DARLINGTON - Some days everything just clicks for one team. Friday was one of those days for the Redbirds.
Starting with a defensive 3-and-out and a first-play 49-yard touchdown run by Tucker Wiegel, Darlington's football team had its way the entire game against Southwestern, picking up a 50-0 victory Friday afternoon.
"You couldn't draw it up any better than that," Darlington head coach Scott Zywicki said. "That's the way you want to start. It's a huge trendsetter."
The Redbirds (4-0, ranked No. 2 in the Division 5 WisSports.net Coaches Poll) turned the ball over five times on defense, including three first-half interceptions from Tyler Hardyman.
"It's a great feeling. I will remember this for the rest of my life," said Hardyman, who gave compliments to the rest of the defense. "The linemen did everything they could. Zach Brown did a great job getting to the quarterback. We just did a great job on defense, linebackers and (defensive) backs too."
Hardyman made himself known early in the first quarter. After Darlington forced Southwestern to two 3-and-outs on their first three possessions, Hardyman picked off Keaton Kephart on a tipped ball and returned it to the Wildcats 8-yard line.
"Tyler probably has the best hands on our team. He showed it," Zywicki said. "Our defensive line not only put pressure on the quarterback, but they totally allowed our secondary to focus on nothing but the pass. When (the other team) can't run, we have enough athletes in the backfield that are great ball hawks."
Alex Erickson scored on the very next play, giving the Redbirds a 22-0 lead with 3 minutes, 58 seconds left in the first quarter. Seth Rowe scored Darlington's second touchdown from three yards out.
"I just wanted to hold onto the ball, I didn't want to fumble it," Hardyman said. "I saw the end zone and I started thinking (about scoring), but I just wanted to make sure I held on to the ball."
Three Southwestern plays later and Hardyman again had the ball in his hands. Hardyman intercepted another Kephart pass at the Wildcats' 20 and returned it down to the 4, breaking two tackles and tip-toeing the sideline. Levi Wedig scored on the very next Redbirds snap.
"As long as our kids execute on each play, I'm fine with that. The goal is to get the ball in the end zone and if we can do it one play instead of a lasting drive, it's one less thing for me to worry about," Zywicki said.
In all, Darlington scored seven times on nine possessions in the first half. One of the two non-scoring Redbirds drives was to run out the clock at the end of the second quarter - with the second-string offense in the game.
"We really wanted to get the second (string) in the game. They didn't get in as much as we'd would like last week," linebacker Colton Hackett said. "They work hard for us in practice and they deserve to get in. We were excited to see them get into the game and see them play."
Rowe and Erickson each scored twice more in the second quarter, both from eight-yards out, giving the Redbirds a mercy-rule running-clock throughout the second half.
In the fourth quarter Tommy Notter scored the game's final touchdown on a 10-yard run.
"We knew Southwestern comes out throwing the ball - they're not going to run a lot. So we knew we had to stop the run when it came and we did," Hackett said. "We tried to keep pressure on the quarterback."
Southwestern had just seven yards of offense on 28 carries and finished 10 for 21 passing for 92 yards and four interceptions between Kephart and Aaron Kaiser. Kaiser was picked off on the game's final play by Notter.
Darlington collected 348 yards of offense in the contest, including 267 yards on the ground. Tyler Black led all rushers with 66 yards on six carries. Erickson had 52 yards on eight carries and Wiegel finished with 61 yards on five carries. Erickson was also 6 of 7 through the air for 79 yards. Darlington ran 43 plays in the game - 30 of which came in the first half.
Darlington, also ranked No. 3 by the Associated Press in the small school division, travels to Cuba City Sept. 24.
"We have take it one game at a time," said Hackett, whose team is just one win away from clinching a playoff spot.
Starting with a defensive 3-and-out and a first-play 49-yard touchdown run by Tucker Wiegel, Darlington's football team had its way the entire game against Southwestern, picking up a 50-0 victory Friday afternoon.
"You couldn't draw it up any better than that," Darlington head coach Scott Zywicki said. "That's the way you want to start. It's a huge trendsetter."
The Redbirds (4-0, ranked No. 2 in the Division 5 WisSports.net Coaches Poll) turned the ball over five times on defense, including three first-half interceptions from Tyler Hardyman.
"It's a great feeling. I will remember this for the rest of my life," said Hardyman, who gave compliments to the rest of the defense. "The linemen did everything they could. Zach Brown did a great job getting to the quarterback. We just did a great job on defense, linebackers and (defensive) backs too."
Hardyman made himself known early in the first quarter. After Darlington forced Southwestern to two 3-and-outs on their first three possessions, Hardyman picked off Keaton Kephart on a tipped ball and returned it to the Wildcats 8-yard line.
"Tyler probably has the best hands on our team. He showed it," Zywicki said. "Our defensive line not only put pressure on the quarterback, but they totally allowed our secondary to focus on nothing but the pass. When (the other team) can't run, we have enough athletes in the backfield that are great ball hawks."
Alex Erickson scored on the very next play, giving the Redbirds a 22-0 lead with 3 minutes, 58 seconds left in the first quarter. Seth Rowe scored Darlington's second touchdown from three yards out.
"I just wanted to hold onto the ball, I didn't want to fumble it," Hardyman said. "I saw the end zone and I started thinking (about scoring), but I just wanted to make sure I held on to the ball."
Three Southwestern plays later and Hardyman again had the ball in his hands. Hardyman intercepted another Kephart pass at the Wildcats' 20 and returned it down to the 4, breaking two tackles and tip-toeing the sideline. Levi Wedig scored on the very next Redbirds snap.
"As long as our kids execute on each play, I'm fine with that. The goal is to get the ball in the end zone and if we can do it one play instead of a lasting drive, it's one less thing for me to worry about," Zywicki said.
In all, Darlington scored seven times on nine possessions in the first half. One of the two non-scoring Redbirds drives was to run out the clock at the end of the second quarter - with the second-string offense in the game.
"We really wanted to get the second (string) in the game. They didn't get in as much as we'd would like last week," linebacker Colton Hackett said. "They work hard for us in practice and they deserve to get in. We were excited to see them get into the game and see them play."
Rowe and Erickson each scored twice more in the second quarter, both from eight-yards out, giving the Redbirds a mercy-rule running-clock throughout the second half.
In the fourth quarter Tommy Notter scored the game's final touchdown on a 10-yard run.
"We knew Southwestern comes out throwing the ball - they're not going to run a lot. So we knew we had to stop the run when it came and we did," Hackett said. "We tried to keep pressure on the quarterback."
Southwestern had just seven yards of offense on 28 carries and finished 10 for 21 passing for 92 yards and four interceptions between Kephart and Aaron Kaiser. Kaiser was picked off on the game's final play by Notter.
Darlington collected 348 yards of offense in the contest, including 267 yards on the ground. Tyler Black led all rushers with 66 yards on six carries. Erickson had 52 yards on eight carries and Wiegel finished with 61 yards on five carries. Erickson was also 6 of 7 through the air for 79 yards. Darlington ran 43 plays in the game - 30 of which came in the first half.
Darlington, also ranked No. 3 by the Associated Press in the small school division, travels to Cuba City Sept. 24.
"We have take it one game at a time," said Hackett, whose team is just one win away from clinching a playoff spot.
