Story by Parker Cassidy
The West Central Heat Football team made the long bus ride to Ashton, Illinois, last Friday for a showdown with the Ashton-Franklin Center Raiders. The Heat offense was unstoppable on the ground, powered by sophomore running back Graham Kelly’s 237 rushing yards and two touchdowns. West Central piled up more than 400 total yards, but Head Coach Jason Kirby credits the defense in the victory, specifically the defensive line, as the Heat only allowed 6 points and 212 all-purpose yards.
The Heat weren’t flawless, losing a pair of fumbles, but they did enough to secure their first win of the 2025 season, 18-6, evening their record at 1-1.
West Central will look to build on that momentum this Friday when they return home for an 8-Man West Conference matchup with the Peoria Heights Patriots. Coach Kirby shared the keys to the game ahead of the contest.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 pm in Biggsville as the Heat looks to improve to 2-1 and 1-1 in conference play.
For the full interview with Coach Kirby, go to the SPORTS PODCAST section.
