HERRIN - Rarely is an extra-point kick attempt this exciting.

Herrin's Ethan Grounds' right foot delivered Friday night, booting the deciding point in a 34-33 overtime victory over Du Quoin.

This was no ordinary chip shot, as the conversion kept Herrin undefeated at 3-0.

"I was just telling myself it's just like practice," Grounds said. "But obviously this was a little more meaningful. But hey, I got the job done."

Per high school overtime rules, each team got four downs to score from 10 yards out. Du Quoin got first crack and scored on a three-yard A.J. Hill touchdown - the senior's fifth score of the game. But the Indians' two-point conversion pass attempt failed, opening the door for Grounds' heroics.

"I just didn't have enough confidence in my kicking game at the time," Du Quoin coach Al Martin said of his decision to go for two in overtime. "We had already had two extra points blocked and I just wanted to win the ballgame."

Herrin answered quickly on its overtime try, as B.J. McGee plowed for a six-yard score. Then, with Herrin's fans and players jumping up and down, Grounds nailed the kick to end a three-hour SIRR tilt.

"Ethan's been doing that for four years," Herrin coach Jason Karnes said. "He looked me in the eyes on the sideline and told me, 'Coach, I'm going to make it.'"

"I know I'm getting the credit here, but we've got to credit the whole offensive line for tonight's win," Grounds said. "It was a total team effort tonight. We beat a really good team and hopefully we can get better each week."

Herrin's offensive line did come up big, paving the way for senior Garrett Butler's 94 rushing yards and three scores. Herrin finished with 215 rushing yards.

"The offensive line did a great job tonight," Karnes said. "We executed well and we got the job done."

It was fitting the game came down to the final play as the teams went back and forth all night.

Butler recorded his third score - a 13-yard sprint early in the fourth quarter - to put the hosts ahead 27-21. But Hill and Du Quoin struck back with a time-consuming drive, capped off by a 2-yard plunge by the quarterback.

Herrin had a chance late in the fourth quarter with the ball at Du Quoin's 39-yard line, but Grounds threw two incomplete passes to turn the ball over on downs with less than one second to go. Grounds completed only one pass on the night, a 20-yard strike to David Mallow.

Hill finished with 87 rushing yards and Jamor Reed added 61. Du Quoin's leading receivers were Seth Flint (6-51) and Dalton Morgan (4-46).