RIVER VALLEY - New Glarus-Monticello pulled off perhaps the biggest upset in the state in the opening round of the WIAA football playoffs, knocking off top-seeded and previously undefeated River Valley, 14-13.
"It was just a big, gutty, character win," Glarner Knights head coach Jeff Eichelkraut said. "Our theme all week was to just believe, and the kids bought into it and win one play at a time."
River Valley got on the board first in the second quarter, but New Glarus-Monticello answered on a 68-yard run by Tyler Dorn.
"At that point, we knew we were in it," Eichelkraut said.
River Valley scored with just seven seconds left in the first half, but a missed extra point kept the score at 13-7 and turned out to be the fatal blow for the Blackhawks.
Dorn tied the score with a two yard run with 5 minutes, 21 seconds left in the game and added the extra point himself, giving his squad the lead.
"We knew they (River Valley) had a really good defense. So at that point, our offense did the job they needed to and it was up to everybody else. And hats off to our special teams and defense and their coaches - they were phenomenal," Eichelkraut said.
Dorn finished the game with 125 yards on 23 carries and also threw a 14-yard pass to Mason Lockard. As a team, the Knights gained just 139 yards rushing and 155 total, but the defense held River Valley in check and forced two turnovers.
New Glarus-Monticello (8-2) will now host Brodhead-Juda (8-2) Saturday in a Level 2 Division 4 game. In the 2009 playoff opener, Brodhead-Juda rolled over the Glarner Knights in New Glarus.
"We're excited, but it's still one game at a time. Now it's back to work," Eichelkraut said.
Catholic Central 40, Black Hawk 6
BURLINGTON - The Warriors (6-4) found out just how good the Hilltoppers were right away. Catholic Central (8-1) scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and led 26-0 by halftime in the opening round of the Division 7 playoffs.
Hayden Schliem put Black Hawk on the board in the third quarter, pulling in a 65-yard touchdown pass from Michael Wolff, but the Warriors offense couldn't come through with another score.
Catholic Central gained 444 rushing yards on 57 carries and added 34 passing yards. Black Hawk had just 91 rushing yards on 23 carries and finished 2 of 18 passing for 84 yards. The Warriors also fumbled four times, losing two.
Pecatonica-Argyle 25, Necedah 12
NECEDAH - Pecatonica-Argyle received big games from sophomore quarterback Jon Hendrickson and junior running back Jared Johnson in knocking off second-seeded Necedah Tuesday.
Hendrickson completed 8 of 11 passes for 79 yards with one touchdown and Johnson rushed for 141 yards on 32 carries and scored a touchdown to lead the Vikings.
"Our offensive and defensive lines played a great game," Pecatonica-Argyle coach Larry Green said. "That's why we were able to win."
Hendrickson tossed a 12-yard TD pass to Charlie Rubio in the first quarter to give the Vikings a 6-0 lead. Hendrickson then scored on a 9-yard run to give the Vikings a 12-0 lead. Johnson added a 24-yard TD run in the third quarter. Pecatonica-Argyle senior Tannar Johnson booted 27 and 32-yard field goals for the Vikings.
Pecatonica-Argyle (6-4) moves on to the Level 2 playoffs and will play Mineral Point (8-2).
In other area action, Shullsburg fell at Ithaca 44-12 in Division 7.
"It was just a big, gutty, character win," Glarner Knights head coach Jeff Eichelkraut said. "Our theme all week was to just believe, and the kids bought into it and win one play at a time."
River Valley got on the board first in the second quarter, but New Glarus-Monticello answered on a 68-yard run by Tyler Dorn.
"At that point, we knew we were in it," Eichelkraut said.
River Valley scored with just seven seconds left in the first half, but a missed extra point kept the score at 13-7 and turned out to be the fatal blow for the Blackhawks.
Dorn tied the score with a two yard run with 5 minutes, 21 seconds left in the game and added the extra point himself, giving his squad the lead.
"We knew they (River Valley) had a really good defense. So at that point, our offense did the job they needed to and it was up to everybody else. And hats off to our special teams and defense and their coaches - they were phenomenal," Eichelkraut said.
Dorn finished the game with 125 yards on 23 carries and also threw a 14-yard pass to Mason Lockard. As a team, the Knights gained just 139 yards rushing and 155 total, but the defense held River Valley in check and forced two turnovers.
New Glarus-Monticello (8-2) will now host Brodhead-Juda (8-2) Saturday in a Level 2 Division 4 game. In the 2009 playoff opener, Brodhead-Juda rolled over the Glarner Knights in New Glarus.
"We're excited, but it's still one game at a time. Now it's back to work," Eichelkraut said.
Catholic Central 40, Black Hawk 6
BURLINGTON - The Warriors (6-4) found out just how good the Hilltoppers were right away. Catholic Central (8-1) scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and led 26-0 by halftime in the opening round of the Division 7 playoffs.
Hayden Schliem put Black Hawk on the board in the third quarter, pulling in a 65-yard touchdown pass from Michael Wolff, but the Warriors offense couldn't come through with another score.
Catholic Central gained 444 rushing yards on 57 carries and added 34 passing yards. Black Hawk had just 91 rushing yards on 23 carries and finished 2 of 18 passing for 84 yards. The Warriors also fumbled four times, losing two.
Pecatonica-Argyle 25, Necedah 12
NECEDAH - Pecatonica-Argyle received big games from sophomore quarterback Jon Hendrickson and junior running back Jared Johnson in knocking off second-seeded Necedah Tuesday.
Hendrickson completed 8 of 11 passes for 79 yards with one touchdown and Johnson rushed for 141 yards on 32 carries and scored a touchdown to lead the Vikings.
"Our offensive and defensive lines played a great game," Pecatonica-Argyle coach Larry Green said. "That's why we were able to win."
Hendrickson tossed a 12-yard TD pass to Charlie Rubio in the first quarter to give the Vikings a 6-0 lead. Hendrickson then scored on a 9-yard run to give the Vikings a 12-0 lead. Johnson added a 24-yard TD run in the third quarter. Pecatonica-Argyle senior Tannar Johnson booted 27 and 32-yard field goals for the Vikings.
Pecatonica-Argyle (6-4) moves on to the Level 2 playoffs and will play Mineral Point (8-2).
In other area action, Shullsburg fell at Ithaca 44-12 in Division 7.
