Mendota excited for first playoff game since 2014

During its three-game losing streak to end the regular season, key plays haven’t gone the Mendota football team’s way.

Mendota coach Keegan Hill said that must change if the No. 14-seeded Trojans (5-4) hope to compete in their Class 3A first-round playoff game 1 p.m. Saturday at Durand-Pecatonica (8-1).

“The tipping point plays whether that be a third down on defense getting a stop, a third down on offense and executing to keep a drive going, instead of getting forced to punt right away, those haven’t gone our way,” Hill said. “We need to execute in those circumstances to give ourselves the best chance to win.”

Saturday’s game is Mendota’s first postseason game since 2014. Before this fall, the Trojans have won four games combined in the last five seasons.

“Having a chance to be in the playoffs against a good opponent is something our kids have earned,” Hill said. “I’m excited to see what we do.”

The Rivermen won the stout Northwest Upstate Illini Conference championship with an 8-0 league mark.

Du-Pec’s lone loss was 28-22 to state power Decatur St. Teresa (9-0) in a nonconference game.

“I believe that we play quality competition even though it is a smaller school conference,” Du-Pec coach Tyler Hoffman said. “Many of the teams we face play a very physical brand of football, which tends to have us prepared.”

The Rivermen run a spread offense that’s balanced between running and passing the ball.

Senior Trenton Taylor has run for 1,078 yards and 11 touchdowns on 151 carries, while junior A.J. Mulcahy has rushed for 530 yards and five TDs on 67 attempts.

Quarterback Hunter Hoffman has completed 101-of-141 passes for 1,186 yards and 19 TDs with four interceptions.

“They’re really good,” Hill said. “They’re balanced running the ball and throwing the ball. Their line is really good and they have some good size. We have to make them do stuff they don’t want to do – have them run their third or fourth or fifth best play as opposed to the stuff they really like.”

Defensively, Du-Pec runs a 4-4 led by 6-foot-6, 240-pound Illinois State University recruit Jake Anderson, who has 60 tackles, eight sacks and seven tackles for a loss.

Mulcahy has a team-high 75 tackles for the Rivermen, who have intercepted 13 passes with a team-high six by Bo Seaton.

“We have to maximize our people and make them as uncomfortable as possible with what we have available,” Hill said. “Whether that’s running the ball or throwing the ball. We have to execute when we want to throw the ball.”

The Trojans average 245.9 rushing yards per game. Running back Uzi Angulo leads the way with 695 rushing yards and nine TDs on 125 carries, while quarterback Ted Landgraf has run for 590 yards and six TDs on 117 carries.

Landgraf has completed 38-of-106 passes for 563 yards and five TDs with seven interceptions.

“They are very big up front and have some real nice athletes and team speed,” Hoffman said. “We will have to be really good at reading our keys and making proper fills. If we can do that we may be able to be successful. If we don’t, we will be in for a long day.”