DARLINGTON - Senior Storm Wiegel can be an explosive runner in the open field.
The Darlington running back gave the Redbirds the early spark they needed in leading the Redbirds to a 41-0 win over Boscobel. Wiegel had a big kick return that set up the Redbirds' first scoring drive. One play later, Wiegel raced in for a 53-yard TD run. Wiegel rushed for 94 yards on six carries. He also had a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the second quarter to give the Redbirds a 41-0 halftime lead which led to a running clock in the second half.
"He's very explosive," Darlington coach Scott Zywicki said of Storm Wiegel. "He's not only fast. He's very elusive. He has excellent ability to make people miss and cut back ability."
Darlington's Myles Leahy had a 23-yard TD run and scored on a 2-yard plunge in the second quarter to give the Redbirds a commanding 21-0 lead. The Redbirds racked up 347 total rushing yards.
"We wanted to get out to a fast start because we had only scored six points in the first quarter," Zywicki said. "We wanted to set the tone early. We thought we could control the line of scrimmage."
Sophomore quarterback Cole McDonald, who was 5 of 5 passing for 47 yards, scored on a 3-yard run and Tanner Wiegel had a 14-yard TD run to give the Redbirds a 34-0 lead.
It marks the third straight game the Bulldogs have been shutout. The Redbirds built a 41-0 halftime lead and rolled to the SWAL victory.
Evans.-Albany 22, McFarland 0
EVANSVILLE - The Blue Devils put themselves in a good position to make the playoffs with a shutout of the Spartans.
Evansville-Albany senior Michael Johnson, who rushed for 222 yards on 31 carries, also scored on a 24-yard run. The Blue Devils (3-1, 2-1 Rock Valley North) racked up 381 total rushing yards.
Albany junior Mitchell Kauk had a sack in the first quarter that sparked the Blue Devils. Johnson scored on a 1-yard run to give the Blue Devils a 6-0 first quarter lead. Albany junior Isaiah Shell then had a critical 33-yard run to set up a scoring drive in the second quarter.
Black Hawk 54, River Ridge 0
RIVER RIDGE - Facing a River Ridge team consisting of a lot of young players, Black Hawk took advantage by not just winning but also improving on aspects of their game, rolling to a 54-0 win on the road.
"We made a big improvement in a week's time," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "But River Ridge did play a lot of young kids. Our kids did what you should do against a down team. They made big plays."
On the ground, the Warriors were led by junior Tanner Sweeney who racked up 153 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns. Junior Jayden Rufenacht got his as well, carrying the ball 12 times for 102 yards and a touchdown. Sweeney averaged nearly 13 yards per carry, and Rufenacht averaged 8.5 yards.
The offense also clicked through the air.
Although he attempted just seven passes, senior quarterback Merik Meythaler made the most of them, completing five for 215 yards and two touchdowns. Sweeney caught two of those passes for 93 yards and one touchdown, and senior Kyle Walters hauled in a 63-yard pass for a score as well.
Milz said the offensive explosion came at a good time.
"We got the big plays to get the kids' confidence up," he said.
The big lead late in the game also gave players who haven't been on the field much early in the season a chance to play.
"Everyone who's been working hard in practice ... everyone got a chance to participate," Milz said. "That was good for the team."
Improvements were also made on defense, where Milz said the team had been struggling at containing big runs.
"Defensively, we've been giving up a lot of cutback runs," Milz said. "We emphasized squeezing on your gaps ... and the guys did that. We didn't have many big runs against us."
Milz attributed some of the recent defensive success to the emergence of junior safety Seth Butler.
Butler got injured against Potosi and didn't play against Highland. Against Belmont last week, he wasn't put into the game until the second half.
But when he did come in, his presence was felt.
"Instantly, he made our defense better," Milz said. "Our defense has looked a lot different with him back there. He gives the kids a lot of confidence. He's been a key difference in our defense in the last game and a half."
The Warriors travel to Benton-Scales Mound for a Six Rivers tilt next Saturday, giving them a longer week to rest, and Milz hopes to see more of what he saw against River Ridge when the team hits the field.
"We've been looking for big plays out of our offense," he said. "Hopefully we can keep carrying that forward."
Marshall 21, N.G.-Monticello 0
MARSHALL - Turnovers plagued the Glarner Knights in a conference-opening loss to Marshall.
New Glarus-Monticello (2-2, 0-1 Capitol South) had four turnovers and was limited to 128 yards of total offense.
"It was a tough night," New Glarus-Monticello coach Desie Breadon said. "We thought we would come out and perform a little bit better. We didn't make the plays and Marshall did. They are a quality team."
New Glarus-Monticello senior Spencer Jones rushed for 52 yards on 13 carries to lead the Knights. Senior quarterback Gabe Noyce was 3 of 9 passing for 30 yards and two interceptions.
