ARGYLE - The wheel play turned into a wheel of fortune for the Pecatonica-Argyle football team Saturday afternoon.
Trailing Benton-Scales Mound (Ill.) 7-3 late in the fourth quarter, Pec-Argyle capped a stunning comeback when senior Lee Vlasak made an amazing one-handed, 14-yard touchdown catch on a pass from Milton Kurschner to give the Vikings a 10-7 lead with 1 minute, 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
"Milton threw a great pass high and outside," Vlasak said. "He put it where no one else could get it. I luckily out-jumped them and brought it in."
The Zephyrs (4-1), the ninth-ranked team in the Division 7 WisSports.net Coaches Poll, beat the Vikings for the first time in the program's history last year. There would be no miracle ending Saturday for the Zephyrs, as Pec-Argyle junior Devin Jeglum intercepted his second pass to ice a 10-7 Vikings' win on Argyle's homecoming.
"Our playmakers made plays," Peca-Argyle coach Larry Green said. "We made big plays at critical times. To reach our goals, this was a must win."
The defining moment for the Vikings (3-2, 3-1 Six Rivers Conference) came when Kurschner directed the game-winning 60-yard drive. The Vikings converted a third-and-20, when Vlasak made a leaping 40-yard catch.
Kurschner made another big play, connecting with Taylor Saalsaa on a 17-yard pass, converting on third-and-11 later in the drive.
"He's (Vlasak) a big playmaker," Kurschner said. "Just throw it up to him and let him make a play."
Vlasak had 184 total yards (105 rushing yards on 24 carries, and 79 yards on four receptions). Kurschner completed 7 of 11 passes, with 71 of his 113 yards coming on the final drive - overcoming a penalty and a fumble.
Green wasn't taking anything for granted.
"I didn't know he (Vlasak) caught it," he said. "I didn't know if he was in bounds or out of bounds until the official's arms went up."
Green said he was focused on getting out to kick an extra point to take a three-point lead.
"Until it goes to zero, the game is never over," Green said.
In a defensive battle, the Zephyrs struck late when Jordan Hendrickson tossed a 50-yard pass to Michael Droessler with 4:09 left in the fourth quarter to take a 7-3 lead.
Kurschner said he saw players coming off the field with their heads down after the Zephyrs' go-ahead score.
"I came out into the huddle and said, 'Now is our time to shine,' " Kurschner said.
In the first half, Jeglum intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards to the Zephyrs' 28-yard line at the end of the second quarter. The Vikings broke a scoreless tie when junior Chris Hendrickson kicked a 22-yard field goal.
On the second play of the second quarter, Vlasak's 6-yard TD run was wiped out due to a block in the back. Two false start penalties short-circuited the drive, which pushed the Vikings back into a fourth-and-goal from the 19-yard line.
The Vikings dodged a bullet when Vlasak fumbled for the second time midway through the third quarter and the Zephyrs recovered the ball at midfield. The Vikings' defense stepped up and forced the Zephyrs into a turnover on downs.
The Vikings' defense limited the Zephyrs to 178 total yards and bottled up the running game to a paltry 44 total rushing yards.
"Our defense did a hell of a job," Green said.
Trailing Benton-Scales Mound (Ill.) 7-3 late in the fourth quarter, Pec-Argyle capped a stunning comeback when senior Lee Vlasak made an amazing one-handed, 14-yard touchdown catch on a pass from Milton Kurschner to give the Vikings a 10-7 lead with 1 minute, 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
"Milton threw a great pass high and outside," Vlasak said. "He put it where no one else could get it. I luckily out-jumped them and brought it in."
The Zephyrs (4-1), the ninth-ranked team in the Division 7 WisSports.net Coaches Poll, beat the Vikings for the first time in the program's history last year. There would be no miracle ending Saturday for the Zephyrs, as Pec-Argyle junior Devin Jeglum intercepted his second pass to ice a 10-7 Vikings' win on Argyle's homecoming.
"Our playmakers made plays," Peca-Argyle coach Larry Green said. "We made big plays at critical times. To reach our goals, this was a must win."
The defining moment for the Vikings (3-2, 3-1 Six Rivers Conference) came when Kurschner directed the game-winning 60-yard drive. The Vikings converted a third-and-20, when Vlasak made a leaping 40-yard catch.
Kurschner made another big play, connecting with Taylor Saalsaa on a 17-yard pass, converting on third-and-11 later in the drive.
"He's (Vlasak) a big playmaker," Kurschner said. "Just throw it up to him and let him make a play."
Vlasak had 184 total yards (105 rushing yards on 24 carries, and 79 yards on four receptions). Kurschner completed 7 of 11 passes, with 71 of his 113 yards coming on the final drive - overcoming a penalty and a fumble.
Green wasn't taking anything for granted.
"I didn't know he (Vlasak) caught it," he said. "I didn't know if he was in bounds or out of bounds until the official's arms went up."
Green said he was focused on getting out to kick an extra point to take a three-point lead.
"Until it goes to zero, the game is never over," Green said.
In a defensive battle, the Zephyrs struck late when Jordan Hendrickson tossed a 50-yard pass to Michael Droessler with 4:09 left in the fourth quarter to take a 7-3 lead.
Kurschner said he saw players coming off the field with their heads down after the Zephyrs' go-ahead score.
"I came out into the huddle and said, 'Now is our time to shine,' " Kurschner said.
In the first half, Jeglum intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards to the Zephyrs' 28-yard line at the end of the second quarter. The Vikings broke a scoreless tie when junior Chris Hendrickson kicked a 22-yard field goal.
On the second play of the second quarter, Vlasak's 6-yard TD run was wiped out due to a block in the back. Two false start penalties short-circuited the drive, which pushed the Vikings back into a fourth-and-goal from the 19-yard line.
The Vikings dodged a bullet when Vlasak fumbled for the second time midway through the third quarter and the Zephyrs recovered the ball at midfield. The Vikings' defense stepped up and forced the Zephyrs into a turnover on downs.
The Vikings' defense limited the Zephyrs to 178 total yards and bottled up the running game to a paltry 44 total rushing yards.
"Our defense did a hell of a job," Green said.
