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Wildcats fall at Mattoon in regular season finale

MATTOON - The Marion Wildcats football team had missed opportunities on both sides of the ball in a 26-23 loss to the Mattoon Green Wave in the regular season finale Friday night at Gaines Field.

Mattoon and Marion are now both 6-3 going into the postseason.

"They outplayed us," said Marion coach Kerry Martin. "They made fewer mistakes and made more plays. We just got outplayed."

Mattoon quarterback Jack Pilson had a memorable Senior Night with 18 carries for 121 yards rushing while also going 19 of 28 passing for 281 yards.

"He made a lot of plays," Martin said. "That young man is a difference maker. He sure came to play tonight."

Pilson threw two touchdowns and ran for another, but his biggest run of the night came lined up as the team's punter on fourth-and-4 from near midfield with 2-1/2 minutes left in the game.

Instead of punting, Pilson ran to his right and found clear sailing to a first down that all but sealed the game.

"We were aware of it and talked about it in the defensive huddle," Martin said.

Marion's defense forced another fourth down with 1:24 left but jumped offsides.

Pilson also had a key fourth down run in the first drive of the game to help set up a 12-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Birdsong.

The Wildcats came out in their hurry-up, no-huddle offense after the score and marched quickly to tie the game on a leap at the goal line by Drake Gravatt.

Mattoon followed with an 80-yard drive and Pilson scored from 3 yards on the first play of the second quarter, then Marion countered with a scoring drive of its own.

Marion tied it with a 14-yard pass from Boston Ziegler to Noah Mofield to cap a drive that featured a big catch and run by Jake Welch.

The Wildcats took their first lead at 20-14 after forcing a punt as Ziegler found Dylan Kinell on a beautiful pass and catch in the left side of the end zone with 5:18 left in the half.

Marion went for a two-point conversion after a penalty and was stopped.

Mattoon tied it again on a 5-yard pas from Pilson to Londyn Fultz with 15.7 seconds left. But the PAT kick by Jake Ghere was low and it went to halftime knotted at 20.

The second half was a much different story.

Marion punted away its first possession, then held the Green Wave to a 31-yard field goal by Ghere.

The Wildcats then marched to the red zone and had fourth down at the 4-yard line and went for it. Ziegler found Welch in the right corner for a touchdown, but a flag was thrown.

The penalty was called an illegal man downfield, a ruling that baffled Martin, and was further complicated when the officials signaled the penalty was being declined, thus giving the Wildcats a touchdown.

The penalty was eventually enforced and Marion's Tyson Stoecklin kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it 23-23 with 2:34 left in the third quarter.

"I've never seen that (penalty) called before," Martin said. "Not there (near the goal line) anyway."

Marion's defense was gashed with some long pass plays on the ensuing possession but held strong enough to force Mattoon to settle for another field goal by Ghere, this one from 34 yards, and it was 26-23 with 10:31 remaining.

Marion put together an impressive drive and was on the verge of taking the lead but Ziegler was intercepted by Myles Woodard at the 8-yard line.

Mattoon took over with 5:42 left and converted two third down plays before the fake punt from Pilson and the offsides penalty took off the remaining time.

"We needed to make a play somewhere," Martin said. "We had a couple drives stall downfield and that was disappointing. We'd get down inside the red zone and traditionally that's a strong place for us but we'd stall."

Ziegler finished 12 of 15 passing for 135 yards and two touchdowns. The senior also rushed 11 times for 72 yards. Gravatt had 15 carries for 69 yards and the leaping touchdown.

Frankie Horner and Welch both had over 40 receiving yards and Welch also had 42 rushing yards on four carries.

Marion learns its postseason opponent Saturday night.