| 02/09/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - It was the Covid19 2021 spring.
The
Illinois High School Association allowed member schools to compete
in six spring football games, which was a blessing in and of
itself.
After
all of 2020 spring then fall sports were not allowed to go on
as scheduled, the late winter basketball rolled into a spring
of football contests in 2021.
It
was also when I decided that if I was ever going to jump into
covering football this was the time.
I
went out to a few games that spring, shot some photos and talked
to coaches about putting together a football website to coincide
with my basketball web presence.
The
feedback I got was great and I went for it, creating A Sideline
View.
Which
brings me to the first team of the year, and its top player,
who was the leader of the squad that reached the 2023 3A title
game.
As
the fourth season of ASV concluded in November, this third full
season brings about the first annual ASV “Player of the
Year” awards for each of the four classes (1A-4A).
The
blueprint I have created is for the four POY's and the singular
“Team of the Year” of the combined teams.
For
Mt. Carmel it was a Covid19 season that allowed an early admittance
into the Little Illini Conference.
The
early (or late) Christmas present for the Golden Aces' program
allowed them to hit the field as the league let them in a year
ahead of schedule to give MC a few extra games.
Mt.
Carmel and head coach Michael Brewer are no strangers to postseason
success in its history but in 2021 for the spring the Aces had
a freshman receiver/running back named Blayne
Sisson.
At
the time the Aces had their own ace in quarterback Cole Broster,
a sophomore, who led the team to a 6-0 spring record.
However
Broster was injured in the off-season and by the time the fall
rolled around, Sisson was called upon to take over at quarterback.
Sisson
went on a three-season run that put him in the Top 10 all-time
in IHSA history for total yards; passing, rushing and receiving.
This
past fall, in his final prep season, was indeed special.
Sisson
led the Aces to the 3A championship game.
Although
his club was over-matched in the title game, it doesn't overshadow
his season and his career of milestones.
The
team lost its season opener to Fort Branch (IN.) Gibson Southern
21-14.
The
Golden Aces responded with 12-consecutive wins to reach the
championship game.
They
entered the playoffs seeded #4 in the south part of the bracket.
After
getting a scare from Benton in the first round, the Aces spanked
the Sullivan/Okaw Valley cooperative to advance to play their
old nemesis Tolono Unity.
The
Rockets had won the previous three encounters with Mt. Carmel
in the playoffs, including a semifinal win in 2021.
However
the Aces and Sisson went to Tolono Unity and won a 56-46 quarterfinal
shootout to reach the semifinals.
Then
Coach Brewer's club had to face 12-0 Roxana on the road.
The
offense for the Aces scored on every possession except for the
final one when they ran out the clock in a 63-48 victory over
the Shells.
In
horse racing when you're looking at the past performances on
the Daily Racing Form, sometimes you just have to “draw
a line” through bad races when evaluating a horse.
You
can draw a line through the 69-7 championship game defeat to
Byron.
The
lone bright spot for Mt. Carmel in the title game was an 81-yard
TD run by Sisson, which represented the Aces' only points.
Added
all up, the season and career of Blayne Sisson was ever so special.
The
University of Illinois commit has gathered multiple postseason
awards.
Add
the ASV POY to the list.
The
numbers added up are what legends are made of.
Sisson
was less that 100-yards total offense short of 10,000 for his
career in all-purpose yardage combining passing, rushing and
receiving.
His
4,074-yards combined in 2023 helped move him into the elite
territory in the history of the state, which is the 12th highest
total in Illinois prep history.
Considering
that his freshman season only had 212-yards total rushing and
receiving with zero passing yards, the three-year run was prodigious.
The
6-2, 190-pound senior is the ASV “Player of the Year”
for 3A. |
