Senior quarterback Luke Teschke ended up 13-of-17 throwing the ball for 137-yards and a pair of touchdowns in the contest.

However two of the passes for TD's were for 51 and 32-yards while one other pass of 12-yards was the only other double-digit completion.

Rushing the ball was an issue for the Sages as they accumulated just 73-yards total on the ground on 16-attempts.

The big strike capability of Monticello kept them in the game and staked them to an early lead.

On their first play on offense after forcing a three-and-out by Du Quoin and a punt, Teschke threw a lateral pass to running back Ike Young on the left side.

Young then heaved a long pass down the sideline to a streaking sophomore receiver Nolan Buehnerkemper.

The pitch-and-catch went for 44-yards to the Du Quoin 11.

Runs by Teschke, Young and then Teschke again resulted in a one-yard TD plunge by the senior QB.

The PAT by senior kicker Cole Sowinski made it 7-0 Sages with 9:36 left in the first quarter as the 55-yard drive took less than a minute.

It didn't take Du Quoin long to respond.

The Indians gambled a bit facing a fourth-and-six from their own 47.

Waller dropped back and launched a long pass to Winters, who caught the ball in stride down the right sideline for a 53-yard score.

However the PAT kick from senior Joey Wood was blocked so the Indians trailed 7-6.

The first missed opportunity for the hosts came on the subsequent kickoff.

Du Quoin recovered a fumble on the kick return, taking then ball at the Monticello 30.

After getting the ball inside the Monticello 10, the Indians failed to score.

Five consecutive runs by Bowman, with three of them on direct snaps, got the ball to the Sages' two-yard line.

The fourth-and-goal call was a jump pass from Bowman into the endzone, which was intercepted by Monticello safety Raiden Colbert for a touch-back and a missed scoring chance.

It took just one play early in the second quarter for the Sages to add to their advantage.

In a similar play that set up their first touchdown, Monticello reached back into the bag of tricks for a long score.

A direct snap to Young turned into a pitch to Teschke still behind the line of scrimmage.

Colbert had gotten wide open down the left sideline. The pass found him and he waltzed into the endzone for a 51-yard touchdown.

The second consecutive PAT kick from Sowinski pushed the lead to 14-6 with 11:31 left in the second quarter.

(CONTINUED)

The junior tail back took a hand-off from Waller and sprinted down the left sideline before being stopped at the Monticello three-yard line.

Bowman finished the drive on the next play on a TD run and then went up the middle for the two-point conversion to even things at 14-14 at the half.

The two teams' defensive units kept both teams off of the scoreboard for the final 9:40 of the second quarter and over 10 minutes of the third.

However Du Quoin went 80-yards on eight-plays to score the go-ahead score.

Bowman carried the ball on four of the plays and then he caught a one-yard scoring pass from Waller on a roll out on a fourth down play with 1:12 left in the third quarter.

A mishandled snap spoiled the PAT attempt as the Indians' led 20-14.

Monticello took just three plays to respond.

After a return by Carter Foran to the Sages' 45, it took just three downs for Monticello to take back the lead.

Teschke threw his second TD pass, this time to Young who found himself open on a wheel route down the right sideline.

He managed to get into the endzone while being tackled for a 32-yard TD reception.

The third successful PAT by Sowinski gave Monticello a 21-20 lead with :10.5 left in the quarter.

Senior returner Avery Webb got the Indians good field position at their own 45-yard line to began the game-winning drive and the final stanza.

Twelve plays took just over five minutes off of the fourth quarter clock.

Seven of the plays featured Bowman running, either taking a hand-off from Waller or taking a direct snap, including a fourth-and-one from the Monticello 25.

His two-yard plunge kept the drive alive.

Waller finished the drive with a pass to Winters, who got open in the endzone on left side of the field.

The touchdown from 11-yards out, and Bowman's second two-point conversion run, gave the Indians the lead with just 6:52 left.

The DQ “D” took care of business with the Jones/Johnson defensive play and then the Tribe ran out the clock on the Monticello season.

The Indians, playing in their 35th postseason, are still searching for their third state championship.

DQ also has five second place finishes in the program's illustrious history.

The Indians will face a Tolono Unity program that is also steeped in football success.

The Rockets have 29 playoff appearances with a 56-30 overall playoff record and they have finished second six-times.

“That's our identity, running the football. The kids did a great job, we made the adjustments,” said Coach Spain. “All the credit to these kids. We talk about it all the time. They believe in each other and this is just an awesome group of kids.”