And now they play the waiting game.
After Eldorado took care of Johnston City to the tune of 46-14 in the regular season finale, the Eagles now play the waiting game for another 24 hours to see who they will face in the first round of the IHSA playoffs.
Expected to be in Class 2A and after finishing 7-2 and qualifying for the playoffs for the sixth straight season, Eldorado head coach Joe Clark said his team will enjoy this win, turn the page and go back to work.
"Number one, the unique anticipation of finding out who you play and then all of the sudden going to work on it," Clark said after a soggy Friday night win at Boz Adams Field. "You're also trying to figure it out in a 24-hour time span or whatever you want to call it. It's hard winning football games and we are so blessed to be in this situation. Our kids have done a great job in recent years, understanding that it's fighting the intrusive thoughts of finality which some of it is not the worst thing in the world. There is no feeling like second season success that we're hopefully going to work hard for and earn it."
In the win against Johnston City, Eldorado racked up 322 yards on offense, 204 of which came on the ground, while they held the Indians to just 95 yards and two scores that came after a running-clock situation in the third quarter.
Dawson Metten had two first quarter scores, one from one-yard out and another from 11-yards out as the Eagles took a quick 16-0 lead.
Aiden Whitlock threw for 118 yards and two touchdowns for Eldorado, hooking up with Jeremy Bolds on a 58-yard strike for a second quarter score and another in the third quarter, finding Joe Mayberry for a 20-yard completion.
Boulds added an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth and Jace Jenkins scored from 19 yards out in the first quarter to round out the Eagles' scoring.
Johnston City got a fourth quarter touchdown run from Dylan Fisher from two yards out, while Dalton Frick tacked on the two-point conversion. Later in the fourth, Mason Bruce scored from three yards out.
In his first season replacing Dan Mings, Todd Thomas went 2-7 at Johnston City and assessed his first year, noting the good and the bad.
"We had our ups and downs," Thomas said. "The kids fought all year long. We came out, we battled, we were in every game except this one. It's something to build on and we just have to get into the weight room and develop not only physically but mentally.
"We came in (Friday) pretty shorthanded with both running backs out," Thomas added. "Fisher carried the load for us, got some yards late. He got his 1,000 yards so that's a pretty good accomplishment. (Eldorado is) pretty good. They're rolling into the playoffs and they are firing on all cylinders, so best of luck to them. Eldorado has a good program. We just have to get into the weight room and try to get things going."
Johnston City 00 00 00 14 ‑ 14
Eldorado 24 08 08 06 ‑ 46
SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST QUARTER
EHS ‑ Metten 1 run (Metten 2-point covnersion), 6:35
EHS ‑ Metten 11 run (Metten 2-point conversion), 46.9
SECOND QUARTER
EHS ‑ Jenkins 19 run (Metten 2-point conversion), 11:45
EHS ‑ Whitlock 58 yard pass to Boulds (Jenkins 2-point conversion), 2:06
THIRD QUARTER
EHS ‑ Whitlock 20 yard pass to Mayberry (Metten 2-point conversion), 5:53
FOURTH QUARTER
JC ‑ Fisher 2 run (Frick 2-point conversion), 8:06
EHS ‑ Boulds 80 yard kickoff return (conversion failed), 7:49
JC ‑ Bruce 3 run (conversion failed), 39.7
TEAM STATS
JC EHS
Total Plays 40 42
First Downs 3 16
Rushing Yards 95 204
Passing Yards 0 118
Total Yards 95 322
Turnovers 2 2
Penalities-Yards 4-25 1-15
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING: JC - Fisher 24-91, Frick 4-11, Hankins 2-(-3). EHS - Jenkins 9-79, Metten 14-77, Dennis 5-36, Etienne 2-12.
PASSING: JC ‑ Hankins 0-2-2 0. EHS ‑ Whitlock 4-8-1 101, Mayberry 1-1-0 17.
RECEIVING: EHS ‑ Boulds 1-58, Jenkins 2-23, Mayberry 1-20, Whitlock 1-17.
