SOUTH WAYNE — Black Hawk-Warren opened the season with a tight 20-13 nonconference win over Westby Aug. 20.
“Westby was a good team and gave us a lot of challenges on both sides of the ball,” said Warriors coach Desie Breadon. “They were big, fast, and physical. They took advantage of things in special teams with a kickoff return for a touchdown and recovering a kickoff. Those two plays really changed the game. They had a couple of other good returns that changed up field position.”
Black Hawk-Warren scored in the first minute of the second quarter on a 9-yard run by junior Landen Mahoney. The ensuing kickoff was returned 94 yards for a score, and with the extra point, Westby took a 7-6 lead. Mahoney scored again three minutes later on a big 50-yard run, and the Warriors went into halftime with a 12-7 advantage.
“We just couldn’t get in a rhythm on offense, but did take advantage of opportunities when we had them. Our running backs both had a 50-plus yard run,” Breadon said. “We were hoping to get our passing game going, but didn’t perform up to our potential in that aspect.”
Westby again took the lead at 13-12 with a 7-yard TD run at the 4:39 mark in the third quarter. With less that five minutes to go in the fourth, Lucas Milz busted off a 55-yard touchdown run to put the Warriors back on top.
The Warriors held Westby to just 138 total yards of offense — 69 passing and 69 rushing. Black Hawk-Warren also forced three turnovers.
We continued to make improvements on defense and had a number of guys step up and make plays when we needed to. We are continuing to make improvements, but have a long way to go to be where we want to be. We were happy with the results, but not satisfied with where we are as a team,” Breadon said.
Mahoney finished the day with 115 yards on 16 carries. Milz had 86 yards on 12 rushes and had a 30-yard reception. Black Hawk-Warren had 196 rushing yards and 235 total yards of offense.
Darlington 53, Platteville 21
PLATTEVILLE — The Redbirds wanted to get electric running back Easton Evenstad rolling to open the season. The offensive line blocked well, and Evenstad used his breakaway speed to put Darlington ahead early — and keep the Redbirds ahead throughout.
Breylin Goebel scored Darlington’s first touchdown at the 9:11 mark in the first half. Evenstad then added a 7-yard score at the end of the frame to put the Redbirds up 13-0.
Platteville got on the board less than a minute later, as Derek Digman tossed an 86-yard TD pass to Devin Digman. The Redbirds bounced back, however, with Goebel scoring on a 41-yard TD pass from Braden Davis; then Brady Horne took a rush 16-yards to paydirt; and then Evenstad darted 85 yards for another score, putting Darlington ahead 33-7 with 4:01 left in the first half.
The Digmans connected for an 11-yard score with 41 seconds left until halftime, which only fueled the Redbirds’ fire more. Darlington scored three third quarter touchdowns to make it 53-13 and kick off the running clock. Evenstad added a 12-yard TD run, and Davis and Hunter Hardyman connected for a 9-yard score. Hardyman then closed the frame with a 73-yard fumble recovery for a TD.
Platteville added a fourth quarter score for a third TD pass of the game.
Evenstad finished with 170 yards on 12 carries — a 14.2 yards per carry average. Goebel had 49 yards on 6 attempts; Horne had 47 on 8 carries and Davis 44 on 9. In all, the Redbirds gained 395 yards of total offense — 326 yards of which came on the ground, while Davis was 3-for-6 for 69 yards through the air.
For Platteville, Derek Digman had 231 yards passing and three touchdowns to just two receivers. He also tossed three interceptions. He also added 44 yards rushing. Devin Digman had eight catches for 130 yards, with Jesse Martin grabbing 7 throws for 101 yards. The Hillmen had 147 yards on the ground, and 378 in total offense.
Clinton 27, New Glarus-Monticello 26
NEW GLARUS — The rollercoaster of emotions on the gridiron from the spring continued into the fall season for the Glarner Knights. This past spring, New Glarus-Monticello lost a pair of games on their home field by a single point, all with late, fourth quarter theatrics. In the fall opener Aug. 20, drama continued to unfold in the second half.
The Knights ended the third quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run by quarterback Max Marty, which gave the home team a 20-19 advantage. On the ensuing kickoff that opened the fourth quarter, Dorian Phillips took it 70-yards to the house to give the Cougars the lead again. A 2-point conversion made it a full 7-point game.
Before the clock struck zero in regulation, Marty connected with Ethan Friedrich for a 15-yard touchdown. Marty’s 2-point pass to Jack Parman was incomplete, however, and Clinton was able to hold on for the tight victory.
Marty finished 19 of 30 for 287 yards, three touchdowns and two picks. Nate Brandes led the Knights with 47 rushing yards, and then added 109 yards receiving on five catches with a score. Parman had 127 yards receiving on eight catches and a score.
Johnson Creek 61, Parkview-Albany 16
JOHNSON CREEK — The Bluejays took a 21-point lead after the first quarter of action, and led 41-8 at halftime against the Vikings Aug. 20.
By the end of the third quarter, Johnson Creek had forced the running clock with a 54-8 advantage.
Dylan Bredlow had 116 yards rushing and three TDs for Johnson Creek, while adding another 250 yards through the air and two more scores on 8 of 9 passing — a 27.7 yards per attempt average, and 31.25 per completion.
Sam Schwengels had 58 yards on 10 carries, and Caden Cleasby finished with 39 yards on 16 carries for Parkview-Albany.
Brodhead-Juda 39, Edgerton 0
EDGERTON — The Cardinals scored give touchdowns in the first half in a cruising win over the Crimson Tide Aug. 20.
Gage Boegli scored on runs of 4 and 39 yards, and added a 34-yard TD reception from Cole Hoesly. Blake Matthys added TD runs of 4 and 10 yards, and Aiden Vondra had a 64-yard punt return for a score.
Brodhead-Juda gained 320 yards of offense, including 203 on the ground, and converted 19 first downs. Edgerton had just five first downs and had just 49 yards of offense — thanks in part to minus-38 yards rushing on 18 attempts.
Waterloo 22, Pecatonica-Argyle 6
BLANCHARDVILLE — The Vikings never found a rhythm on offense and lost their home opener to the Pirates Aug. 20.
Kegun Brunker scored Pec-Argyle’s first touchdown of the season a 3-yard run with 2:59 left in the fourth quarter. Waterloo opened the scoring at the 10:12 mark of the second quarter and led 14-0 by halftime. Midway through the third quarter, the Pirates tacked on another score to go up 22-0.
Eugene Wolff gashed the Vikings to the tune of 253 yards on 28 carries. He also scored all three Pirate touchdowns.
