POTOSI - Black Hawk football coach Cory Milz wanted to force Potosi to turn to the passing game. Behind senior wide receiver Daniel Post the Chieftains' big-play passing game made the difference in Potosi's 32-8 win over the Warriors in a WIAA Division 7 state quarterfinal Friday.
Post had four receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns to propel the Chieftains over the Warriors for the second time this season. Post had three catches of 30 yards or more as the Chieftains exploded for 26 second-half points.
"Our coverage has been a problem all year," Milz said. "It's frustrating when we stuff them and stuff them and they throw one over the top. It's disheartening. That takes a lot out of the linebackers and the D-linemen. They could have probably passed for 400 yards if they wanted to. There's a reason why they pass in the pros and college. They can get their athletes the ball in space and they can extend the play. They put in a lot more time in the weight room, it's obvious. We lost to a better team."
Potosi (11-1) advances and will play Pepin-Alma in a state semifinal next week.
Black Hawk, the Division 7 state champions last year, had four turnovers (three fumbles and one interception) and finished the season 8-4. The Warriors were knocking on the door of scoring twice in the first quarter. However, on the first drive, Black Hawk senior Shawn Woodruff fumbled at the 14-yard line and the Chieftains recovered. On the Warriors' second drive, Black Hawk's Jacob Quinn fumbled and the Chieftains recovered at their own 24-yard line. Quinn did come up with a big interception to deny the Chieftains from mounting a drive.
"That was huge," Milz said. "We ran the ball all the way down the field on them. We pretty much owned the first half."
The Chieftains capped a seven play, 77-yard drive, with senior Kyle Kaiser hooking up with Post on a 54-yard TD pass to give the Chieftains a 6-0 lead. It stayed that way until the second half.
Woodruff, who battled an ankle injury, rushed for 141 yards on 28 carries and scored one touchdown. He finished the season with 1,950 rushing yards and 21 TDs. He was just 129 yards away from breaking Tanner Sweeney's single season rushing yards school record.
"He (Woodruff) is a tough kid," Milz said. "He has been a four-year starter at linebacker. He will be missed. He just had a season for the ages. He's a major reason and part of why we got to Level 3."
Black Hawk senior Blaine Wolff had an interception in the third quarter and the Warriors went to work. Late in the drive, the Warriors faced fourth-and-4 and a halfback pass to Jordan Monson came up just short. The Chieftains responded with an eight-play, 60-yard drive, culminating with Brent Curtis ramming in for a 1-yard TD run. Kaiser connected with Curtis on a two-point conversion pass to take a 14-0 lead. The scoring opportunity was set up by Kaiser's 50-yard pass to Post. Kaiser completed 5-of-8 passes for 147 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Potosi's Teagan Friederick scored on a 9-yard run to extend the Chieftains' lead to 20-0. The big play of the drive was Kaiser's 30-yard pass to Post. Potosi's Nathan Friederick then intercepted a pass from Milz. The Chieftains capped a 11-play, 64-yard drive, with Kaiser tossing a 5-yard TD pass to Post to give the Chieftains a 26-0 lead. Curtis then scored on a 16-yard run to give the Chieftains a 32-0 lead. Curtis rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns.
The lone scoring play for the Warriors came on Woodruff's 14-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
"We fought," Milz said. "They just have a lot of weapons and we just lost to a better team."
Post had four receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns to propel the Chieftains over the Warriors for the second time this season. Post had three catches of 30 yards or more as the Chieftains exploded for 26 second-half points.
"Our coverage has been a problem all year," Milz said. "It's frustrating when we stuff them and stuff them and they throw one over the top. It's disheartening. That takes a lot out of the linebackers and the D-linemen. They could have probably passed for 400 yards if they wanted to. There's a reason why they pass in the pros and college. They can get their athletes the ball in space and they can extend the play. They put in a lot more time in the weight room, it's obvious. We lost to a better team."
Potosi (11-1) advances and will play Pepin-Alma in a state semifinal next week.
Black Hawk, the Division 7 state champions last year, had four turnovers (three fumbles and one interception) and finished the season 8-4. The Warriors were knocking on the door of scoring twice in the first quarter. However, on the first drive, Black Hawk senior Shawn Woodruff fumbled at the 14-yard line and the Chieftains recovered. On the Warriors' second drive, Black Hawk's Jacob Quinn fumbled and the Chieftains recovered at their own 24-yard line. Quinn did come up with a big interception to deny the Chieftains from mounting a drive.
"That was huge," Milz said. "We ran the ball all the way down the field on them. We pretty much owned the first half."
The Chieftains capped a seven play, 77-yard drive, with senior Kyle Kaiser hooking up with Post on a 54-yard TD pass to give the Chieftains a 6-0 lead. It stayed that way until the second half.
Woodruff, who battled an ankle injury, rushed for 141 yards on 28 carries and scored one touchdown. He finished the season with 1,950 rushing yards and 21 TDs. He was just 129 yards away from breaking Tanner Sweeney's single season rushing yards school record.
"He (Woodruff) is a tough kid," Milz said. "He has been a four-year starter at linebacker. He will be missed. He just had a season for the ages. He's a major reason and part of why we got to Level 3."
Black Hawk senior Blaine Wolff had an interception in the third quarter and the Warriors went to work. Late in the drive, the Warriors faced fourth-and-4 and a halfback pass to Jordan Monson came up just short. The Chieftains responded with an eight-play, 60-yard drive, culminating with Brent Curtis ramming in for a 1-yard TD run. Kaiser connected with Curtis on a two-point conversion pass to take a 14-0 lead. The scoring opportunity was set up by Kaiser's 50-yard pass to Post. Kaiser completed 5-of-8 passes for 147 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Potosi's Teagan Friederick scored on a 9-yard run to extend the Chieftains' lead to 20-0. The big play of the drive was Kaiser's 30-yard pass to Post. Potosi's Nathan Friederick then intercepted a pass from Milz. The Chieftains capped a 11-play, 64-yard drive, with Kaiser tossing a 5-yard TD pass to Post to give the Chieftains a 26-0 lead. Curtis then scored on a 16-yard run to give the Chieftains a 32-0 lead. Curtis rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns.
The lone scoring play for the Warriors came on Woodruff's 14-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
"We fought," Milz said. "They just have a lot of weapons and we just lost to a better team."
