SOUTH WAYNE - The Black Hawk Warriors football team feels it can play with any team it faces. During Saturday's homecoming game against Potosi, that feeling was true for the first 43 minutes of play.
In the 44th minute, the No. 1 state-ranked Chieftains ruined all the upset bid as Taylor Udelhofen intercepted a pass and returned it 88 yards for the game's final score, 21-6.
"We had a few breakdown's, but other than that our kids played hard. They gave a great effort against a pretty good football team," Warriors head coached Cory Milz said. "But we don't believe in moral victories. If we did, that would mean that we believe that we lost to a team that was better than us. But we think we are a good football team. We just have to eliminate some mistakes."
Black Hawk found itself right in the thick of things all game. The Warriors stepped up to the physical play of the No. 1 ranked team, forcing a handful of fumbles, while recovering three.
"It was a physical football game, but we just kept shooting ourselves in the foot," senior running back Cody Foster said. "They are a good football team no doubt, but we should have stuck right there with them."
Both teams swapped possessions early, with each team making its fair share of mistakes. Potosi was called for a crucial pass interference penalty on its first possession to stop a swift-moving drive. Black Hawk had two fumbles and multiple penalties before the first quarter came to an end.
The Chieftains reached the scoreboard first, as Dakota Runde ran in from 42 yards out with 1 minute, 27 seconds remaining in the first. Potosi's first possession of the second quarter saw Udelhofen score from five yards out, making the score 14-0.
"We were giving up our gaps and giving up some leverages and they were making us pay. If you give a good football team a seem, they are going to give you some problems," Milz said.
The Warriors finally found their stride late in the opening half.
After recovering a fumble near midfield, the Warriors went on a 14-play drive that ended with senior running back Cody Foster scampering into the end zone with 32 seconds left.
Possibly the most crucial play came on 4th and 9 from the Potosi 25-yard line. Breaking from a time out, quarterback Michael Wolff dropped back and found senior Kyle Stauffacher near the first down marker. The wide out then flipped the ball to Foster, who finished the hook-and-ladder by crossing the first down marker and was tackled on the 13.
Three plays later, Foster's score made it 14-6.
With 14 seconds left in the half, Potosi quarterback Rockie Reuter had his pass intercepted by Wolff. The Warriors ended the half stranded at the Potosi 36.
"We started to hit some big plays. Any time that you do that, you start to gain confidence. (That play) got the kids to understand that if they get it together we'll be able to do some things," Milz said of the hook-and-ladder.
The second half was a game of field position for the two teams, with each team making timely big plays. Potosi drove down the field late in the third quarter, only to have Udelhofen cough up the pigskin at the goal line.
The Warriors took over from their own 1-yard-line with 2:53 remaining in the third. What ensued was a 20-play drive that rang off 10 minutes, 2 seconds off of the clock, ending with Udelhofen's momentum-killing interception return for a touchdown on fourth down.
"It was an awesome drive. I give our offensive line credit. They were getting off the ball and driving their opponent. We weren't doing anything fancy, just running our base plays. I really thought we were going to get down there and score," Milz said. "But in the end we just got a little cute and came up short. It took the momentum out of our sails."
"We figured we would score and that interception changed the whole game," Foster said.
With under 4:50 left to play, Black Hawk's offense had lost its momentum. A couple of flags forced a 4th-and-20 from the Warriors own 33-yard line. A Wolff to Foster connection could only make up 14 yards on the down. Black Hawk turned the ball over with 58 seconds and no time outs remaining.
"I think we should have won," said Black Hawk senior Grant Roper.
Foster finished the game with 108 yards on 25 carries to lead the Warriors. Wolff was 10 of 13 passing for 80 yards and an interception. Udelhofen had 93 rushing yards for Potosi and Runde had 82 yards. In all, 215 of the Chieftains yards came via the run compared to 128 of Black Hawk's 208.
Milz, like most coaches, is not the biggest fan of homecoming week. Players can lose focus on the game with all the events going on - from the pep rally, fireworks, dress up days, building the float for the parade or just the parade itself, he said.
"It all depends on your goals as a football team. You're freshmen and sophomores don't know about that. It's all about the fun for them. The juniors and seniors know that they have to keep their focus. In the end, all the festivities culminate into a football game," Milz said.
As seniors, Roper and Foster went through homecoming before, and knew what to expect.
"Some of the younger guys might have been affected. But the upperclassmen know what to expect," Roper said. "It's not about the dance, it's not about the parade - it's about the football game."
The loss put the Warriors (1-3) on the outside looking in for the playoffs with just five weeks left in the season. Next up for Black Hawk is another tough conference game, this time at River Ridge on Friday.
