By Adam Krebs
sportseditor@themonroetimes.com
ARGYLE - After dropping their first three games of the football season, the Pecatonica-Argyle Vikings have rebounded back into the playoff picture.
"Our guys had a great week of practice and came in knowing what was on the line," Pecatonica-Argyle head coach Larry Green said Saturday after his team's 27-18 win against Shullsburg. "We came out and executed our game plan to the best of our ability and it worked out for us."
The Miners (5-1, 5-1 Six Rivers) came into the game ranked seventh in the state in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll mostly because of their running back tandem of Nate Carrier and Gavin Ubersox. The pair had collected over 1,100 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns in their five games this year. Carrier himself amassed 272 yards and six touchdowns in a Week 5 win over Belmont.
"Playing linebacker you have to know whose coming because their coming hard and on the defensive line you have to control your gaps. The three other guys on the line did a hell of a job," said senior Tannar Johnson, who kicked a pair of field goals and had a touchdown saving tackle late in the second half.
Pecatonica-Argyle's defense continually pushed bodies into the backfield and caused a hay-day for the Miners. The offense was just as efficient for Pecatonica-Argyle. Led by junior running back Jared Johnson (28 carries, 141 rushing yards), the Vikings were able to move the ball down the field, eating up clock and wearing down the Miners up front.
"We knew we could move the ball on them, we were just concerned about stopping the weapons that they have," Green said.
Jared Johnson's ability to follow blocks and push the ball downfield allowed for the passing game to open up, both short and long. Sophomore quarterback Jon Hendrickson had plenty of success through the air, connecting on 7 of 12 passes for 70 yards. Five of those passes went to Charlie Rubio, who had 49 yards through the air and an interception on defense.
"It's nice to rely on having all the receivers with good hands and knowing that every pass can be completed," Hendrickson said.
As well as the offense and defense played, it was the special teams that may well have been the MVP's of the game for Pecatonica-Argyle. Only the game's opening kick-off turned out to be a sore spot, when Shullsburg's Jacob Holland took the opening kickoff 74 yards to put the Miners at the Vikings' 23 yard line. Five plays later, Ubersox put Shullsburg on the board.
"When we got down right away that was probably OK just because we got it back so quick," Green said. The extra-point was blocked, leaving the Miners up 6-0. "We knew it was a different ballgame from there."
Freshman Alec Treuhardt answered on the following kick, going 54 yards to inside the Shullsburg 26. Jared Johnson scored not long after and Tannar Johnson's PAT gave the Vikings the lead for good.
"It was huge, just huge," Jared Johnson said of the quick score. "Our offensive line did a great job. Every big run we have just puts our confidence up even higher."
On Shullsburg's next possession, Rubio stepped in front of a Kyle Lyne pass on the short side of midfield, and Jared Johnson scored his second touchdown eight plays later.
Carrier made it a 14-12 game with 10 minutes left in the half, but a two-point conversion attempt came up short. The Vikings answered with a seven minute drive, ending with a 25-yard field goal by Tannar Johnson. Johnson added a 26-yard field goal four minutes into the third, putting the Vikings up 20-12.
"Every day before practice before the Argyle kids get there I kick a couple field goals. When you do it long enough it just seems like repetition. You just kind of zone in like shooting free throws in a ball game," Tannar Johnson said.
After Ubersox scored a second TD in the third, but the Miners failed on a second two-point conversion.
In the fourth, a Hendrickson punt from short of midfield was downed at the 3-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Carrier broke loose to the outside, but Tannar Johnson (6-feet, 3-inches, 275 pounds) caught him in open field, saving a would-be 97-yard TD. Seven plays later, the Miners were faced with a fourth-and-5 at midfield and Holland ran a fake punt to the right side and was drilled out of bounds by Dillon Conwell. Holland did not return after the hit.
Moments later, Hendrickson ran an option keeper into the end zone, putting a dagger in the hearts of the Miners.
"The read was easy - the defender came straight up the field to take away Jared like we knew he would and I just took it and got in," Hendrickson said. "We were pumped. We knew that it (the win) was pretty close."
Coach Green gave his QB a vote of confidence.
"Now that (Hendrickson) is getting all the reps in practice for the most part, his confidence is getting better. He's a quarterback and he's only a sophomore - a lot of good things to come yet," Green said. "Our offensive line did a great job for him to get where he needed to be, and our guys ran their routes properly and were open.
"Now we know that we can play with anybody as long as we do the right things."
The Vikings (3-3, 3-2) will cap their season on the road at Black Hawk (3-3, 2-3), Benton-Scales Mound (3-3, 3-2) and at home against Belmont (1-5, 1-4). One more win and the Vikings will punch a ticket to the postseason.
sportseditor@themonroetimes.com
ARGYLE - After dropping their first three games of the football season, the Pecatonica-Argyle Vikings have rebounded back into the playoff picture.
