 1-yard run (5:01) Niemeyer kick
(DH) Schatzman 4-yard run (2:12) Niemeyer kick
3rd Quarter
(DH) Gilliland 5-yard run (6:55) Niemeyer kick
(DH) Suedkamp 74-yard run (4:21) Niemeyer kick
(DH) Gilliland 7-yard run (1:13) kick failed
Game Stats
Passing Yards: Dixie 210, Conner 148
Rushing Yards: Dixie 267, Conner 108
First Downs: Dixie 23, Conner 16
Turnovers: Dixie 0, Conner 1
Records: Dixie Heights (3-5, 2-1), Conner (2-6, 1-2)
