With exactly 8 seconds left in the third quarter of Fieldcrest’s Heart of Central Illinois crossover at Tremont’s Poorbaugh Field, Knights workhorse running back Lucas Anson powered into the end zone from 5 yards out for a touchdown, then did it again for a two-point conversion.

Fieldcrest, which had trailed from midway through the first quarter, had fought back to make it a one-possession game.

The next time the Knights ran an offensive snap, they trailed by 28 in an eventual 42-14 Tremont victory Friday that snapped a 20-game losing streak for the Turks.

“The look on the kids’ faces after they got the opportunity to experience that first varsity win, you know, nothing can replace it,” first-year Turks head coach Joe Hageman said.

“It feels amazing,” said junior running back Elijah Bohm, who ran in three of Tremont’s six touchdowns on the night. “I feel blessed to do it with these teammates. ... We just came into the game with the mindset we were going to punch lots, we were going to keep going. It felt good we were able to execute that.

“We’re going to live it up.”

It took Tremont (1-2) just five plays to answer Anson’s third-quarter touchdown with one of their own 32 seconds into the fourth quarter. Sensing the chance to put away the program’s first varsity victory since Oct. 21, 2022 – that win also coming at the expense of Fieldcrest – Hageman called for an onside kick, one Tremont’s Owen Weiss recovered.

One unsportsmanlike penalty on the Fieldcrest sideline for arguing the onside shouldn’t have been advanced, and one play later, Tremont quarterback Brett Bane II hit fellow senior Josh Papenhause for a 20-yard touchdown.

The Turks then tried a squib kick, which was recovered again by Tremont. The Fieldcrest defense forced a punt, but the return was fumbled, and just one play after that Jordyn Balsimo ran in another score to make what was a 21-14 nail-biter the last time the Fieldcrest offense was on the field a 42-14 runaway.

“The first one was [a designed onside kick],” Hageman said. “The second one was just supposed to be a pooch that down to about the 40-, 35-yard line to eliminate a return, and it just kind of worked out in our favor. We felt like [Fieldcrest] controlled the ball on offense that third quarter, and when we scored we thought, ‘We’re going to take a shot and maybe throw that knockout punch.’ ”

Bohm rushed for 118 yards and three touchdowns, Bane completed 4 of 9 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown, Papenhause had all four receptions for 62 yards and that TD, Aaron Dawson recorded a sack, and Troy Keever had two tackles for loss plus an interception to lead Tremont to its first win in nearly three years.

“We had a good first half, we battled,” Fieldcrest coach Nick Meyer said, “and the second half, we had a shot. We went down and scored, they answered, then they got the onside and advanced it anyway. But beyond that for us, it was all three facets – offense, defense, special teams, and special teams, that’s where it was tonight.

“I’m excited for [Tremont], they’re a good team, but as for us, we have to keep moving forward.”

For Fieldcrest (0-3), Anson finished with 19 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown, adding all three of his team’s receptions for 24 yards. Quarterback Kash Klendworth was 3 of 7 for 24 yards with two interceptions, Zach Overocker ran for 43 yards and the game’s initial touchdown on the opening drive, and Grant Hakes ran for 40 yards. Defensively, Braydin Eplin recorded two tackles for loss, Gavin Harr tallied a quarterback sack, and Chance Hedrick recovered a fumble just before halftime.

Up next, the Knights host LeRoy in Week 4. Tremont visits Heyworth.