"Our guys had a great week of practice and came in knowing what was on the line," Pecatonica-Argyle head coach Larry Green said Saturday after his team's 27-18 win against Shullsburg. "We came out and executed our game plan to the best of our ability and it worked out for us."
The Miners (5-1, 5-1 Six Rivers) came into the game ranked seventh in the state in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll mostly because of their running back tandem of Nate Carrier and Gavin Ubersox. The pair had collected over 1,100 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns in their five games this year. Carrier himself amassed 272 yards and six touchdowns in a Week 5 win over Belmont.
"Playing linebacker you have to know whose coming because their coming hard and on the defensive line you have to control your gaps. The three other guys on the line did a hell of a job," said senior Tannar Johnson, who kicked a pair of field goals and had a touchdown saving tackle late in the second half.
Pecatonica-Argyle's defense continually pushed bodies into the backfield and caused a hay-day for the Miners. The offense was just as efficient for Pecatonica-Argyle. Led by junior running back Jared Johnson (28 carries, 141 rushing yards), the Vikings were able to move the ball down the field, eating up clock and wearing down the Miners up front.
"We knew we could move the ball on them, we were just concerned about stopping the weapons that they have," Green said.
Jared Johnson's ability to follow blocks and push the ball downfield allowed for the passing game to open up, both short and long. Sophomore quarterback Jon Hendrickson had plenty of success through the air, connecting on 7 of 12 passes for 70 yards. Five of those passes went to Charlie Rubio, who had 49 yards through the air and an interception on defense.
"It's nice to rely on having all the receivers with good hands and knowing that every pass can be completed," Hendrickson said.
As well as the offense and defense played, it was the special teams that may well have been the MVP's of the game for Pecatonica-Argyle. Only the game's opening kick-off turned out to be a sore spot, when Shullsburg's Jacob Holland took the opening kickoff 74 yards to put the Miners at the Vikings' 23 yard line. Five plays later, Ubersox put Shullsburg on the board.
"When we got down right away that was probably OK just because we got it back so quick," Green said. The extra-point was blocked, leaving the Miners up 6-0. "We knew it was a different ballgame from there."
Freshman Alec Treuhardt answered on the following kick, going 54 yards to inside the Shullsburg 26. Jared Johnson scored not long after and Tannar Johnson's PAT gave the Vikings the lead for good.
"It was huge, just huge," Jared Johnson said of the quick score. "Our offensive line did a great job. Every big run we have just puts our confidence up even higher."
On Shullsburg's next possession, Rubio stepped in front of a Kyle Lyne pass on the short side of midfield, and Jared Johnson scored his second touchdown eight plays later.
Carrier made it a 14-12 game with 10 minutes left in the half, but a two-point conversion attempt came up short. The Vikings answered with a seven minute drive, ending with a 25-yard field goal by Tannar Johnson. Johnson added a 26-yard field goal four minutes into the third, putting the Vikings up 20-12.
"Every day before practice before the Argyle kids get there I kick a couple field goals. When you do it long enough it just seems like repetition. You just kind of zone in like shooting free throws in a ball game," Tannar Johnson said.
After Ubersox scored a second TD in the third, but the Miners failed on a second two-point conversion.
In the fourth, a Hendrickson punt from short of midfield was downed at the 3-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Carrier broke loose to the outside, but Tannar Johnson (6-feet, 3-inches, 275 pounds) caught him in open field, saving a would-be 97-yard TD. Seven plays later, the Miners were faced with a fourth-and-5 at midfield and Holland ran a fake punt to the right side and was drilled out of bounds by Dillon Conwell. Holland did not return after the hit.
Moments later, Hendrickson ran an option keeper into the end zone, putting a dagger in the hearts of the Miners.
"The read was easy - the defender came straight up the field to take away Jared like we knew he would and I just took it and got in," Hendrickson said. "We were pumped. We knew that it (the win) was pretty close."
Coach Green gave his QB a vote of confidence.
"Now that (Hendrickson) is getting all the reps in practice for the most part, his confidence is getting better. He's a quarterback and he's only a sophomore - a lot of good things to come yet," Green said. "Our offensive line did a great job for him to get where he needed to be, and our guys ran their routes properly and were open.
"Now we know that we can play with anybody as long as we do the right things."
The Vikings (3-3, 3-2) will cap their season on the road at Black Hawk (3-3, 2-3), Benton-Scales Mound (3-3, 3-2) and at home against Belmont (1-5, 1-4). One more win and the Vikings will punch a ticket to the postseason.
