Mahomet-Seymour clamps down on QND, despite Raiders’ ability to create turnovers

MAHOMET, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame football team’s initial offensive possession Friday night ended with Deakon Schuette’s 37-yard field goal, but it showed the Raiders could move the ball against state-ranked Mahomet-Seymour.

That was a fleeting feeling.

Despite a defensive effort that forced five turnovers and scored a defensive touchdown, the Raiders weren’t able to consistently generate an attack, finishing with 130 yards of total offense and averaging 1.9 yards per carry in a 35-10 loss at Frank Dutton Field.

“There are certainly mistakes that we made and things we can be better at, but I like the effort,” QND coach Jack Cornell told the Champaign News-Gazette after his team fell to 3-3. “There were some missed opportunities here or there that we need to capitalize on.”

The defense provided those opportunities.

Bulldogs quarterback Wyatt Bohm, who had thrown one interception in the first five games, was picked off four times, including twice by linebacker Dalton Miller. The senior’s second interception was returned 55 yards for a touchdown with 1:53 remaining in the first half to pull the Raiders within 21-10 at halftime.

“What they do in the secondary and defensively as a whole, we felt was going to cause us a little bit of trouble,” Mahomet-Seymour coach Jon Adkins told the Champaign News-Gazette after his team improved to 6-0.

QND defensive back Wyatt Mueller also had two interceptions.

“We just have to get to the right spot, and I think our coaches do a good job of preparing our guys week in and week out of being where they’re supposed to be when they’re supposed to be there,” Cornell said. “I think our guys take that to heart. I think we have some really good instinctual football players, and I think we just try to keep building on that.”

In the second half, the Bulldogs, ranked fourth in Class 5A, put the game away by controlling the clock and the line of scrimmage.

“They are certainly a downhill bunch,” Cornell said. “They do a good job of getting after it and creating chaos at the line of scrimmage.”

Mahomet-Seymour finished with 424 total yards, including 251 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs averaged 7.2 yards per carry with four rushing touchdowns.

“These guys are multiple and try to get you thinking and get you off rhythm,” Cornell said. “We just tried to stay the course and be ourselves and handle our business. We did that for the most part, but not enough to get the win. But like I said, I’m proud of the way our guys play.”

QND returns home next week to face Normal West in its Homecoming game at Advance Physical Therapy Field.