It was homecoming week at Peoria Heights and West Prairie/Southeastern was looking to rain on the hosts festivities in Friday’s football contest.
But instead, the Patriots reigned over the visiting Cyclones, recording a 36-16 I8FA West Division victory at the Patriot Bowl.
Peoria Heights improved to 1-3 on the season, 1-1 in division play.
WP/SE dropped to 0-4 overall, 0-2 in division play.
Peoria Heights scored on its second possession.
Facing a third-and-15 from its own 28, quarterback Gabe Shaver shoveled a pass to Ashton Heady, who darted 72 yards for the score.
Shaver added the two-point conversion run that gave the Patriots an 8-0 lead with 5:09 left in the opening quarter.
After the two teams traded possessions, WP/SE started at the Heights 36. The Cyclones used eight plays in driving to the Patriot five.
But on a fourth-and-goal, running back Austin Nelson took the pitch but was stopped at the two, resulting in a turnover on downs.
Peoria Heights responded by driving 98 yards in seven plays.
Henry Hanson started the possession with a 24-yard run. It was the first of six straight running plays.
After a holding penalty pushed the Patriots back to their own 39, Shaver hit Heady for a 39-yard score. Heady caught the ball at the 15 and fought off a Cyclone defense before running the final 10 yards into the endzone with 2:33 left before halftime.
The two-point conversion attempt failed, but Peoria Heights had a 14-0 lead it took into the break.
WP/SE got on the scoreboard midway through the third quarter when Nelson picked off a Shaver pass attempt and returned it 629yards for the touchdown.
Nelson added the point-after-touchdown run to bring the Cyclones within 14-8 with 4:53 left in the third period.
But the hosts needed just 58 seconds to respond.
A 36-yard kickoff return by Heady gave the Patriot offense possession at the WP/SE 45.
Two plays later, Shaver took to snap and ran around the left end, racing untouched for the 39-yard score.
Hanson took the direct snap and ran in the two-point conversion to put the Patriots up 22-8.
It was then WP/SE’s turn to respond as the Cyclones needed just three-plays to cover 55 yards.
It was Nelson’s turn to take a direct snap, running through the Heights defense on the way to a 47-yard score.
Nelson then hauled in a pass from quarterback Tristan Hester for the two-point conversion to make it a 22-16 with 2:08 to go in the third quarter.
Unfortunately for the Cyclones, they would get no closer as the Patriots scored twice in the final period.
Kaison Davis then picked off a Hester pass, and Peoria Heights needed only one play to extend its advantage. Hanson took the handoff and raced through the WP/SE defense for a 57-yard touchdown with 8:08 remaining in the game.
Shaver ran in the two-point attempt to make it 30-16.
The Patriots then put the game away with an eight-play drive that ended on a10-yard touchdown run by Shaver with only 3:09 left to account for the final score.
A key play in the possession was a 17-yard run by Shaver on a fourth-and-15 that kept the drive alive.
Shaver scored three plays later. Along with the pass interception score, Nelson also led the Cyclones’ offense with 20 carries for 115 yards and one touchdown.
Hester was 3-of-13 for 24 yards and two interceptions.
Hanson led the Patriots with 163 yards rushing on 15 carries and one touchdown while Shaver added 81 yards rushing on 10 carries and two touchdowns.
Shaver was 2-of-8 passing for 110 yards and two TDs.
WP/SE will travel to Biggsville next Friday night to face West Central (3-1, 2-0) in an I8FA West Division matchup.
