Bulldogs suffer another playoff loss after 4th quarter shootout with Cyclones

MAHOMET — It was never going to be easy, and the Bulldogs knew it.

Especially after what happened last year when the Mahomet-Seymour football team suffered a disappointing 20-19 loss to Triad in the first round of the 2023 Class 5A playoffs.

And especially since the first round opponent this year was Sacred Heart-Griffin. Sure, the Cyclones only snuck into the playoffs as a 14th seed with a 5-4 record, but this is a team that won the 4A state title just two years ago, marking the sixth championship in program history.

This will be a battle.

That’s why it stung even more when third-seeded MS suffered a 24-21 loss to SH-G on Friday night, marking the Bulldogs’ second straight exit.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Bulldogs (7-3) got on the board first on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Luke Dyer to Gavin Hammerschmidt.

SH-G (6-4) kicked a field goal just before halftime to make it 7-3 heading into the locker room.

A pair of SH-G touchdowns made it 17-7 with eight minutes to play.

Just when it looked like the Cyclones would cruise to victory, M.S. turned it on. The Bulldogs marched right down the field and scored on a Cade Ashby touchdown on the goal line. They then rolled the dice to attempt an offside kick and played it back. A couple plays later, Dyer connected with Mason Orton for a 48-yard score.

MS took a 21-17 lead within three minutes.

The excitement was short lived as the Cyclones immediately responded with a 78-yard touchdown drive to retake the lead, leaving MS four minutes to do something.

Under pressure, Dyer was forced to throw a contested deep pass and the SH-G defense came away with its second interception of the night to all but seal the deal.