SPRING GREEN — There is a three-way tie for first place in the Southwest Wisconsin Conference after the No. 9-ranked New Glarus Glarner Knights pulled off a dramatic 31-30 win over No. 8 River Valley on Friday, Oct. 10.
Glarner Knights QB Matt Roth connected with Tucker Sysko on a 43-yard touchdown pass, his third TD reception of the game, with just over four minutes remaining and Ashlin Mihlbauer added the extra point to give the Knights a 31-24 lead. River Valley scored a touchdown with 13 seconds left in regulation to make it within a single point at 31-30. Instead of kicking the extra point to tie the game, the Blackhawks went for the two-point conversion and the win. But River Valley QB Lucas Klein’s pass in the end zone fell incomplete. The Blackhawks still managed to recovered an onside kick and moments later attempted a 46-yard field goal on the last play of the game, which was no good.
Roth was 17-26 passing for 253 yards and four touchdowns. Sysko caught five passes for 110 yards and three touchdowns. Mihlbauer kicked a 33 -yard field goal in the second quarter. Luke Burton added 54 yards rushing for the Knights. New Glarus recovered a fumble and had two pass interceptions.
New Glarus is now tied for first place with River Valley and Prairie du Chien with 5-1 records in the SWC. New Glarus (7-1 overall) will finish the regular season at home against Lancaster (4-4) on Friday, Oct. 17.
Black Hawk-Warren 30, Riverdale 18
MUSCODA — The Black Hawk-Warren Warriors won their eighth straight game by downing the Riverdale Chieftains 30-18 in Six Rivers Conference action on Friday, Oct. 10. The win sets up the same scenario as last year as Black Hawk-Warren (8-0, 6-0) ranked third in Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Division 7 poll, will host second-ranked Potosi-Cassville, (8-0, 6-0) on Friday, Oct. 17 for the Six Rivers Conference title.
In Friday’s win, the Warriors got off to a 30-0 lead after three quarters. Trent Bidlingmaier scored one minute into the game on a 9-yard touchdown run and Jacob Woodruff ran for a two-point conversion to give the Warriors an 8-0 lead. Woodruff’s 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter put the Warriors up 14-0 at halftime. Woodruff reached the end zone on a 7-yard TD run and Dax Paquin added a two-point conversion to give Black Hawk-Warren a 22-0 lead in the third quarter. Bidlingmaier threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Bryce VanRaalte with 3:45 left in the third quarter and Woodruff ran for the two-point conversion to give the Warriors a 30-0 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
The Chieftains scored three touchdowns in the fourth, the last with 27 seconds left.
Warriors head coach Desi Breadon said there is always plenty to learn in every game.
“Probably the biggest learning experience is to not coast. We were up 30-0 and started to lay off the gas because we were driving for another score. Then we fumble and we’re in a dog fight at the end of the game. Finish is the theme of the week, especially facing Potosi-Cassville,” Breadon said.
Last year, the Warriors met Potosi-Cassville in the final game of the regular season and lost, 27-18. The same two teams squared off again the following week in the first round of the WIAA Division 7 playoffs with Potosi-Cassville winning 7-6. Adjustments have been made to the computer-generated seeding process, so it’s unlikely that scenario will happen again.
Fennimore 20, Belleville 18
FENNIMORE — The Fennimore Golden Eagles got a fourth quarter touchdown to edge the Belleville Wildcats 20-18 in SWAL football on Friday, Oct. 10. Rayden Taylor ran for one touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to Cooper Nemec to lead the Wildcats, who trailed 14-6 at halftime. It was the Wildcats’ first loss this season in conference play. Belleville (5-4, 5-1) dropped into a two-way tie with Fennimore for second place in the SWAL. The Wildcats host first-place Darlington on Friday, Oct. 17 in the final game of the regular season.
Potosi-Cassville 57, Pecatonica-Argyle 0
POTOSI — The Chieftains blasted off to a 49-0 lead at halftime and routed the Vikings 57-0 in Six Rivers Conference action on Friday, Oct. 10. Potosi-Cassville amassed 382 yards rushing and seven touchdowns on the ground in the win. The Vikings (1-7, 1-5) lost their fifth straight game and will close the season at home against River Ridge on Friday, Oct. 17 at Blanchardville.
Johnson Creek 36, Parkview-Albany 16
The Vikings lost their third straight game as Johnson Creek running back Owen Pernat scored three touchdowns to lead the Blue Jays past Parkview-Albany 36-16 in Trailways Conference action on Friday, Oct. 10. Parkview-Albany (2-6, 1-5) will host Lourdes Academy in a Trailways Conference game to close the season on Friday, Oct. 17.
Belmont 57, Monticello 8
MONTICELLO — The Belmont Braves grabbed a 51-0 halftime lead on their way to a 57-8 rout of the Monticello Ponies in Ridge & Valley 8 football on Friday, Oct. 10. Tanner Hilliard threw a touchdown pass to Presley Ladwig for the Ponies’ only score of the game. Monticello closes the season 0-7 in the Ridge & Valley 8 and 0-8 overall. The 8-player football playoffs begin this Friday, Oct. 17.