The Darlington running back gave the Redbirds the early spark they needed in leading the Redbirds to a 41-0 win over Boscobel. Wiegel had a big kick return that set up the Redbirds' first scoring drive. One play later, Wiegel raced in for a 53-yard TD run. Wiegel rushed for 94 yards on six carries. He also had a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the second quarter to give the Redbirds a 41-0 halftime lead which led to a running clock in the second half.
"He's very explosive," Darlington coach Scott Zywicki said of Storm Wiegel. "He's not only fast. He's very elusive. He has excellent ability to make people miss and cut back ability."
Darlington's Myles Leahy had a 23-yard TD run and scored on a 2-yard plunge in the second quarter to give the Redbirds a commanding 21-0 lead. The Redbirds racked up 347 total rushing yards.
"We wanted to get out to a fast start because we had only scored six points in the first quarter," Zywicki said. "We wanted to set the tone early. We thought we could control the line of scrimmage."
Sophomore quarterback Cole McDonald, who was 5 of 5 passing for 47 yards, scored on a 3-yard run and Tanner Wiegel had a 14-yard TD run to give the Redbirds a 34-0 lead.
It marks the third straight game the Bulldogs have been shutout. The Redbirds built a 41-0 halftime lead and rolled to the SWAL victory.
Evans.-Albany 22, McFarland 0
EVANSVILLE - The Blue Devils put themselves in a good position to make the playoffs with a shutout of the Spartans.
Evansville-Albany senior Michael Johnson, who rushed for 222 yards on 31 carries, also scored on a 24-yard run. The Blue Devils (3-1, 2-1 Rock Valley North) racked up 381 total rushing yards.
Albany junior Mitchell Kauk had a sack in the first quarter that sparked the Blue Devils. Johnson scored on a 1-yard run to give the Blue Devils a 6-0 first quarter lead. Albany junior Isaiah Shell then had a critical 33-yard run to set up a scoring drive in the second quarter.
Black Hawk 54, River Ridge 0
RIVER RIDGE - Facing a River Ridge team consisting of a lot of young players, Black Hawk took advantage by not just winning but also improving on aspects of their game, rolling to a 54-0 win on the road.
"We made a big improvement in a week's time," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "But River Ridge did play a lot of young kids. Our kids did what you should do against a down team. They made big plays."
On the ground, the Warriors were led by junior Tanner Sweeney who racked up 153 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns. Junior Jayden Rufenacht got his as well, carrying the ball 12 times for 102 yards and a touchdown. Sweeney averaged nearly 13 yards per carry, and Rufenacht averaged 8.5 yards.
The offense also clicked through the air.
Although he attempted just seven passes, senior quarterback Merik Meythaler made the most of them, completing five for 215 yards and two touchdowns. Sweeney caught two of those passes for 93 yards and one touchdown, and senior Kyle Walters hauled in a 63-yard pass for a score as well.
Milz said the offensive explosion came at a good time.
"We got the big plays to get the kids' confidence up," he said.
The big lead late in the game also gave players who haven't been on the field much early in the season a chance to play.
"Everyone who's been working hard in practice ... everyone got a chance to participate," Milz said. "That was good for the team."
Improvements were also made on defense, where Milz said the team had been struggling at containing big runs.
"Defensively, we've been giving up a lot of cutback runs," Milz said. "We emphasized squeezing on your gaps ... and the guys did that. We didn't have many big runs against us."
Milz attributed some of the recent defensive success to the emergence of junior safety Seth Butler.
Butler got injured against Potosi and didn't play against Highland. Against Belmont last week, he wasn't put into the game until the second half.
But when he did come in, his presence was felt.
"Instantly, he made our defense better," Milz said. "Our defense has looked a lot different with him back there. He gives the kids a lot of confidence. He's been a key difference in our defense in the last game and a half."
The Warriors travel to Benton-Scales Mound for a Six Rivers tilt next Saturday, giving them a longer week to rest, and Milz hopes to see more of what he saw against River Ridge when the team hits the field.
"We've been looking for big plays out of our offense," he said. "Hopefully we can keep carrying that forward."
Marshall 21, N.G.-Monticello 0
MARSHALL - Turnovers plagued the Glarner Knights in a conference-opening loss to Marshall.
New Glarus-Monticello (2-2, 0-1 Capitol South) had four turnovers and was limited to 128 yards of total offense.
"It was a tough night," New Glarus-Monticello coach Desie Breadon said. "We thought we would come out and perform a little bit better. We didn't make the plays and Marshall did. They are a quality team."
New Glarus-Monticello senior Spencer Jones rushed for 52 yards on 13 carries to lead the Knights. Senior quarterback Gabe Noyce was 3 of 9 passing for 30 yards and two interceptions.
