Pleasant Plains next up for Wildcats in 3A semifinal game

The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School football team travels to Pleasant Plains for its next game in the Illinois High School Association Class 3A playoffs this Saturday.

Game time is set for 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WIBH radio in Anna.

A-J is 12-0 overall and Pleasant Plains is 9-3 coming into the semifinal playoff game.

Pleasant Plains competes in the Western Illinois Valley-South Conference.

“They play in a really good conference that had four teams playing last week in the playoffs,” A-J head coach Brett Detering said. “They played really good competition.

“They might not be as big as some of the teams we’ve played (in playoffs), but they are a lot faster,” he added. 

“We’re a spread offensive team and we’re pretty balanced,” Pleasant Plains coach Brody Walworth said. “We have good team speed.”

The Wolves advanced to the semifinals with a 20-14 win in overtime over Carlinville.

Senior Ben Reiner, 5-10, 165 pounds, is the quarterback. He has 2,113 yards passing this season.

The top receivers are senior Kai Carlberg, 6-1, 175 pounds, and junior Tristen Tewes, 6-3, 220 pounds. Carlberg has 489 yards in receptions this season and Tewes has 569 yards. 

The main ball carrier is senior Nik Samson, 5-9, 195 pounds. He has 232 carries this season and rushed for 1,262 yards.

The offensive line is anchored around seniors Carter Weiters, 6-2, 205 pounds; Nathan Curry, 5-10, 205 pounds; and Ethan Ankenbrandt, 6-2, 235 pounds.

Defensive stalwarts are Tewes, who leads the team with 108 tackles. Samson has 90 tackles and senior Jake Hermes, 6-0, 215 pounds, has 55. 

This will be the third time a Detering coached team has been to the semifinals. The Wildcats advanced in both 2006 and 2003.

“Hopefully, the third time is a charm,” Detering said. “It will be a challenge. We have to remain focused.”