SOUTH WAYNE - The Pecatonica-Argyle football team's offense gets a lot of attention for rolling up points, but senior defensive back Cory Linder wants to change that after the Vikings knocked off Black Hawk in a Six Rivers Conference clash 26-0 Friday.
Linder had a back-breaking interception, returning it 75 yards for a touchdown to end the third quarter that helped seal the win.
The Vikings limited the Warriors to just 163 total yards.
"It shows a lot," Linder said of the Vikings' shutout for a team giving up just four points per game this season. "Our coach told us we had to get more aggressive. We came together and everyone did their job. That's what matters."
Pecatonica-Argyle wide receiver A.J. Hendrickson scored two touchdowns (one receiving and one rushing) and senior quarterback Logan Green had two touchdowns to lead the Vikings to the win. With the win, Pecatonica-Argyle (3-0), ranked No. 6 in the WisSports.Net Division 6 Coaches poll, stays in the driver's seat in the conference along with unbeaten Shullsburg.
The Vikings capped a nine-play, 54-yard drive early in the first quarter with Green hooking up on a 6-yard TD pass to Hendrickson who made a juggling one-handed catch in the back of the end zone. The Vikings were 7-for-10 converting third downs and converted three straight third downs on the first drive. Green was 10 of 18 passing for 96 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Hendrickson had five receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown.
"That play broke down early," Hendrickson said. "They had a good rush on our quarterback. It became a scramble play. It's something we work a lot on in practice. I found an open hole in the back of the end zone and Logan (Green) threw it up where I could get it. I had to concentrate and keep my feet in bounds. It's all just fundamentals."
Pecatonica-Argyle led just 6-0 at the half. It was tough sledding for the Vikings running the ball in the first half as the Warriors (1-2) bottled them up limiting them to just 23 rushing yards. With several sophomore and freshman playing vital roles on defense, Black Hawk coach Cory Milz was excited to see the Warriors' performance in the first half against the state's No. 6-ranked Division 6 team.
"It's a confidence builder for our kids that we hung with them for a while," Milz said. "We just couldn't play with them for four quarters. We have some sophomores and freshman playing. We just have to get better. They will get better."
Black Hawk junior Jett Rufenacht had a key interception of a Green pass early on, but the Warriors couldn't capitalize off the turnover. Late in the second quarter, the Warriors had a golden scoring opportunity. Black Hawk junior quarterback Michael Flanagan connected with junior Jason Treuthardt on a 25-yard pass. He then zipped an 11-yard pass to sophomore Rece Shelton and sophomore Colby Argall ripped off a 20-yard run down to the Vikings' 14-yard line. However, that is where the Warriors' drive stalled. The drive ended in a turnover on downs with Flanagan's pass just out of the reach of Rufenacht on fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line.
Rufenacht gave the Warriors a jolt to start the second half with a 39-yard kickoff return to start the third quarter. The Warriors couldn't capitalize on the field position near midfield. Black Hawk went 3-for-11 on third downs.
The Vikings answered with a 13-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in Green's 1-yard TD run on a quarterback sneak. Green then hit Linder with a two-point conversion pass to take a 14-0 lead.
Late in the third quarter and trailing 14-0, Black Hawk junior Brody Milz had a 14-yard run on a fake punt to keep a Warriors' drive alive. The devastating play for Black Hawk came at the end of the third quarter after the Warriors had drove to the Vikings' 25-yard line. Flanagan took a blindside hit and his pass was intercepted by Linder and returned 75-yards for a touchdown to give the Vikings a 20-0 lead.
"At that point I just thought run," Linder said. "If I got caught I got caught. The momentum from that went from 50-50 to 100 percent us."
Hendrickson capped the scoring with a 15-yard TD run for the Vikings. Pecatonica-Argyle senior running back Cam Treuthardt rushed for 43 yards on 10 carries.
Argall rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries. Flanagan completed 5 of-11 passes for 46 yards with one interception. Treuthardt had three receptions for 45 yards.
The Warriors had a couple of red zone scoring opportunities, but Milz wasn't sure where the breakdowns came.
"I will have to watch the film," he said. "We are not really good blocking in space right now.
