Reapers' playoff fate up in the air

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PLANO -- Tires spin in the mud, and on Friday night Plano's tires looked to be spinning in the second half as its offense stalled. The Reapers eventually lost to visiting Coal City, 27-13.

In a game where both teams had five wins, the winner would have a guaranteed 10th game while the loser's next game would be of the waiting variety.

The Reapers (5-4, 4-1 Interstate Eight Conference) managed only three second-half first downs and a total of 36 yards. This was after playing to a 13-13 tie in the first half.

The Reapers scored on two long drives in the first quarter. J.J. Cannon capped a 70-yard drive with a 35-yard score.

"The key was getting the fullback established, and that set up our off-tackle play," Plano coach Jim Green said.

Cannon led Plano in rushing with 65 yards on 10 carries.

Later in the first quarter, Plano would scored Justin O'Hara's touchdown run capped a 12-play 65 yard drive. O'Hara ended with 36 yards and fullback Geraldo Garcia added 53 yards on 15 carries.

That also was when the Reapers started to spin their tires. Starting quarterback Johnny Mendez was trying to fight through a leg injury but eventually gave way to freshman Devin Ambrose.

"We are not making excuses," Green said. "(Ambrose) has been taking some snaps, so it's not like we were caught in a situation. But he is still a freshman. He is going to be a good one, but the speed (on varsity) is a little different."

Conversely, the Coalers were opportunistic. They used a first-quarter fumble recovery to set up their first score. They added on in the second quarter with a 77-yard bomb from Colt Smith to Alec Smith to it at 13.

Colt Smith finished with 158 yards passing.

The Coalers finally put something together in the fourth. They started with two running plays for a first down, and then hit a big pass play to Andrew Rankovich. Rankovich took the screen pass on the right side and scampered for 28 yards into Plano territory with just under five minutes to go. That play preceded a 27-yard run by junior Bobby Kroeger that placed the Coalers at the 1-yard line. Kroeger then punched it for the go-ahead score.

Kroeger added another touchdown on the ground after the Coalers intercepted an Ambrose pass.

The Reapers will have to wait to see if they take the field again in the playoffs.

Green said the wait would be tough, "especially on a night when (the seniors) were supposed to be honored beforehand and that didn't happen, and the crowd wasn't what it could have been because of the weather."