L-W East Defeats Edwardsville To Move On To Football Semifinals

FRANKFORT, IL — Edwardsville High School did the one thing that no team had been able to accomplish against Lincoln-Way East so far in the 2018 Class 8A IHSA football playoffs: score against the Griffins. But that still wasn't enough for the Tigers to upset — or even come within two touchdowns of — the reigning state champs as Lincoln-Way advanced to the semifinals with a 50-14 victory.

The Griffins will play Loyola Academy next week in Wilmette. It will be a rematch of last year's title game, which L-W East won, 23-14. The date and time of the game will be determined.

Traveling nearly four hours from near St. Louis to play in the quarterfinal round, Edwardsville played a physical game against L-W East, with both teams called for multiple personal fouls. But the Tigers were outmatched by the Griffins, turning over the ball during three of their first four possessions.

RELATED: L-W East Wins 2017 State Football Title With Victory Over Loyola

Those turnovers resulted in the first 20 points scored by the L-W East offense. Senior quarterback Jack Baltz threw for three touchdowns, with senior wide receiver Jackson Ritter pulling down two in the first half — an impressive back-of-the-end zone grab, as well as a 31-yard strike.

Junior running back Devon Williams scored two touchdowns on the ground. And while he didn't reach the end zone, sophomore Jamal Johnson had a thrilling 46-yard run to set up Williams' second score.

Edwardsville was able to score on the Griffins, however, the first time that's happened to the Griffins this postseason. Quarterback Kendall Abdur-rahman ran in for the Tigers' first touchdown in the first half and then completed a remarkable fade pass in the end zone with seconds left in the game.

Images via Lincoln-Way East High School | Edwardsville High School