The smaller classes took the center stage during the Illinois state football championships on Friday night in Champaign, Ill., on a record-shattering day.
Jake Apple of
Dakota (Ill.) ran 31 times for a Class 1A championship-game record 373 yards, sparking the Indians to a comeback 41-27 victory over Tuscola (Ill.). The previous 1A record was 239 yards in 1995.
He also tied the 1A record with four rushing touchdowns.
Coach Jerry Lano told the Journal-Standard, "That's amazing because he's playing with a dislocated shoulder (most of the year), He sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter and we didn't have time to tape him."
Apple finished the year with 2,574 yards on 252 carries and scored 35 touchdowns.
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Rochester (Ill.) repeated as Class 4A champion with a 42-39 victory over Richmond-Burton (Richmond, Ill.) as senior quarterback
Wes Lunt (6-5, 200) passed for 506 yards. Rochester receiver Zach Grant (6-1, 190) set title-game records with 13 catches for 259 yards and Richmond-Burton set a record with 514 rushing yards.
