SOUTH WAYNE - The Warriors and the Vikings battled each other like two prize fighters for 48 minutes Friday before Pecatonica-Argyle came away with a 21-12 win on the road.
"These are two good football teams," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "Both teams played with a lot of effort."
The effort both teams showed included solid hits and hard-hitting tackles that led to turnovers by both teams in the first quarter.
"When you watch football on Saturday and Sunday you see that the teams that make the fewer mistakes usually win," Milz said.
Black Hawk turned the ball over five times via three fumbles and two interceptions. Pec-Argyle turned it over twice via one fumble and one interception.
Turnovers proved to be the difference.
The Vikings' Lee Vlasak again proved difficult for a defense to handle. The senior star gained 85 yards on 18 rushes and also caught four passes for 49 yards.
"If you can play against a Lee Vlasak you can play against anyone," Milz said.
The Warriors weren't without their own stars, however. Senior Shane Jackson led the Black Hawk ground attack with 125 yards on 17 carries while junior Cody Foster caught three passes for 91 yards.
Black Hawk's first possession ended with a fumble while Pec-Argyle's first possession ended with an interception. Black Hawk's second possession also ended with a fumble.
The defenses dominated the first quarter as the Vikings and Warriors traded punts.
In the second quarter, the Vikings again turned the ball over after Carl Ruegsegger put a hard hit on Milton Kurschner at the Warrior's 44-yard line with 11:54 to play in the half.
The Warriors put together a solid 56-yard drive, keeping the ball on the ground and relying on a 22-yard run by Foster. His run gave Black Hawk a first down at the 2-yard line; on the next play he was able to walk into the end zone to put Black Hawk up by six.
Momentum was on the Warriors' side as their defense stepped up and forced the Vikings to punt the ball away.
But like any good team, the Vikings were able to force a turnover when they intercepted Payton Schliem with 3:37 to play in the half.
The Vikings moved the ball 65 yards utilizing the run and accurate passes to chew up yardage.
For a little while it looked as if the clock would run out on the Vikings' chances to score. But Pec-Argyle continued to move the ball and Taylor Saalsaa scored with just over 30 seconds to play. The extra point put them ahead by one at the half.
The game was still either team's to win.
"I think we showed we can play with quality teams," Milz said. "We learned we can stack up against anyone."
Pec-Argyle increased its lead in the fourth following a five-minute drive capped off with a 2-yard run by from Andy Bohlman. The Vikings went up by 15 with just over six minutes to play when Vlasak caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Kurschner.
The Warriors were able to close the 15-point gap with just over 1:30 to play in the fourth on a 25-yard run by Jackson. The two-point conversion failed and Pec-Argyle recovered the ensuing on-side kick to seal the win.
"These are two good football teams," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "Both teams played with a lot of effort."
The effort both teams showed included solid hits and hard-hitting tackles that led to turnovers by both teams in the first quarter.
"When you watch football on Saturday and Sunday you see that the teams that make the fewer mistakes usually win," Milz said.
Black Hawk turned the ball over five times via three fumbles and two interceptions. Pec-Argyle turned it over twice via one fumble and one interception.
Turnovers proved to be the difference.
The Vikings' Lee Vlasak again proved difficult for a defense to handle. The senior star gained 85 yards on 18 rushes and also caught four passes for 49 yards.
"If you can play against a Lee Vlasak you can play against anyone," Milz said.
The Warriors weren't without their own stars, however. Senior Shane Jackson led the Black Hawk ground attack with 125 yards on 17 carries while junior Cody Foster caught three passes for 91 yards.
Black Hawk's first possession ended with a fumble while Pec-Argyle's first possession ended with an interception. Black Hawk's second possession also ended with a fumble.
The defenses dominated the first quarter as the Vikings and Warriors traded punts.
In the second quarter, the Vikings again turned the ball over after Carl Ruegsegger put a hard hit on Milton Kurschner at the Warrior's 44-yard line with 11:54 to play in the half.
The Warriors put together a solid 56-yard drive, keeping the ball on the ground and relying on a 22-yard run by Foster. His run gave Black Hawk a first down at the 2-yard line; on the next play he was able to walk into the end zone to put Black Hawk up by six.
Momentum was on the Warriors' side as their defense stepped up and forced the Vikings to punt the ball away.
But like any good team, the Vikings were able to force a turnover when they intercepted Payton Schliem with 3:37 to play in the half.
The Vikings moved the ball 65 yards utilizing the run and accurate passes to chew up yardage.
For a little while it looked as if the clock would run out on the Vikings' chances to score. But Pec-Argyle continued to move the ball and Taylor Saalsaa scored with just over 30 seconds to play. The extra point put them ahead by one at the half.
The game was still either team's to win.
"I think we showed we can play with quality teams," Milz said. "We learned we can stack up against anyone."
Pec-Argyle increased its lead in the fourth following a five-minute drive capped off with a 2-yard run by from Andy Bohlman. The Vikings went up by 15 with just over six minutes to play when Vlasak caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Kurschner.
The Warriors were able to close the 15-point gap with just over 1:30 to play in the fourth on a 25-yard run by Jackson. The two-point conversion failed and Pec-Argyle recovered the ensuing on-side kick to seal the win.
