Hononegah Edges Antioch 13–12 to Reach Sectional Final

Hononegah didn’t so much win a sectional semifinal Saturday afternoon as they endured it. The Indians walked out of Antioch with a 13–12 victory, the kind of narrow escape that reminds you postseason football flag or otherwise—has a way of tightening the throat and shortening the breath.

For three quarters, the game felt like a tug-of-war between two teams unwilling to blink. For Hononegah, the difference was a roster that has learned how to bend without breaking, and a handful of players who refused to let the season end on a cold October afternoon.

A Quarterback Who Wouldn’t Go Away

Quarterback Layla Demke (13-for-27, 148 yards, TD, INT) played like someone who has already lived through a few playoff runs. She absorbed pressure, shrugged off mistakes, and kept coming back. Her touchdown pass to sophomore Claire VanSchelven with just seconds left on the game clock gave Hononegah the lead late.

Layla Demke added a rushing touchdown earlier, a bruising 5‑yard push that looked more like a fullback dive than a quarterback keeper. It tied the game and reminded Antioch that Hononegah’s offense doesn’t rely on finesse alone.

Claire VanSchelven wasn’t done. She completed her only pass attempt—a 50‑yard strike that flipped the field and the mood of the stadium. She rushed twice for 11 yards, caught two passes for 16 yards and a score, and played defense like she was late for an appointment. In a game decided by inches, she supplied yards that felt like miles.

The Breakout Star

If there was a player who changed the geometry of the game, it was junior Emma Bullard. She turned four catches into 104 yards, stretching Antioch’s defense until it frayed.

Her performance didn’t just move chains; it changed the emotional temperature of the sideline.

A Defense That Lives in the Backfield

Hononegah’s defense didn’t dominate the stat sheet so much as it dominated the moments.

Sophomore rusher Taitum Cates delivered one of the most disruptive performances of the postseason: five sacks, each one a small earthquake that rattled Antioch’s rhythm. Every time Antioch tried to build momentum, Cates tore it down.

Makiya Harshbarger added a sack.
Addison Beilfuss anchored the middle with five tackles.
Alexandria Huber contributed four more.
Harper Vanderheyden—already one of the team’s emotional engines—added seven tackles and a reception for 27 yards.
Amaya Waters chipped in three tackles, closing space in the flats where Antioch tried to survive.

This wasn’t a defense that overwhelmed Antioch. It was a defense that outlasted them.

The Play That Sealed It

When the last Antioch pass fell incomplete, Hononegah exhaled as one. A one‑point win in October counts the same as a blowout. Sometimes it means more.

Next Up: Crystal Lake Central

Hononegah advances to the Sectional Final, set for Tuesday night at 5 p.m. in Antioch, where Crystal Lake Central awaits. The Tigers bring speed, size, and a reputation for turning games into track meets.

Hononegah brings something else: resilience. The kind that wins 13–12 games in the postseason. The kind that travels.

If Tuesday is anything like Saturday, buckle up.

Thank You Scott VanSchelven, Wes Waters and Derek Demke for images and videos used in this and all the coverage this year.

Thank you Coach jason Brunke for the stats and information.

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