Hoping for an encore following its first playoff win in more than 30 years, the Dupo High School football squad traveled to Carrollton for a second round Class 1A showdown on Saturday afternoon. 

Unfortunately, it was a painful ending to a promising start as the Tigers lost 34-19.

Dupo actually led 13-0 in the first half and looked to be in control of the contest until disaster struck. The Tigers blocked a Carrollton field goal attempt and recovered a lost fumble on a high snap to keep the home team off the board early.

The Tigers opened the scoring with a 52-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Deegan Prater to Brrayden Esterlein early in the second quarter. Just a couple of minutes later, Prater connected with Thinh Staggs for a 34-yard TD strike. 

However, Prater was injured while attempting an extra point kick following that TD, as an opposing player apparently fell on his left leg.

“He got landed on while kicking a PAT,” Dupo head coach Zach Klaustermeier said after the game. “They are supposed to give him room to land, but that wasn’t the case and it ended up with him hurt.”

Prater, who also plays defensive back in addition to QB and kicker, was noticeably limited after that – although he did continue to play with a limp.

“It’s tough because it certainly affected the rest of the game,” Klaustermeier said. “The kid is unreal tough and continued to play, but he wasn’t anywhere near himself.”

The injury to Prater opened the door for Carrollton, which proceeded to score 21 straight points and take control of the game.

“I think after that (injury), you could see momentum change with their team because he’s their leader,” Carrollton head coach Rodney Flowers told the Alton Telegraph after the game.

Carrollton proceeded to score on TD passes of 44 and 23 yards to tie the contest at 13-13 entering halftime. 

The host squad then opened the third quarter with a nine-yard TD pass and converted its two-point try.

Prater’s third TD pass of the game cut Carrollton’s lead to 21-19, but that’s as close as the Tigers would get. 

Prater, who was named this week to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 1A All-State Team, finished his final game for the Tigers with 17-of-36 passing for 267 yards and three TDs with one interception. He also rushed for 36 yards.

For the season, Prater threw for 2,425 yards with 31 TDs and ran for 482 yards with 10 TDs. On defense, he had nine total interceptions – including one on Saturday. 

As for his top receivers, Esterlein, Staggs and Brady Portell each had 10 TD grabs this season.

Dupo ended its best season in decades with a record of 9-2. 

In addition to Prater, Esterlein and Staggs, graduating seniors from this squad are Tramar Bean, Jamarion Morning, Noah Kerperien, Cole Hearty, Brandon Argus and Dylan Cannon. 

“We had an excellent season and this loss is a tough one to take,” Klaustermeier said. “However, I’m super proud of our guys and the toughness and effort they played with. They really brought a community back together and it was awesome to see the support everywhere you looked. Wish we could have had another week to keep going, but it is what it is.”