SOUTH WAYNE - It was a big occasion for Black Hawk sophomore Michael Flanagan, but he wasn't fazed.
Making his first career varsity start at quarterback Friday night, Flanagan completed 9 of 14 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns to propel Black Hawk to a 22-6 win over Benton-Scales Mound, which is ranked eighth in the WisSports.net Division 7 Coaches poll.
Flanagan got the start because sophomore quarterback Brody Milz was serving a one-game suspension for two personal foul calls he was flagged for last week for excessive blocking against Pecatonica-Argyle.
"I had big shoes to fill," Flanagan said. "Coach Milz really worked with me and made everything clearer. He slowed it down a lot for me. I was just playing football."
Black Hawk (3-1 Six Rivers) scored 14 points off six turnovers. The Warriors forced four fumbles and senior Joe Quinn and Flanagan each had second half interceptions to ice the win. The Warriors stymied the state's leading rusher entering the game in Benton-Scales Mound senior Kyle Pulvermacher, limiting him to just nine rushing yards in the first half. Pulvermacher entered the game averaging 253 rushing yards a game.
"I would probably have to say the favored team didn't win tonight," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "Our kids found a way to win. I thought our kids did an outstanding job executing our defense. This is probably the first team they have played that knows how to stop the option. This was a huge win. Any time you get a win in the Six Rivers you will take it. They are all hard to come by. Every team in our league rides the roller coaster when you have to play young kids. Their young kids are juniors and seniors now."
Early on, it was a defensive battle. That all changed late in the first quarter when Black Hawk sophomore Jason Treuthardt sacked Benton-Scales Mound senior quarterback Kyle Wienen on a third-and-10 play from the Warriors' 19-yard line to force a punt. Two plays later, Flanagan hooked up with senior Chase Stietz on an 82-yard touchdown pass. Stietz made the catch as the Zephyrs looked to tackle him on the play, but the pass interference call was declined when he made an acrobatic catch and raced 82 yards for the TD.
"It was a big confidence-booster," Flanagan said. "I can trust Chase a lot. I love throwing to him."
The Warriors had two touchdowns wiped out due to holding penalties and had 10 penalties for 75 yards.
Joe Quinn connected with sophomore Jett Rufenchat on a 22-yard TD pass in the first quarter, but the touchdown was called back due to holding. Despite the missed opportunity, the Warriors led 6-0 at the half.
After the Zephyrs shanked a 20-yard punt, the Warriors capitalized on the short field. Flanagan connected with Rufenacht on a 45-yard TD pass midway through the third quarter. Flanagan ran in the two-point conversion to extend the lead to 14-0.
The Warriors capped a 10-play, 74-yard drive late in the fourth quarter with Flanagan's 12-yard TD pass to Rufenacht. Black Hawk senior Jacob Quinn ran in the two-point conversion and with 3:24 to go the Warriors took a 22-0 lead.
Another area the Warriors will focus on is running the ball after being limited to just 139 total rushing yards Friday. The Zephyrs relied on two big defensive tackles, senior Harrison Jakel (6-foot-4, 295 pounds) and junior Shane O'Neill (6-2, 252), to plug the middle.
Jacob Quinn rushed for 71 yards on 17 carries. Stietz had four receptions for 96 yards, and Rufenacht had two touchdown catches.
Stietz had a 48-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter called back due to a holding penalty.
"I will put it to you really straight," Milz said. "I wasn't really happy with (the running game). They have two really good defensive tackles. Our offensive line didn't do the job. We usually double or triple team at the first level, and we should at least be able to get a stalemate. They out-hustled us and out-physicaled us. We have to get better at that."
Making his first career varsity start at quarterback Friday night, Flanagan completed 9 of 14 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns to propel Black Hawk to a 22-6 win over Benton-Scales Mound, which is ranked eighth in the WisSports.net Division 7 Coaches poll.
Flanagan got the start because sophomore quarterback Brody Milz was serving a one-game suspension for two personal foul calls he was flagged for last week for excessive blocking against Pecatonica-Argyle.
"I had big shoes to fill," Flanagan said. "Coach Milz really worked with me and made everything clearer. He slowed it down a lot for me. I was just playing football."
Black Hawk (3-1 Six Rivers) scored 14 points off six turnovers. The Warriors forced four fumbles and senior Joe Quinn and Flanagan each had second half interceptions to ice the win. The Warriors stymied the state's leading rusher entering the game in Benton-Scales Mound senior Kyle Pulvermacher, limiting him to just nine rushing yards in the first half. Pulvermacher entered the game averaging 253 rushing yards a game.
"I would probably have to say the favored team didn't win tonight," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "Our kids found a way to win. I thought our kids did an outstanding job executing our defense. This is probably the first team they have played that knows how to stop the option. This was a huge win. Any time you get a win in the Six Rivers you will take it. They are all hard to come by. Every team in our league rides the roller coaster when you have to play young kids. Their young kids are juniors and seniors now."
Early on, it was a defensive battle. That all changed late in the first quarter when Black Hawk sophomore Jason Treuthardt sacked Benton-Scales Mound senior quarterback Kyle Wienen on a third-and-10 play from the Warriors' 19-yard line to force a punt. Two plays later, Flanagan hooked up with senior Chase Stietz on an 82-yard touchdown pass. Stietz made the catch as the Zephyrs looked to tackle him on the play, but the pass interference call was declined when he made an acrobatic catch and raced 82 yards for the TD.
"It was a big confidence-booster," Flanagan said. "I can trust Chase a lot. I love throwing to him."
The Warriors had two touchdowns wiped out due to holding penalties and had 10 penalties for 75 yards.
Joe Quinn connected with sophomore Jett Rufenchat on a 22-yard TD pass in the first quarter, but the touchdown was called back due to holding. Despite the missed opportunity, the Warriors led 6-0 at the half.
After the Zephyrs shanked a 20-yard punt, the Warriors capitalized on the short field. Flanagan connected with Rufenacht on a 45-yard TD pass midway through the third quarter. Flanagan ran in the two-point conversion to extend the lead to 14-0.
The Warriors capped a 10-play, 74-yard drive late in the fourth quarter with Flanagan's 12-yard TD pass to Rufenacht. Black Hawk senior Jacob Quinn ran in the two-point conversion and with 3:24 to go the Warriors took a 22-0 lead.
Another area the Warriors will focus on is running the ball after being limited to just 139 total rushing yards Friday. The Zephyrs relied on two big defensive tackles, senior Harrison Jakel (6-foot-4, 295 pounds) and junior Shane O'Neill (6-2, 252), to plug the middle.
Jacob Quinn rushed for 71 yards on 17 carries. Stietz had four receptions for 96 yards, and Rufenacht had two touchdown catches.
Stietz had a 48-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter called back due to a holding penalty.
"I will put it to you really straight," Milz said. "I wasn't really happy with (the running game). They have two really good defensive tackles. Our offensive line didn't do the job. We usually double or triple team at the first level, and we should at least be able to get a stalemate. They out-hustled us and out-physicaled us. We have to get better at that."
