Prospect runs into East St. Louis wagon as 10-win season ends in 7A quarterfinals
Prospect fought valiantly on the road against East St. Louis for all four quarters, but the Knights were ultimately unable to contain a Flyers offense loaded with Division I talent.
The Knights’ first 10-win season in six years ended in a 65-35 loss in the 7A quarterfinals Saturday.
East St. Louis (11-1) had no trouble putting up points against a Prospect (10-2) defense that had allowed just 15.2 points per game. The Flyers needed just 12 plays to score four first-half touchdowns, ripping off big play after big play as coach Darren Sunkett consistently found ways to get the ball to his four Division I commits at wide receiver and running back in space.
Senior running back Ronnie Gomiller, a three-star recruit committed to Cincinnati, broke off touchdown runs of 15 and 65 yards before the half to help East St. Louis build a 28-7 lead after 24 minutes. He finished with five touchdowns and 170 yards of total offense.
Prospect turned the ball over on downs on its first two drives, but the Knights were able to move the football against East St. Louis after a shaky start.
The Knights got on the board midway through the second quarter after a 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a one-yard touchdown run from senior running back Matthew Donnelly. Prospect senior quarterback Jackson Cacini engineered four more touchdown drives in the second half, scoring three himself.
Cacini, who is committed to Eastern Illinois, had himself a day against one of the best defenses in the state, completing 29 of 40 passes for 394 yards and two touchdowns as he navigated a fearsome Flyers pass rush. He added 65 yards and another score on the ground.
Senior wide receiver Matthew Collins was Cacini’s go-to guy on Saturday afternoon, bringing in 13 receptions for 208 yards and a touchdown. Donnelly was excellent as well, rushing for 92 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries while bringing in six catches for 56 yards and another score.
Led by Cacini, Collins and Donnelly, Prospect became the first school this season to score more than 30 points in regulation against East St. Louis.
Yet there was no keeping up with the Flyers offense.
East St. Louis scored touchdowns on all eight possessions and returned the opening kickoff of the second half on its way to a blistering 65-point offensive clinic. Prospect scored on each of its four second half possessions, but the Knights could not get within 20 points of the hosts in the final 24 minutes.
East St. Louis will play either Normal or Brother Rice next weekend with a trip to the 7A state championship game on the line.