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  • Sesser-Valier/Waltonville/Woodlawn junior quarterback Kendall Gibson checks his line before the ball is snapped last Friday against Carmi. Gibson accounted for a rushing and two passing scores. file photo/sports@register-news.com

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October 9, 2008

SVWW looking for third straight win

By PAUL T. WILCOXEN

paul.wilcoxen@register-news.com

SESSER — It's not impossible for the Sesser-Valier/Waltonville/Woodlawn football team to make the playoffs, but the Red Devils are climbing a slippery slope with three games remaining in the regular season.

Sesser-Valier is sitting at 2-4 after a 22-18 victory over Carmi-White Co. last week.

The Red Devils also have a win over Christopher to improve their chances, but SVWW will need to run the table the rest of season to make it to 5-4 and even that won't guarantee a spot in the playoffs.

Sesser-Valier will face the 0-6 Elkville/Elverado/Trico Falcons for another Black Diamond showdown.

The Red Devils still have a road contest with Eldorado (1-5) before hosting Johnston City (4-2) in the regular season finale.

Sesser-Valier started the season 0-4 with losses to Carterville (42-0), McLeansboro (14-0), Trenton (20-7) and Fairfield (21-20) before a 17-15 win against Christopher.

Last week the Bulldogs had their way running the football most of the night with 263 yards on the ground.

But a late pep talk from Sesser-Valier coach John Shadowens to his defense sparked a pair of second half stops that led to two late fourth quarter touchdowns..

"We challenged them and they bowed their necks and said, 'No not here, not again.' We turned them loose a little bit more and let them play.

"We've been a blitzing [and] stunting team all year long and the problem Carmi gives you is there're no gaps. They're toe-to-toe often times and don't give you a gap to stunt in and we were caught standing in the first half, so we thought we were going to stunt anyway until we get through there and the second half that made the difference. We allowed the defense to play a little bit and made them more aggressive."

The Red Devils had given up a long scoring drive in the third quarter which put Carmi up 18-6 with one minute 37 seconds left in the quarter.

The touchdown came after the Red Devils turned the ball over on downs after causing a fumble deep in Carmi territory.

But Shadowens says he's seen great character building from his team the past few weeks.

"After they stuffed us there and drove down field, holy cow, it looked like it was over then. But what these kids went through the last few weeks losing a heart breaker in Fairfield on a late conversion and doing what they did to Christopher, coming from behind in the last 50 seconds, that builds character and it went a long way to helping them out tonight."

The Falcons have had trouble scoring this season and were outscored in the first four games, 230-0.

Kick off in Sesser is set for 7 p.m.

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