The Sentinel: Search results for Blake Kimball

Photo Gallery: Unity wins playoff game over PBL, 21-14

Paxton-Buckley-Loda Seth Hitz misses a tackle on Unity's Tyler Hensch during the second-round playoff game last Saturday. The Panthers (7-4), new to the Illini Prairie Conference, put up a good fight against the state-ranked Rockets at Hicks Field before their season came to a close after a 21-14 finish in Unity's favor. Next, the Rockets host the Bullets of Williamsville at 2pm tomorrow.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Unity quarterback Blake Kimball sheds PBL linebacker Dalton Jones keeping the ball for a short gain. On a beautiful November afternoon in Tolono, Kimball set a school record on Saturday for most completions in a single season with the Rockets at 136. Tomorrow, he will have an opportunity to set the bar higher when the Rockets host their third home playoff game this season against Williamsville for a quarterfinal showdown. Saturday's forecast calls for mostly cloudy conditions with the high in the upper 30s. West winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph could be a problem for extending his mark much higher.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Austin Langendorf and another Unity player breaks up a pass play

Austin Langendorf and another Unity player break up a pass play to PBL's Jacob Gronsky. The Rockets, who entered the game scoring 41.9 points per game during the regular season, got the job done with a 21-14 victory is in its 26th playoff appearance in the last 27 fall seasons. A win tomorrow and the following week will mark Unity's sixth playoff appearance in as many years. See more game photos at Unity Rocket Football.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

The Unity Rockettes perform on the sidelines for fans during the game on gorgeous fall day.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Braxton Manuel bursts through a banner before the start of second-round game between Illini Prairie Conference foes. Manuel and the Rockets defeated the Panthers earlier in the season, 35-0.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Rockets' Boden Franklin grabs on to Panther ball carrier Tyler Smith on a third-and-three play for a loss. The stop forced PBL to punt the ball putting it on Unity's 9 yard line. See more game photos at Unity Rocket Football.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Paxton-Buckley-Loda senior Tyler Smith along with help from teammate Garret Sanders brings down Unity's Matt Brown. With a chip on their shoulder and something to prove, the Paxton-Buckley-Loda defense held Unity, who averaged 41 points/game during the regular season, to a total of 21 in their playoff game. PBL gave up an average of just 11.9 points in their first nine games in the IPC.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Unity assistant coach and offensive line coach Tony Reetz talks to players during the game. UHS trailed 14-7 early in the second half of an exciting high school football game. The Rockets erased the deficit, first, on a pass from Blake Kimball to Dillon Rutledge on a fourth-and-15 play, and later when Kimball found his way into the end zone on a 13-yard run with 6:42 left in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Matt Brown evades PBL's Tyler Smith. Brown will be key to Unity's advance past Williamsville when they meet on Saturday at Hicks Field. In their last meeting back during the 2012 playoffs, Unity survived 10-7 on a last-second field goal on a day shaping up with similar weather conditions nine years ago. Brown finished the game against the Panthers with 87 yards on 24 carries.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Unity senior Blake Kimball stretches forward to get the ball into the end zone for the game-winning score. Kimball called his own number 23 times tallying 101 rushing yards producing a come-from-behind playoff win for the Rockets. See more game photos at Unity Rocket Football.

Photo: Unity Rocket Photos

Photo Gallery: Unity beats SJO at home, 33-8

6-foot-2, 225-pound lineman Karson Richardson puts his shoulder into St. Joseph-Ogden's Jack Setterdahl while playing during the second half of their conference football game at Hicks Field. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Unity receiver Tyler Hensch and quarterback Blake Kimball celebrate a touchdown against visiting St. Joseph-Ogden on Friday. The Rockets beat the Spartans in Illini Prairie Conference action, 33-8. Next up, Unity travels to Illinois Valley Central to take on the Grey Ghost on Friday. Click here to see more photos from this game. (PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

After he is flushed out of the backfield on his team's second snap of the game, Rocket QB Blake Kimball jets down the north sideline on his way to a 72-yard, first quarter touchdown. Kimball finished the night with 104 yards on nine carries and scored again later Unity's home game against the Spartans. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Rockets' Austin McDaniel cools off during a timeout against the Spartans. The senior defensive lineman veteran experience was crucial to his team ability to hold SJO to just 125 rushing yards. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

St. Joseph-Ogden quarterback Evan Ingram looks down field to throw a long pass during the second half. Ingram finished the night completing 5 of 14 passes for 32 yards against the host Rockets. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Quarterback Blake Kimball is brought down by St. Joseph-Ogden's Bryson Helfrich on Unity's first offensive play in the first quarter during the Rockets' home game on Friday, September 3. On the next play Kimball dashed down the field to score the first of the team's five touchdowns. Unity went on to improved to 2-0 record after beating the visiting Spartans, 33-8. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

SJO's Owen Birt leaps into action in an attempt to block a Unity extra point attempt in the fourth quarter. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Members of the Unity Dance Team entertain spectators while performing during halftime. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

A member of the Unity marching band's flag corp twirls her flag around shoulders during Friday night's halftime performance. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Together with Sophia Stierwalt to her left, Drum Major Elise Johnson lead the Unity Rocket Marching Band during their halftime presentation. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

A horn player marches with Unity marching band while playing the bands rendition of a Stevie Wonder tune during halftime. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Justice Wertz sheds a Unity tackler while trying to get the ball out of the SJO backfield during the fourth quarter. Wertz, a 5'-9', 135-pound running back, finished the road game with 9 yards after two touches on Friday. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

St. Joseph-Ogden senior Austin Cotter tries to work his way past Unity's Karson Richardson during the second half of their game. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Unity senior Nate Nosler and a teammate wrap up St. Joseph-Ogden ball carrier Keaton Nolan. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

After breaking away from would be tacklers Rowan Musselman and Alex Funk from St. Joseph-Ogden, Unity's Haidyn Hendricks picks up a few more yards on the fourth quarter play. Hendricks finished the game with a net 14 yards in his team's second home game of the season. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

SJO's Bryson Helfrich moves to block a Unity lineman. In search of their first win of the season, Helfrich and the Spartans will host Prairie Central this coming Friday.(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Finding a bit of green turf open, St. Joseph-Ogden's Keaton Nolan makes a quick cut to take advantage of the hole in Unity's defense. Nolan finished the game with 14 receiving-yards and 45 on his ground attack. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Photo Gallery: Giving their all, Rockets come up short in 3A title game

(Left to right) Unity football captains Grant Albaugh, Dillon Rutledge, Chance Ingleman, and Blake Kimball hold up the team's runner-up trophy after the Class 3A title game at Huskies Stadium on the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb. In the program's sixth state final appearance since head coach Scott Hamilton took the reigns, the Rockets fell 35-7 to Byron Tigers finishing the season with a 13-1 record on Friday. More photos and recap coming later this week.