BLANCHARDVILLE - The Pecatonica-Argyle Vikings kept the team's playoff hopes alive with a last minute win over Black Hawk on homecoming Saturday, 14-13.
Trailing 13-7, Vikings quarterback Jeremy Meudt used an extra-effort lunge on third-and-long to cross the goal line, giving the home team the last score of the game with 1 minute, 16 seconds left.
"It was intense out there. Black Hawk is a good team," Meudt said. "We had to step it up and we did."
"We told these kids that they had to play with heart," Vikings head coach Larry Green said. "And they did. They played with heart and they found a way to win."
Controversy allowed for Pecatonica to have a second chance at scoring. On first-and-goal from the 9-yard line with 2:15 remaining, Meudt's pass to a receiver on the right side appeared to be intercepted by a Warrior. However, the back judge ruled that the ball had hit the ground and was thus incomplete.
"We didn't lose this football game. We had that ball picked off," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "You hate to complain about officials, but that was clearly picked off. This is a hard pill to swallow."
The Warriors postseason chances were cut to zero with the loss.
Pecatonica-Argyle had a hard time sustaining drives all game. With wide receiver Devin Jeglum on the bench with an injury, the Vikings turned to Jared Johnson, Chris Rubio and Meudt to guide the offense. Despite gaining 239 yards of offense, 140 of which on the ground, Pecatonica-Argyle turned the ball over five times - four fumbles and an interception. Both teams combined for eight fumbles, with five becoming turnovers.
"These are young kids. Johnson and (Michael) Walker for us are both sophomores. They haven't learned how to hold onto the football yet," Milz said.
The Warriors also had 10 penalties, including four in a row before the snap (three false starts and a delay of game) in the first quarter, taking what would have been a first-and-10 at the Pec-Argyle 47 into a first and 30 from the Black Hawk 33.
Black Hawk opened the game with a bang. Senior running back Cody Foster took the first play from scrimmage 74 yards up the middle for a touchdown, then kicked the extra point to put the Warriors up 7-0. On the Warriors next possession, Foster left the game with an arm injury and wouldn't return.
The Vikings following drive ended with Johnson coughing up the ball at the Warriors 14-yard line. Johnson lost three fumbles in the game while running for 68 yards on 16 carries.
Black Hawk's second score came in the second quarter. On third-and-13, quarterback Michael Wolff dropped back and chucked a deep pass downfield, but behind wide receiver Hayden Schliem. Schliem turned and caught the ball - Meudt, his defender, fell down - and dashed into the end zone for the 54-yard score. Backup kicker Michael Walker missed the extra point.
In the second half, Meudt went down after getting jolted in the head on a quarterback option play. With the Vikings facing second down from the 12-yard line, backup quarterback Tanner Kleppe came into the game. On fourth down, Kleppe's pass to Kyle Zwicker in the end zone was knocked away by Schliem.
On the Vikings next possession, Kleppe hit Jason Meudt for 22 yards, putting Pec-Argyle at Black Hawk's 35. Johnson took the next handoff to the end zone with 57 seconds left in the third.
"Tanner has been a good player for us. He played in much of the game against Potosi when Jeremy got hurt, so we feel confident with him leading us under center," Green said.
After Pecatonica scored its final touch down nearly 12 minutes later, Black Hawk had one last chance. However, on first down Wolff was picked off by Dillon Conwell to seal the game.
Pecatonica-Argyle (3-4, 3-3 Six Rivers) will get to prep for another week, as Belmont (5-2, 5-1) comes into Argyle for the Vikings' second homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 17. Black Hawk (2-5, 1-5) travels to Cassville (1-6, 1-5) Friday.
Trailing 13-7, Vikings quarterback Jeremy Meudt used an extra-effort lunge on third-and-long to cross the goal line, giving the home team the last score of the game with 1 minute, 16 seconds left.
"It was intense out there. Black Hawk is a good team," Meudt said. "We had to step it up and we did."
"We told these kids that they had to play with heart," Vikings head coach Larry Green said. "And they did. They played with heart and they found a way to win."
Controversy allowed for Pecatonica to have a second chance at scoring. On first-and-goal from the 9-yard line with 2:15 remaining, Meudt's pass to a receiver on the right side appeared to be intercepted by a Warrior. However, the back judge ruled that the ball had hit the ground and was thus incomplete.
"We didn't lose this football game. We had that ball picked off," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "You hate to complain about officials, but that was clearly picked off. This is a hard pill to swallow."
The Warriors postseason chances were cut to zero with the loss.
Pecatonica-Argyle had a hard time sustaining drives all game. With wide receiver Devin Jeglum on the bench with an injury, the Vikings turned to Jared Johnson, Chris Rubio and Meudt to guide the offense. Despite gaining 239 yards of offense, 140 of which on the ground, Pecatonica-Argyle turned the ball over five times - four fumbles and an interception. Both teams combined for eight fumbles, with five becoming turnovers.
"These are young kids. Johnson and (Michael) Walker for us are both sophomores. They haven't learned how to hold onto the football yet," Milz said.
The Warriors also had 10 penalties, including four in a row before the snap (three false starts and a delay of game) in the first quarter, taking what would have been a first-and-10 at the Pec-Argyle 47 into a first and 30 from the Black Hawk 33.
Black Hawk opened the game with a bang. Senior running back Cody Foster took the first play from scrimmage 74 yards up the middle for a touchdown, then kicked the extra point to put the Warriors up 7-0. On the Warriors next possession, Foster left the game with an arm injury and wouldn't return.
The Vikings following drive ended with Johnson coughing up the ball at the Warriors 14-yard line. Johnson lost three fumbles in the game while running for 68 yards on 16 carries.
Black Hawk's second score came in the second quarter. On third-and-13, quarterback Michael Wolff dropped back and chucked a deep pass downfield, but behind wide receiver Hayden Schliem. Schliem turned and caught the ball - Meudt, his defender, fell down - and dashed into the end zone for the 54-yard score. Backup kicker Michael Walker missed the extra point.
In the second half, Meudt went down after getting jolted in the head on a quarterback option play. With the Vikings facing second down from the 12-yard line, backup quarterback Tanner Kleppe came into the game. On fourth down, Kleppe's pass to Kyle Zwicker in the end zone was knocked away by Schliem.
On the Vikings next possession, Kleppe hit Jason Meudt for 22 yards, putting Pec-Argyle at Black Hawk's 35. Johnson took the next handoff to the end zone with 57 seconds left in the third.
"Tanner has been a good player for us. He played in much of the game against Potosi when Jeremy got hurt, so we feel confident with him leading us under center," Green said.
After Pecatonica scored its final touch down nearly 12 minutes later, Black Hawk had one last chance. However, on first down Wolff was picked off by Dillon Conwell to seal the game.
Pecatonica-Argyle (3-4, 3-3 Six Rivers) will get to prep for another week, as Belmont (5-2, 5-1) comes into Argyle for the Vikings' second homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 17. Black Hawk (2-5, 1-5) travels to Cassville (1-6, 1-5) Friday.
