Wildcats finish 8-3, win division title, advance to IHSA Class 3A playoffs

After losing its first two games of the season, the Anna-Jonesboro Communty High School football team bounced back to win eight straight games before falling 49-14 to host Monticello in the second round of the Illinois High School Association Class 3A 2018 postseason playoffs. The game was played Saturday, Nov. 3.

The Wildcats ended the season with an 8-3 record and won the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Mississippi Division title outright with a 5-0 record.

Monticello 49, A-J 14: Quarterback Conner Jerolds led the rushing attack with 143 yards rushing. Fullback Damian Chrisp added 48 yards rushing and running back Reid Morrison 32 yards rushing.

Morrison scored on a 12-yard run and Jerolds added the other touchdown on a 1-yard run.

A-J 56, West Frankfort 28: Jerolds led the way with 252 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns in the playoff win Saturday, Oct. 27.

Morrison had 125 yards rushing and scored four TDs. Chrisp added 82 yards rushing.

Nate Kisat had the longest run for a score, with a 67-yard jaunt.

A-J 43, Benton 6: Chrisp led the way with the win, rushing for 136 yards and scored on 2- and 16-yard runs.

Morrison added 64 yards rushing. Jerolds had 60 yards rushing and scored on runs of 1- and 2- yards.

Ethan Ralls scored on a 4-yard run and Jerolds passed to Morrison for a 66-yard strike for another score.

A-J 48, Sparta 20: Chrisp led the host Wildcats’ 392-yard rushing attack with 113 yards and scored on a 2-yard run Friday, Oct. 12.

Morrison rushed for 108 yards and scored on 13- and 20- yard runs.

Jerolds rushed for 80 yards and scored on runs of 18 and 44 yards. He also connected with Garrett Fabec for a 37-yard TD strike.

A-J 36, Du Quoin 35: Morrison scored on a conversion point run after scoring a TD to lead visiting A-J to the win Friday, Oct. 5.

Morrison rushed for 100 yards and scored on a 9-yard TD run.

Chrisp led the way with 160 yards rushing with a 35-yard TD run.

Jerolds added 101 yards rushing and scored a pair of TD passes on a 21-yard pass to Tyler Smith and a 28-yard  strike to Morrison.

A-J 35, Pinckneyville 7: Kyle McMahan led the way with a 91-yard TD run for the host Wildcats Friday, Sept. 28.

McMahan also scored on a 7-yard run to add to the Wildcats’ 321 yard rushing attack.

Jerolds scored on a 2-yard run and Drake Roach on a 5-yard run.

Jerolds also connected with Cameron Tweedy for a 12-yard TD pass.

McMahan led the way with 94 yards rushing and Morrison added 79 yards rushing.

A-J 37, Carterville 14: Chrisp led the way for the visiting Wildcats with 180 yards rushing and scored on a 10-yard run Friday, Sept. 21.

Morrison added 90 yards rushing and scored on a 31-yard run.

Jerolds added 73 yards rushing and was 2 of 6 passing with a 5-yard TD strike to Fabec.

A-J 37, Nashville 14: Chrisp led the way in the host Wildcats’ White Out game victory with 151 yards rushing and three TDs Friday, Sept. 24.

Chrisp scored on runs of 1, 2 and 32 yards.

Morrison added 125 yards rushing and scored on runs of 5 and 54 yards.

Jerolds rushed for 89 yards and scored on a 1-yard run.

A-J 28, Massac County 7: Morrison led the way for the visiting Wildcats with 87 yards rushing and scored on a 4-yard run Friday, Sept. 7.

Chrisp added 35 yards rushing and scored on a 6-yard run.

Jerolds scored on a 58-yard run and on a 25-yard pass to Fabec. He was 2 of 4 passing for 43 yards.

Murphysboro 27, A-J 23: Jerolds rushed for 79 yards and scored on a 13-yard run to lead the visiting Wildcats in the loss Friday, Aug. 31.

Jerolds also connected with McMahan for a 13-yard TD pass.

Chrisp added 50 yards rushing. Kisat had 26 yards rushing and scored on a 5-yard run.

West Frankfort 24, A-J 21: Jerolds led the way for the host Wildcats in the season-opening loss with 108 yards rushing Friday,  Aug. 24.

Jerolds also scored on TD runs of 10 and 45 yards.

Chrisp had 82 yards rushing with a 1-yard TD run.

Morrison added 34 yards rushing.