"We have to stay on our blocks. What happened in the second half is Pec was able to block our defense end one-on-one and put the tight end on our linebacker."
Linder had a back-breaking interception, returning it 75 yards for a touchdown to end the third quarter that helped seal the win.
The Vikings limited the Warriors to just 163 total yards.
"It shows a lot," Linder said of the Vikings' shutout for a team giving up just four points per game this season. "Our coach told us we had to get more aggressive. We came together and everyone did their job. That's what matters."
Pecatonica-Argyle wide receiver A.J. Hendrickson scored two touchdowns (one receiving and one rushing) and senior quarterback Logan Green had two touchdowns to lead the Vikings to the win. With the win, Pecatonica-Argyle (3-0), ranked No. 6 in the WisSports.Net Division 6 Coaches poll, stays in the driver's seat in the conference along with unbeaten Shullsburg.
The Vikings capped a nine-play, 54-yard drive early in the first quarter with Green hooking up on a 6-yard TD pass to Hendrickson who made a juggling one-handed catch in the back of the end zone. The Vikings were 7-for-10 converting third downs and converted three straight third downs on the first drive. Green was 10 of 18 passing for 96 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Hendrickson had five receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown.
"That play broke down early," Hendrickson said. "They had a good rush on our quarterback. It became a scramble play. It's something we work a lot on in practice. I found an open hole in the back of the end zone and Logan (Green) threw it up where I could get it. I had to concentrate and keep my feet in bounds. It's all just fundamentals."
Pecatonica-Argyle led just 6-0 at the half. It was tough sledding for the Vikings running the ball in the first half as the Warriors (1-2) bottled them up limiting them to just 23 rushing yards. With several sophomore and freshman playing vital roles on defense, Black Hawk coach Cory Milz was excited to see the Warriors' performance in the first half against the state's No. 6-ranked Division 6 team.
"It's a confidence builder for our kids that we hung with them for a while," Milz said. "We just couldn't play with them for four quarters. We have some sophomores and freshman playing. We just have to get better. They will get better."
Black Hawk junior Jett Rufenacht had a key interception of a Green pass early on, but the Warriors couldn't capitalize off the turnover. Late in the second quarter, the Warriors had a golden scoring opportunity. Black Hawk junior quarterback Michael Flanagan connected with junior Jason Treuthardt on a 25-yard pass. He then zipped an 11-yard pass to sophomore Rece Shelton and sophomore Colby Argall ripped off a 20-yard run down to the Vikings' 14-yard line. However, that is where the Warriors' drive stalled. The drive ended in a turnover on downs with Flanagan's pass just out of the reach of Rufenacht on fourth-and-4 from the 14-yard line.
Rufenacht gave the Warriors a jolt to start the second half with a 39-yard kickoff return to start the third quarter. The Warriors couldn't capitalize on the field position near midfield. Black Hawk went 3-for-11 on third downs.
The Vikings answered with a 13-play, 80-yard drive, culminating in Green's 1-yard TD run on a quarterback sneak. Green then hit Linder with a two-point conversion pass to take a 14-0 lead.
Late in the third quarter and trailing 14-0, Black Hawk junior Brody Milz had a 14-yard run on a fake punt to keep a Warriors' drive alive. The devastating play for Black Hawk came at the end of the third quarter after the Warriors had drove to the Vikings' 25-yard line. Flanagan took a blindside hit and his pass was intercepted by Linder and returned 75-yards for a touchdown to give the Vikings a 20-0 lead.
"At that point I just thought run," Linder said. "If I got caught I got caught. The momentum from that went from 50-50 to 100 percent us."
Hendrickson capped the scoring with a 15-yard TD run for the Vikings. Pecatonica-Argyle senior running back Cam Treuthardt rushed for 43 yards on 10 carries.
Argall rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries. Flanagan completed 5 of-11 passes for 46 yards with one interception. Treuthardt had three receptions for 45 yards.
The Warriors had a couple of red zone scoring opportunities, but Milz wasn't sure where the breakdowns came.
"I will have to watch the film," he said. "We are not really good blocking in space right now.
"We have to stay on our blocks. What happened in the second half is Pec was able to block our defense end one-on-one and put the tight end on our linebacker."