"This game really boosted our confidence. We're really excited for our game next week at River Ridge. I think we'll surprise a lot of people in the second half of the season," Foster said.
In the 44th minute, the No. 1 state-ranked Chieftains ruined all the upset bid as Taylor Udelhofen intercepted a pass and returned it 88 yards for the game's final score, 21-6.
"We had a few breakdown's, but other than that our kids played hard. They gave a great effort against a pretty good football team," Warriors head coached Cory Milz said. "But we don't believe in moral victories. If we did, that would mean that we believe that we lost to a team that was better than us. But we think we are a good football team. We just have to eliminate some mistakes."
Black Hawk found itself right in the thick of things all game. The Warriors stepped up to the physical play of the No. 1 ranked team, forcing a handful of fumbles, while recovering three.
"It was a physical football game, but we just kept shooting ourselves in the foot," senior running back Cody Foster said. "They are a good football team no doubt, but we should have stuck right there with them."
Both teams swapped possessions early, with each team making its fair share of mistakes. Potosi was called for a crucial pass interference penalty on its first possession to stop a swift-moving drive. Black Hawk had two fumbles and multiple penalties before the first quarter came to an end.
The Chieftains reached the scoreboard first, as Dakota Runde ran in from 42 yards out with 1 minute, 27 seconds remaining in the first. Potosi's first possession of the second quarter saw Udelhofen score from five yards out, making the score 14-0.
"We were giving up our gaps and giving up some leverages and they were making us pay. If you give a good football team a seem, they are going to give you some problems," Milz said.
The Warriors finally found their stride late in the opening half.
After recovering a fumble near midfield, the Warriors went on a 14-play drive that ended with senior running back Cody Foster scampering into the end zone with 32 seconds left.
Possibly the most crucial play came on 4th and 9 from the Potosi 25-yard line. Breaking from a time out, quarterback Michael Wolff dropped back and found senior Kyle Stauffacher near the first down marker. The wide out then flipped the ball to Foster, who finished the hook-and-ladder by crossing the first down marker and was tackled on the 13.
Three plays later, Foster's score made it 14-6.
With 14 seconds left in the half, Potosi quarterback Rockie Reuter had his pass intercepted by Wolff. The Warriors ended the half stranded at the Potosi 36.
"We started to hit some big plays. Any time that you do that, you start to gain confidence. (That play) got the kids to understand that if they get it together we'll be able to do some things," Milz said of the hook-and-ladder.
The second half was a game of field position for the two teams, with each team making timely big plays. Potosi drove down the field late in the third quarter, only to have Udelhofen cough up the pigskin at the goal line.
The Warriors took over from their own 1-yard-line with 2:53 remaining in the third. What ensued was a 20-play drive that rang off 10 minutes, 2 seconds off of the clock, ending with Udelhofen's momentum-killing interception return for a touchdown on fourth down.
"It was an awesome drive. I give our offensive line credit. They were getting off the ball and driving their opponent. We weren't doing anything fancy, just running our base plays. I really thought we were going to get down there and score," Milz said. "But in the end we just got a little cute and came up short. It took the momentum out of our sails."
"We figured we would score and that interception changed the whole game," Foster said.
With under 4:50 left to play, Black Hawk's offense had lost its momentum. A couple of flags forced a 4th-and-20 from the Warriors own 33-yard line. A Wolff to Foster connection could only make up 14 yards on the down. Black Hawk turned the ball over with 58 seconds and no time outs remaining.
"I think we should have won," said Black Hawk senior Grant Roper.
Foster finished the game with 108 yards on 25 carries to lead the Warriors. Wolff was 10 of 13 passing for 80 yards and an interception. Udelhofen had 93 rushing yards for Potosi and Runde had 82 yards. In all, 215 of the Chieftains yards came via the run compared to 128 of Black Hawk's 208.
Milz, like most coaches, is not the biggest fan of homecoming week. Players can lose focus on the game with all the events going on - from the pep rally, fireworks, dress up days, building the float for the parade or just the parade itself, he said.
"It all depends on your goals as a football team. You're freshmen and sophomores don't know about that. It's all about the fun for them. The juniors and seniors know that they have to keep their focus. In the end, all the festivities culminate into a football game," Milz said.
As seniors, Roper and Foster went through homecoming before, and knew what to expect.
"Some of the younger guys might have been affected. But the upperclassmen know what to expect," Roper said. "It's not about the dance, it's not about the parade - it's about the football game."
The loss put the Warriors (1-3) on the outside looking in for the playoffs with just five weeks left in the season. Next up for Black Hawk is another tough conference game, this time at River Ridge on Friday.
"This game really boosted our confidence. We're really excited for our game next week at River Ridge. I think we'll surprise a lot of people in the second half of the season," Foster said.
