Jake Hoppenstedt broke a 27-27 tie with a three-yard touchdown run with 46 seconds left to help Murphysboro to a 35-27 win over Kankakee Bishop McNamara.

The Red Devils improve to 10-2 and will travel to Effingham next Saturday at 2:00 a 4A State Semifinal.

Murphysboro got off to a great start as Dezmond Clark took the opening kickoff back 92 yards for a touchdown. Clark also ran in the two-point conversion.

The Red Devils then recovered an onside kick and marched down to score for a 14-0 lead.

The Fighting Irish tallied two first quarter touchdowns of their own to tie it at 14, but on the first play of the second, Jamarr McZeke connected with Logan Sullivan for a 36-yard touchdown pass, giving Murphysboro a 21-14 lead.

It stayed that way until early in the third, when Red Devils’ defensive lineman Rewn Stearns poked the ball away from McNamara quarterback Tyler Hiller and right into the hands of LaTaveon Caves-Gibbs who made quick work of 58 yards for a 27-14 Murphysboro lead.

Again, the Fighting Irish rallied. Owen Jackson scored on a 42-yard screen pass in the third to cut it to 27-21. Then, midway through the fourth, Jackson scored from two yards out. The extra point was no good, so we were tied, setting up Hoppenstedt’s heroics.

McNamara did get all the way to Murphysboro’s 30 with two seconds left, but a final heave as team expired fell harmlessly to the turf, and the Red Devil celebration was on.