By Dylan Webster 

PEORIA - Peoria Richwoods' running backs Kendrick Foster and Jeremye Johnson combined for 329 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Knights past Bloomington, 35-22, in an opening round game of the Class 6A playoffs Saturday.

 After a stalled BHS opening drive, Foster got the scoring started on the Knights' second play from scrimmage as he ran 27 yards for a touchdown. Justin Cole then added the extra point kick for a  lead.

 The Purple Raiders answered with a long drive that was capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass from Jake Romani to Devaugn Dix. The conversion kick failed, leaving BHS with a 7-6 deficit.

However, the Purple Raiders came back to take their first lead when they scored on their first drive of the second quarter. Romani connected with Emerson Evans on an 18-yard pass that was almost intercepted at the goal line. A successful 2-point conversion put BHS ahead, 14-7.

 But Richwoods would not let the lead stand for long as the Knights scored shortly before the end of the first half when Foster scored on a 7-yard run to give Richwoods a 15-14 halftime advantage.

BHS gained the lead again early in the second half on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Romani to McLean Funk, who also caught a pass for the 2-point conversion for a 22-15 lead.

Unfortunately for BHS, though, it was all Richwoods after that as Max Berres hooked up with Noah Cartwright for a 28-yard gain that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Foster that gave the Knights a 23-22 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Richwoods found the end zone twice in the final frame as Berres hit Nick Parks with an 8-yard touchdown pass. Jeremye Johnson closed out the scoring with a 55-yard touchdown run with 5:22 remaining.

Kendrick Foster led all rushers with 203 yards on 29 carries and three touchdowns. Romani had 227 yards passing on 18 completions and three touchdowns.

BHS ends the season 7-3, while Richwoods moved to 8-2.

R- Kenrick Foster 27-yd. run (conversion kick)
B- Devaughn Dix 4-yd. pass from Romani (kick failed)
B- Emerson Evans 18-yd. pass from Romani (run good)
R- Foster 7-yd. run (run good)
B- McLean Funk 6-yd. pass from Romani (Funk pass from Romani)
R- Foster 1-yd. run (conversion run good)
R- Parks 8-yd. pass from Berres(run failed)
R- Johnson 55-yd. run (run failed)