The matchup that everyone is looking for in the Southwestern Conference between East St. Louis and Edwardsville is on and poppin’.
Both schools will enter Friday night’s showdown at the District 7 Sports Complex in Edwardsville with perfect 5-0 records. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Both programs have respect for each other but, to be honest, they just don’t like each other.
Edwardsville has won 30 consecutive Southwestern Conference games dating back to 2012. The last team to beat the Tigers in conference play was East St. Louis, who defeated the Tigers 14-4 on September 7, 2012. The Tigers came back to defeat East Side 21-18 in the first round of the state playoffs.
East St. Louis is currently ranked No. 1 in the IHSA Class 7A polls, while Edwardsville is ranked No. 7 in the Class 8A polls. Both teams will represent the Metro East in next month’s IHSA playoffs as they go on their separate journeys towards a state championship. But, tomorrow night’s game will definitely have a state-championship atmosphere.
The Flyers are coming off a 52-0 shellacking of Belleville West last weekend, while Edwardsville defeated Belleville East 49-13.
East St. Louis got an outstanding performance from quarterback Reyondus Estes, who completed 15 of 23 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns. All-American wide receiver Jeff Thomas let everyone know he is back and healthy has he had six receptions for 205 yards and two touchdowns against Belleville West.
While the one-two punch of Estes and Thomas will garner much of the Tigers’ defensive attention, Edwardsville coach Matt Martin has to be concerned about Flyers running back Jarell Anderson, who has rushed for 575 yards while averaging 6.2 yards a carry. The Flyers also feature Perez Hall Jr., Charlando Robinson and two-way performer James Knight.
On defense, safety James “Bonecrusher” Knight is one of the team’s leading tacklers with 37, while linebackers Kemontre “State Street” Harvey and William Keltee have 11 sacks between them.
This Edwardsville team does not have the individual superstar talent that East Side does on offense, so they will look to play ball control with sophomore running back Dionte Rogers. He is a threat in the running game and passing game. Rogers rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns against Belleville East. He also had five catches for 58 yards. Rogers has scored 13 touchdowns this season.
Quarterback Brenden Dickmann controls the offense for the Tigers. He has talented receivers to throw to in Daval Torres, James Fulton and Tyrese Brown. Torres had four receptions for 116 yards against Belleville East last week.
Edwardsville won’t look for their offense to win this game on Friday night. It will be its defense that will be counted on to try to handle the Flyers’ high-octane offense. Against Belleville East, the Tigers held the Lancers to 43 yards of total offense, -24 yards of rushing and only two first downs in the first half.
Leading the Tigers defense is senior defensive end A.J. Epenesa, who is the No. 1 prospect in the state of Illinois and University of Iowa commitment. Epenesa and linebacker Nathan Kolsea will be a load for the Flyers’ offense to contend with. They are both physical and can make plays. They will have to do the same on Friday if the Tigers are to extend their conference winning streak to 31 games.
As for East St. Louis, a win will put head coach Darren “Quarterfinals” Sunkett in the cat-bird seat for an elusive Southwestern Conference title and shut up the East St. Louis “street-patrol” for a moment.
But, in order to shut up the street patrol, it’s state championship or bust for the self-proclaimed starter of the rich tradition of Flyers’ football, whose only state title came in 2008. Bob Shannon won six state titles at East Side prior to Sunkett’s hiring. Hurdle No. 1 is on Friday night. Let’s go, Flyers!
