BRODHEAD — The Cardinals scored a much-needed victory on homecoming. Brodhead-Juda (3-4 Rock Valley) knocked off Whitewater 23-12 in Week 7 Oct. 4.
Needing to win to clinch a guaranteed spot in the postseason field, the Cardinals wasted little time against the Whippets (1-6). Braden Cook put Brodhead-Juda on the board in the first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Nick Naramore made it a two-score game with a 1-yard plunge of his own with nine minutes left in the second quarter.
Both of Whitewater’s scores came through the air, with the first coming from 14 yards out in the third quarter on a pass from Eli Kohl to Martin Gonzalez.
The Cardinals countered right away, as Gage Boegli scored on a 7-yard run with 5:16 left in the third to put his team ahead 21-6. The second Whippets touchdown came on Kohl’s second TD pass to Gonzalez (36 yards) with 11:09 left in the fourth.
Pinned deep in their own territory with four minutes left to play, the Whippets weren’t able to move forward against Brodhead-Juda’s physical defensive line. Jason Starr and Jacob Miller combined to tackle the Whippet’s ball carrier in the end zone for a safety to make it a 21-point advantage.
Brodhead-Juda’s defense allowed just 153 yards of offense in the game, including just 2.2 yards per rush (47 yards on 21 carries). Nick Naramore finished with 71 yards rushing on 13 carries, and brother Dalton Naramore had 56 yards on 10 attempts. Cade Walker was 8 of 14 for 82 yards passing for the Cardinals, with Brady Malkow leading the way with four catches for 44 yards.
The road to the playoffs doesn’t get easier for Brodhead-Juda. Next up for the Cardinals is a road game at Big Foot (4-3) in Week 8, followed by a home game against McFarland (4-3) in the regular season finale in Week 9.
Darlington 22, Fennimore 8
DARLINGTON — The Redbirds scored a decisive win in Week 7. Darlington, ranked 10th in Division 6 in the most recent WisSports.net Coaches Poll, scored 22 points before the Eagles were able to respond late in the fourth quarter.
After a scoreless opening frame, Brayden Davis scampered 35 yards for a touchdown with 6:39 left in the first half and then added a 2-point conversion on the next snap. Just three minutes later, Davis found Carter Lancaster for a 67-yard TD pass. Another 2-point run by Davis made it 16-0 at halftime.
Wyat Bredeson made it 22-0 with a 2-yard TD plunge with 5:51 left in the fourth quarter. Fennimore’s lone score came on a TD pass from Jackson Millin to Warren Adam with 3:29 left.
The Redbirds (5-2, 3-2 SWAL) need just one more win to clinch a guaranteed spot in the WIAA Division 6 playoffs. Unbeaten and third-ranked Mineral Point (7-0, 5-0) awaits Darlington in Week 8. The Redbirds host Cuba City (2-5, 2-3) in Week 9.
New Glarus-Monticello 21, MPGL 6
PRINCETON — The Glarner Knights took care of business in a nonconference game in Week 7, knocking off Montello-Princeton-Green Lake (3-4).
After falling behind in the first quarter, New Glarus-Monticello re-focused and scored 21 unanswered points.
Mason Martinson connected with Darris Schuett for a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter, once from 13 yards out and then another from 53 yards away. Martinson later found Nathan Streiff in the fourth on a 14-yard score.
Martinson was 14 of 26 passing for 189 yards with an interception and added another 51 yards on seven carries. Schuett had 117 yards receiving and two scores on six catches. Streiff had 47 yards on four catches. Connor Siegenthaler had 78 yards rushing on 10 attempts.
The Knights (3-4, 1-1 Capitol South) need just one win to clinch playoff eligibility, and two wins to guarantee a spot in the Division 5 postseason. New Glarus-Monticello travels to Waterloo (1-6, 0-2) for a conference game in Week 8. In Week 9, the Knights host rival Belleville (4-3, 1-2) in the final Capitol Conference matchup for both teams. Next year New Glarus-Monticello moves to the SWC, while Belleville joins the SWAL.
Black Hawk-Warren 51, Southwestern 0
HAZEL GREEN — The state’s top-ranked Division 7 team dominated Southwestern in Week 7. Black Hawk-Warren, the unbeaten defending D7 state champion wasted no time getting on the board.
The Warriors led 16-0 after the first quarter and 37-0 at halftime. Black Hawk-Warren scored touchdowns in each of the third and fourth quarters with the mercy-rule running clock in effect.
Jaylen Rufenacht had 51 rushing yards and two scores on just four carries and added 74 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. Cayden Milz had 42 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Warriors, while Cody Wick had 57 yards and a touchdown on three carries. Ethan Williams was 7 of 16 passing for 132 yards and two touchdowns, and Ryan Molitor added a 33-yard return for a score on special teams.
The Warriors (7-0, 4-0 Six Rivers) need just one more win to clinch, at minimum, a tie for the Six Rivers title. Boscobel (0-7, 0-4) awaits in Week 8, with a road game at Pecatonica-Argyle (2-5, 1-4) in Week 9.
In other area results, Pecatonica-Argyle had its playoff hopes dashed with a 50-6 thumping at the hands of Potosi-Cassville in Week 7. The Vikings can no longer automatically qualify for the postseason. A nonconference game against Belleville in Week 8 precedes a Week 9 home game against top-ranked Black Hawk-Warren.
