The Taylorville Tornadoes opened the 2026 season with a statement Friday night, dominating the Olney Tigers 47-7 in a game where Taylorville controlled all three phases from start to finish.

Taylorville’s defense set the tone early, limiting Olney’s offense while the Tornadoes worked to establish their own attack.

The Tornadoes broke through in the first quarter when Isaac Repscher connected with Blake Ladage for a 20-yard touchdown. Ben Peabody’s extra point gave Taylorville a 7-0 lead.

Taylorville exploded in the second quarter.

After an Olney fumble was recovered by the Tornadoes, Repscher found Wyatt Yonker for a 43-yard touchdown. Olney blocked the extra point, keeping the score at 13-0.

Yonker found the end zone again later in the quarter, hauling in a 72-yard touchdown pass from Repscher. Peabody’s kick was good, pushing the lead to 20-0.

The Taylorville defense continued to create opportunities, with Maddex Havera coming up with an interception. The Tornadoes drove into Olney territory before Repscher finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with just five seconds remaining in the half.

Peabody added the extra point, sending Taylorville into halftime with a commanding 27-0 advantage.

The Tornadoes continued their dominance in the third quarter, adding another touchdown to make it 33-0. Connor Hundsley also made a big defensive play, recording a tackle that helped push Olney back.

Taylorville’s defense added another interception as the Tornadoes continued to keep the Tigers off balance.

Garrett Lehman opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run, and Peabody’s extra point made it 40-0.

Olney finally got on the scoreboard when Brody Snyder connected with Aiden Germak for a 15-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 40-7.

Taylorville answered immediately.

On the ensuing kickoff, Wyatt Yonker returned the ball 93 yards for a touchdown, giving the Tornadoes their final points of the night. Peabody’s extra point made it 47-7.

Repscher had a night to remember in his return from injury, accounting for five Taylorville touchdowns while helping lead the Tornadoes to a dominant opening-night victory.

After the game, Repscher said the performance was the result of months of preparation.

“We’ve been prepping for this game, I mean, all summer long,” Repscher said. “We knew what we were doing, and we executed perfectly.”

Lane Riva credited the team’s ability to play together on both sides of the ball.

“Just keeping juice, everyone,” Reeve said. “Just playing together. You know, defense, we’re all trying to leverage the ball, work as one. Offense, it goes the same way.”

For Repscher, Friday night’s performance was even more special because it marked his return from injury.

“You can’t beat this feeling,” Repscher said. “Senior night, first game back, and we just have a spectacular night.”

Repscher also made sure to recognize the players around him, especially the offensive line.

“I just want to give a shout out to the O-line as well,” he said. “They were feeling amazing. Could not do anything without them.”

Coach Odom Praises Team Effort

Taylorville head coach Odom was pleased with the performance but knows there is still plenty to improve heading into Week 2.

“I’m sure when we watch film we’ll find some mistakes and some areas to clean up,” Odom said.

The Tornadoes had some special-teams mistakes and allowed a few plays on defense that Odom wants corrected before traveling to Canton.

Still, the coach praised the overall team effort.

“It is really nice to know you’ve got playmakers in all three phases,” Odom said.

Odom specifically credited Peabody for his kicking performance, the long-snapping unit, Taylorville’s defense for creating turnovers and the offense for producing explosive plays.

The Tornadoes will now turn their attention to Canton.

Taylorville will hit the road next week looking to build on Friday night’s impressive victory.

Odom knows the Tornadoes can’t afford to dwell on the 47-7 win.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re super focused, and, you know, take the 47-7 win, but then turn the page really quickly,” Odom said.

After a dominant opening night, Taylorville has certainly made a statement — but the Tornadoes know the season is only getting started. Check out this story on ilsportswire.com for video clips from the game. For a direct link to the coaches interview video, CLICK HERE.

Also during Friday's game, Scooter’s Coffee gave back to Taylorville student-athletes through a new season-long promotion benefiting the Taylorville Sports Boosters.

For the 2025-26 school year, Scooter’s Coffee is the exclusive sponsor of the WTIM Scooter’s Coffee Tornado Give Back Promotion. The program will turn achievements on the field and court into donations supporting Taylorville athletics.

Under the promotion, Scooter’s Coffee will donate $10 for every Taylorville varsity football touchdown scored during the season.

When basketball season gets underway, the company will donate $3 for every three-point shot made by both the Taylorville boys and girls basketball teams throughout all of their games.

Throughout the year, Scooters Coffee supported Taylorville athletics through a special promotion tied to local sports highlights. Thanks to touchdowns, three-pointers, and home runs, they have donated $1,236 to the Taylorville Sports Boosters. These funds will help support Taylorville student-athletes and athletic programs.

During Fridays Game, the $1,236 check was given to the Taylorville Sports Boosters by Marcus McGlasson, the owner of Scooters Coffee. 

Pictured below are members of the Taylorville Sports Boosters, holding the oversized donation check:

The giving will continue into the spring sports season, with $5 donated for every home run hit by the Taylorville varsity baseball and softball teams.

The total amount donated will depend on the success of Taylorville’s student-athletes throughout the school year, giving fans another reason to cheer for touchdowns, three-pointers and home runs.

As part of the exclusive sponsorship agreement, Scooter’s Coffee will also receive five live promotional reads during each WTIM Tornado game broadcast, along with four 30-second promotional spots each day throughout the school year.

The WTIM Scooter’s Coffee Tornado Give Back Promotion is designed to connect local business support with Taylorville athletics, with every big play helping generate additional funding for the Taylorville Sports Boosters and the student-athletes they support.

Get all of your local news, sports, weather, and much more, at taylorvilledailynews.com.