Dixon sets tone from start in second-round win

DIXON – Eager to set the tone from the start, Dixon rolled to touchdowns the first five times it touched the ball Friday night on the way to a 51-6 victory over Chicago Agricultural Science in a Class 4A second-round playoff game at A.C. Bowers Field.

Chicago Ag (8-3) picked up a pair of first downs on its first possession but was stuffed on a fourth-and-inches play at the Dixon 21-yard line to turn the ball over on downs.

The Dukes (10-1) asserted their will from that point on. Runs of 25, 15, 11 and 28 yards ended with Landon Knigge in the end zone for an 8-0 lead.

[ Photos from Dixon vs. Chicago Ag Science in 4A second-round football game ]

Tyson Dambman’s interception then set up a 43-yard scoring drive that was highlighted by an 18-yard pass from Cullen Shaner to James Simpson on fourth-and-13, and ended with Knigge’s 15-yard TD run for a 15-0 margin.

“That was really the biggest thing we needed in the game, just to set the tone for the team,” Knigge said. “We dominated the line of scrimmage, and that was the game plan. In Monday’s practice, they said we were going to run the ball, run the ball, run the ball. So we all prepared for that this week, and we wanted to come out here and run the ball.”

Dixon forced punts on Ag’s next two drives, and Shaner threw scoring strikes to Gabe Rowley and Eli Davidson for a 29-0 lead. Rowley’s TD was set up by personal foul and unsportsmanlike penalties by Ag on the same play, while Davidson’s scoring grab came one play after he hauled in a 30-yard pass from Shaner after falling to the ground on his back at the 1-yard line.

The Dukes’ lineman were champing at the bit coming into the game, knowing that they were going to try and establish the run early. They not only opened holes to the tune of 227 rushing yards, but also kept Shaner clean in the pocket to facilitate 6-for-10 passing for 68 yards and the two TDs.

“Coming in, we knew we had to run the ball more, and it’s so good to hear that as a lineman. We’ve been practicing that all week, and we just had to come out here and execute,” senior lineman Will Howell said. “We just kept going, going, going, not stopping. It was a lot of fun.”

“I’m just going to keep thanking my line, because they did the job tonight, and that’s what controlled the game,” said Knigge, who finished with 15 carries for 149 yards and four scores.

Penalties were a big issue for both teams, and Dixon set up Ag’s lone score with three of them on the next series. Two personal fouls and a 5-yard facemask provided 35 yards of the Cyclones’ 61-yard drive; the last 15 was covered by a diving touchdown catch by Trevon Williams on a pass from Braeden Gillie.

But Dambman returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown to make it 37-6, then after the teams traded unsuccessful fake punts, Knigge ran in from 10 yards out for his third touchdown to push the lead to 44-6 at halftime.

For the game, the Dukes committed 13 penalties for 125 yards, while Ag had 13 penalties for 98 yards; there were also two instances of offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct fouls.

“We had a few penalties that you want to get rid of, but ultimately, at this point, the goal is to win football games and get closer and closer to Thanksgiving,” coach Jared Shaner said. “We knew they were going to come out ready to play be excited after wining their first playoff game; what a great feeling for their team and their school. But once the game started going, just be physical, set the tone early, and that’s kind of what we did. After that first defensive series, I think from that point on we were pretty dialed in.”

Knigge had runs of 13 and 17 yards before his 1-yard TD run on Dixon’s first series of the second half, after Cullen Shaner’s 24-yard scoring run was called back for a holding penalty. That made it 51-6 and started the continuous clock.

It was the sixth time the Dukes have scored 50 or more points in 11 games this season, as they became the third team in program history to advance to the quarterfinals, joining the 2006 and 2017 squads.

Dixon will hit the road next weekend against the winner of Saturday’s Coal City at Rockford Boylan game.

“This is a great feeling, and we’re ready to keep going,” Knigge said. “The line is going to continue to do the job, and we have to keep the offense rolling. We have to stay disciplined as a team. And we have to stay together as a team, and combine our offense and defense the way we have been all year.”

“We just need to keep practicing harder and harder each day, and keep getting better,” Howell added. “We have to keep running the ball, and keep controlling the line of scrimmage.”