SOUTH WAYNE - There's a chart taped up in the Black Hawk locker room with the top weights for the bench press and squats.
It's a chart Black Hawk senior Tanner Schiferl has taken to heart with a top bench press of 330 pounds in the offseason.
"I have worked my tail off in the weight room to get to the state championship," Schiferl said.
Schiferl is a two-way starter as an offensive and defensive tackle. He along with junior Ben Meligan have paved the way for Black Hawk senior Tanner Sweeney to rack up video-game like numbers with 1,932 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns. Sweeney is on the brink of breaking the 2,000-yard rushing milestone. With Black Hawk (13-0) preparing for a WIAA Division 7 state title game against defending champion Glenwood City (12-1), it could come in the final game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. Black Hawk (116) is the smallest school at state and they are making their first appearance since 1998.
There's no denying the Warriors' high-powered offense has been all about generating big plays with a split-back veer smash-mouth offense that is averaging 47.4 points per game this year and has set a school record for wins. Both Sweeney and senior running back Jayden Rufenacht (1,211 yards and 24 TDs) are averaging a staggering 11.4 yards per carry this year.
"It's pretty exciting to get close to that mark," Sweeney said of the 2,000-yard mark. "My offensive line does a good job of blocking for me. They are one of the reasons I'm so close."
Black Hawk coach Cory Milz expects Glenwood City to play a lot of eight-man defensive fronts and that could lead to a big passing day for junior quarterback Heath Butler. Butler has passed for 1,384 yards and 14 TDs this year. He has also rushed for 790 yards and 7 TDs on the ground.
"He plays with a lot of passion and energy," Milz said of Sweeney. "He has great hips and lateral movement. He's not the fastest kid in the world in terms of track speed. He's just really shifty and solid. I doubt we are playing in a state championship game without a kid like that."
Glenwood City coach Shane Strong doesn't need to be convinced by watching film on the Warriors.
"They (Black Hawk) are the best team we have seen in two years no question about it," Strong said in a state conference call. "They are mountains over us. They are bigger, faster and probably stronger than us."
The Warriors have several weapons in the passing game led by senior Tyler Peterson who has a team-high 24 catches for 407 yards and 6 TDs. Peterson is averaging 17 yards per catch. However, senior Brett Lovelace has been an even bigger threat down the field with 22 catches for 546 yards and 7 TDs. Lovelace is averaging 24.8 yards per reception.
"We haven't passed the ball much in the playoffs because we haven't needed to," Milz said. "There is an element to our game that they haven't seen."
The only loss for Glenwood City this year was 22-21 to Division 5 power Mondovi. Glenwood City finished second in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference to Mondovi. On defense, the Warriors will face a test against a team that uses multiple formations to run the ball. Glenwood City's Isaac Tuttle has rushed for 2,084 yards and Jeff Kopacz has rushed for 1,340 yards and 12 TDs. Quarterback Nick Mrdutt is a similar dual threat quarterback like Butler for the Warriors. Mrdutt has scored 10 TDs this year on the ground and has passed for 748 yards and 13 TDs with three interceptions.
"What I'm most worried about is there is an element to their game that we haven't seen," Milz said. "Their quarterback is a dual threat. He had a long touchdown run in the state championship game against Potosi last year. He has a nice arm and he is accurate. They will run the triple option offense and that is something you have to prepare for."
Rufenacht pulled his hamstring on a 21-yard run in the fourth quarter of a 60-33 state semifinal win over Lake Country Lutheran. Rufenacht was on crutches Monday and didn't practice.
"I will do everything I can to play in the state championship game," Rufenacht said. "I'm hoping it will be better and I can play Thursday."
The Warriors have also beaten bigger teams this season with a 31-28 win over Cuba City and two wins over previous five-time conference champion Potosi.
"Coming into the season, we knew we would be a pretty good team," Sweeney said. "After we beat Cuba City and got on a roll and beat Potosi, that is when we knew we could be a great team and we figured we could make this last."
