POTOSI — For a second straight season, the Six Rivers Conference was decided by a matchup between Black Hawk-Warren and Potosi-Cassville. This year’s game took a similar turn to 2023 as the Warriors fell at the No. 1 Chieftains on Oct. 18, 27-18.

If there’s a consolation for third-ranked BHW, it’s that last year’s loss was a more definitive one, 41-20. The Warriors also reaped their revenge in a WIAA Division 7 Level 3 game at PC where they dominated, 36-0.

“The Chieftains are a great team,” BHW head coach Desie Breadon said. “We knew that coming in. It was a whole-team loss, not just one guy making mistakes. The issue was between the ears.”

The Warriors got on the board first after five minutes ticked off the clock with the night’s opening possession. Piercen Mahoney got the kickoff, and was downed by the host squad quickly at BHW’s 18.

Eli Schliem took a keeper for the Warriors two yards to start. Owen Seffrood was next up and made PC pay attention as he broke off a gain of 40 yards on the ground with a handoff up the middle. 

Another gain just shy of 10 yards for Seffrood preceded a 6-yard burst from Mahoney, putting the ball at the Chieftains’ 25. The next attempt from Seffrood added five yards as BHW slid into the red zone. Mahoney continued to alternate carries with Seffrood, and an 8-yard run kept the Warriors away from third down.

With 14 yards to go, Seffrood knocked off a yard, followed by a fumbled keeper from Schliem. A facemask from PC kept the ball in BHW’s hands on the Chieftains’ three. Mahoney tagged the next two yards, and Seffrood got the go ahead for the score. A failed 2-point connection from Schliem to Beau Bredeson set the advantage to six points.

PC evened the game on the next drive. The Chieftains paired a couple of big-gain plays with being stuffed at the line by the Warriors’ defense, but a 14-yard trip through the air ended in a touchdown. A successful PAT put the host school ahead in the first.

Mahoney got the first handoff with a gain of two, Seffrood added seven, and Schliem earned the first down with a 3-yard keeper up the middle.

As if replicating the previous set of downs, Mahoney made a gain of two, followed by losing one. Schliem took one of a few deeper shots on the night to Bredeson in the endzone, but a dropped ball nixed the score.

BHW wouldn’t be denied. Schliem dropped back for a consecutive pass. His target was Bredeson right at the 1-yard line, who fell into the end zone with tight coverage from PC. A direct snap to Seffrood in a wildcat formation on the 2-point attempt fell short for BHW as it managed an 18-14 lead with 2:03 left in the third.

The icing score waited until the fourth, with PC flipping the lead at the 8:18-mark. Riley Mosley blocked the PAT to keep the game at a 2-point deficit. The Warriors had a few chances to flip the game in their favor, but the Chieftains’ defense locked up the game as their offense added another rushing score.

“We can use this loss as a blessing, or we can wither,” Breadon said.

BHW performed well on the ground in the loss, with Seffrood rushing 24 times for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Mahoney was next-closest at 40 yards on 13 touches. The Warriors also out-rushed PC on the night, 194 to 137 yards.

Schliem’s only completion on seven attempts was to Bredeson for 23 yards and a score.

If BHW wants to replicate last year’s results, it will have less time to turn things around this year. The sixth-seeded Warriors travel to face the No. 3-seeded Chieftains on right away on Oct. 25. 

BHW suffered a quick punt, and the Chieftains capitalized nearly as quickly as they put seven more points on the board seven seconds into the second quarter.

Eager not to head into the break with a deficit, the Warriors constructed a lengthy, 7-minute drive that spanned 76 yards over 13 plays. It was characterized by their vaunted rushing offense, including a second 1-yard scamper for Seffrood to mark the senior’s second score of the game. BHW fell short on a 2-point attempt on the ground as they tried to close the 14-12 gap.

The Warriors stifled PC’s attempts to break through the goal line a third time ahead of the second half. The first was a four-and-out that nearly ended in a fumble thanks to Will Stietz, and the second was a pass broken up by Bredeson in the end zone.

“I was really happy with how our line performed in the first half,” Breadon said. “Our defensive backs were also better about coming up, filling slots, and our safeties were coming down and killing well.”

Strong defense continued laying the groundwork for a narrow conference championship game throughout the second half.

The Chieftains got the ball coming out of the break. After a punt from both ends, Mahoney almost hauled in an interception that hit him in the numbers. Brady Stietz followed Mahoney by picking the ball out of the air for an interception with 5:18 left in the third. 

The stage was set for the Warriors’ final score. 

Mahoney got the first handoff with a gain of two, Seffrood added seven, and Schliem earned the first down with a 3-yard keeper up the middle.

As if replicating the previous set of downs, Mahoney made a gain of two, followed by losing one. Schliem took one of a few deeper shots on the night to Bredeson in the endzone, but a dropped ball nixed the score.

BHW wouldn’t be denied. Schliem dropped back for a consecutive pass. His target was Bredeson right at the 1-yard line, who fell into the end zone with tight coverage from PC. A direct snap to Seffrood in a wildcat formation on the 2-point attempt fell short for BHW as it managed an 18-14 lead with 2:03 left in the third.

The icing score waited until the fourth, with PC flipping the lead at the 8:18-mark. Riley Mosley blocked the PAT to keep the game at a 2-point deficit. The Warriors had a few chances to flip the game in their favor, but the Chieftains’ defense locked up the game as their offense added another rushing score.

“We can use this loss as a blessing, or we can wither,” Breadon said.

BHW performed well on the ground in the loss, with Seffrood rushing 24 times for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Mahoney was next-closest at 40 yards on 13 touches. The Warriors also out-rushed PC on the night, 194 to 137 yards.

Schliem’s only completion on seven attempts was to Bredeson for 23 yards and a score.

If BHW wants to replicate last year’s results, it will have less time to turn things around this year. The sixth-seeded Warriors travel to face the No. 3-seeded Chieftains on right away on Oct. 25.