It's a chart Black Hawk senior Tanner Schiferl has taken to heart with a top bench press of 330 pounds in the offseason.
"I have worked my tail off in the weight room to get to the state championship," Schiferl said.
Schiferl is a two-way starter as an offensive and defensive tackle. He along with junior Ben Meligan have paved the way for Black Hawk senior Tanner Sweeney to rack up video-game like numbers with 1,932 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns. Sweeney is on the brink of breaking the 2,000-yard rushing milestone. With Black Hawk (13-0) preparing for a WIAA Division 7 state title game against defending champion Glenwood City (12-1), it could come in the final game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. Black Hawk (116) is the smallest school at state and they are making their first appearance since 1998.
There's no denying the Warriors' high-powered offense has been all about generating big plays with a split-back veer smash-mouth offense that is averaging 47.4 points per game this year and has set a school record for wins. Both Sweeney and senior running back Jayden Rufenacht (1,211 yards and 24 TDs) are averaging a staggering 11.4 yards per carry this year.
"It's pretty exciting to get close to that mark," Sweeney said of the 2,000-yard mark. "My offensive line does a good job of blocking for me. They are one of the reasons I'm so close."
Black Hawk coach Cory Milz expects Glenwood City to play a lot of eight-man defensive fronts and that could lead to a big passing day for junior quarterback Heath Butler. Butler has passed for 1,384 yards and 14 TDs this year. He has also rushed for 790 yards and 7 TDs on the ground.
"He plays with a lot of passion and energy," Milz said of Sweeney. "He has great hips and lateral movement. He's not the fastest kid in the world in terms of track speed. He's just really shifty and solid. I doubt we are playing in a state championship game without a kid like that."
Glenwood City coach Shane Strong doesn't need to be convinced by watching film on the Warriors.
"They (Black Hawk) are the best team we have seen in two years no question about it," Strong said in a state conference call. "They are mountains over us. They are bigger, faster and probably stronger than us."
The Warriors have several weapons in the passing game led by senior Tyler Peterson who has a team-high 24 catches for 407 yards and 6 TDs. Peterson is averaging 17 yards per catch. However, senior Brett Lovelace has been an even bigger threat down the field with 22 catches for 546 yards and 7 TDs. Lovelace is averaging 24.8 yards per reception.
"We haven't passed the ball much in the playoffs because we haven't needed to," Milz said. "There is an element to our game that they haven't seen."
The only loss for Glenwood City this year was 22-21 to Division 5 power Mondovi. Glenwood City finished second in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference to Mondovi. On defense, the Warriors will face a test against a team that uses multiple formations to run the ball. Glenwood City's Isaac Tuttle has rushed for 2,084 yards and Jeff Kopacz has rushed for 1,340 yards and 12 TDs. Quarterback Nick Mrdutt is a similar dual threat quarterback like Butler for the Warriors. Mrdutt has scored 10 TDs this year on the ground and has passed for 748 yards and 13 TDs with three interceptions.
"What I'm most worried about is there is an element to their game that we haven't seen," Milz said. "Their quarterback is a dual threat. He had a long touchdown run in the state championship game against Potosi last year. He has a nice arm and he is accurate. They will run the triple option offense and that is something you have to prepare for."
Rufenacht pulled his hamstring on a 21-yard run in the fourth quarter of a 60-33 state semifinal win over Lake Country Lutheran. Rufenacht was on crutches Monday and didn't practice.
"I will do everything I can to play in the state championship game," Rufenacht said. "I'm hoping it will be better and I can play Thursday."
The Warriors have also beaten bigger teams this season with a 31-28 win over Cuba City and two wins over previous five-time conference champion Potosi.
"Coming into the season, we knew we would be a pretty good team," Sweeney said. "After we beat Cuba City and got on a roll and beat Potosi, that is when we knew we could be a great team and we figured we could make this last."
