SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk senior Tanner Sweeney showcased a pinball-type mentality to his running and an ability to break tackles to lead the Warriors one step closer to a state championship game.
Sweeney rushed for 212 yards on 16 carries and scored four touchdowns to power Black Hawk to a 41-12 win over Potosi in a Level 3 playoff game Friday, Nov. 8.
"Every time I touch the ball I want to score for my teammates," Sweeney said. "The line did a great job of blocking for me."
However, Sweeney did his part breaking tackles. He made a spin move and broke a tackle racing for an 80-yard TD run right before halftime. Early in the third quarter with the Warriors facing third-and-18, he broke three tackles and cut back twice on a back-breaking 57-yard TD run.
"Tanner Sweeney is a special athlete for us," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "He makes people miss. He has a side step and he breaks tackles. To get to this level you have to have a special athlete and that is what he is."
With the win, Black Hawk (12-0), ranked No. 1 in the WisSports.net Division 7 Coaches poll, advances to the state semifinals for the first time since 2000 and the third time in school history. Black Hawk will play Lake Country Lutheran in the state semifinals after they beat Catholic Central 13-7 Friday. The Warriors are just one more win away from a trip to the state championship game at the University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium.
"It feels really exciting and amazing," Sweeney said. "We have been working hard for this all season. We are finally here. There was a little bit of pressure because we were No. 1. We are a good team and we have handled the pressure well. We have taken each game like it's our last one."
After three penalties short-circuited an opening possession, the Warriors got back on track on their second drive. Black Hawk junior Heath Butler capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run. The big play of the drive was Butler's 37-yard screen pass to Sweeney.
The Warriors cashed in on an 11-play, 84-yard drive in the second quarter which culminated when Sweeney plunged in for a 1-yard TD. Heath Butler then connected with his brother, Seth Butler on a two-point conversion pass to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead.
Just when it looked like the Chieftains may answer, Seth Butler intercepted a pass by Potosi's Chase Kruser and that set up the next score for the Warriors. Sweeney's 80-yard TD run was a back-breaker for the Chieftains and gave the Warriors a 21-0 lead at the half.
It didn't take the Warriors long to get on a roll in the second half. The Warriors capped a nine-play, 63-yard drive with Jayden Rufenahct's 4-yard TD run. With the Warriors facing third-and-22 from their own 40-yard line, Butler hooked up with Brett Lovelace on a 21-yard pass. Butler had a 3-yard run on fourth-and-1 on the ensuing play to keep the scoring drive alive.
"It was a heck of a play by him," Butler said of Lovelace's leaping catch. "He jumped up and came down with the ball and made the extra effort to get more yards."
Butler was 6 of 7 passing for 159 yards. He rushed for 59 yards on 18 carries and scored one touchdown. Lovelace had two receptions for 49 yards. Butler did a lot of damage running the ball including a couple of big fourth down conversions.
"If he (coach Milz) wants me to run the ball, I will run it as much as I can," Butler said. "I will do whatever it takes to get the yards. If the hole is there and they call it, we are going to run it because our line blocks really well."
The Chieftains responded with a long drive culminating in Brent Curtis' 3-yard TD run that cut the Warriors' lead to 28-6 at the end of the third quarter. The Warriors answered with Sweeney breaking loose for a 57-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter that gave the Warriors a 34-6 lead. He added a 4-yard TD run about midway through the fourth quarter. The final scoring drive was set up by Heath Butler's 50-yard pass to Seth Butler.
The Warriors gashed the Chieftains for 311 total rushing yards. The Warriors are averaging 320 rushing yards per game, but Milz is confident even when they have to throw the ball.
"He's been really accurate all year," he said of Heath Butler's passing. "We have come to expect that every week. He often comes through."
The Warriors' defense limited Kruser to just 36 rushing yards on eight carries. Potosi sophomore Teagan Friederick led the Chieftains with 73 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Black Hawk will now gear up for Lake Country Lutheran with the winner advancing to the state championship game. The game and site of the game hasn't been released by the WIAA yet.
"We would like to play Friday night," Milz said. "In our talks with the WIAA the game could be played at Middleton or UW-Whitewater. Nothing is definite at this point."
Sweeney rushed for 212 yards on 16 carries and scored four touchdowns to power Black Hawk to a 41-12 win over Potosi in a Level 3 playoff game Friday, Nov. 8.
"Every time I touch the ball I want to score for my teammates," Sweeney said. "The line did a great job of blocking for me."
However, Sweeney did his part breaking tackles. He made a spin move and broke a tackle racing for an 80-yard TD run right before halftime. Early in the third quarter with the Warriors facing third-and-18, he broke three tackles and cut back twice on a back-breaking 57-yard TD run.
"Tanner Sweeney is a special athlete for us," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "He makes people miss. He has a side step and he breaks tackles. To get to this level you have to have a special athlete and that is what he is."
With the win, Black Hawk (12-0), ranked No. 1 in the WisSports.net Division 7 Coaches poll, advances to the state semifinals for the first time since 2000 and the third time in school history. Black Hawk will play Lake Country Lutheran in the state semifinals after they beat Catholic Central 13-7 Friday. The Warriors are just one more win away from a trip to the state championship game at the University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium.
"It feels really exciting and amazing," Sweeney said. "We have been working hard for this all season. We are finally here. There was a little bit of pressure because we were No. 1. We are a good team and we have handled the pressure well. We have taken each game like it's our last one."
After three penalties short-circuited an opening possession, the Warriors got back on track on their second drive. Black Hawk junior Heath Butler capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run. The big play of the drive was Butler's 37-yard screen pass to Sweeney.
The Warriors cashed in on an 11-play, 84-yard drive in the second quarter which culminated when Sweeney plunged in for a 1-yard TD. Heath Butler then connected with his brother, Seth Butler on a two-point conversion pass to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead.
Just when it looked like the Chieftains may answer, Seth Butler intercepted a pass by Potosi's Chase Kruser and that set up the next score for the Warriors. Sweeney's 80-yard TD run was a back-breaker for the Chieftains and gave the Warriors a 21-0 lead at the half.
It didn't take the Warriors long to get on a roll in the second half. The Warriors capped a nine-play, 63-yard drive with Jayden Rufenahct's 4-yard TD run. With the Warriors facing third-and-22 from their own 40-yard line, Butler hooked up with Brett Lovelace on a 21-yard pass. Butler had a 3-yard run on fourth-and-1 on the ensuing play to keep the scoring drive alive.
"It was a heck of a play by him," Butler said of Lovelace's leaping catch. "He jumped up and came down with the ball and made the extra effort to get more yards."
Butler was 6 of 7 passing for 159 yards. He rushed for 59 yards on 18 carries and scored one touchdown. Lovelace had two receptions for 49 yards. Butler did a lot of damage running the ball including a couple of big fourth down conversions.
"If he (coach Milz) wants me to run the ball, I will run it as much as I can," Butler said. "I will do whatever it takes to get the yards. If the hole is there and they call it, we are going to run it because our line blocks really well."
The Chieftains responded with a long drive culminating in Brent Curtis' 3-yard TD run that cut the Warriors' lead to 28-6 at the end of the third quarter. The Warriors answered with Sweeney breaking loose for a 57-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter that gave the Warriors a 34-6 lead. He added a 4-yard TD run about midway through the fourth quarter. The final scoring drive was set up by Heath Butler's 50-yard pass to Seth Butler.
The Warriors gashed the Chieftains for 311 total rushing yards. The Warriors are averaging 320 rushing yards per game, but Milz is confident even when they have to throw the ball.
"He's been really accurate all year," he said of Heath Butler's passing. "We have come to expect that every week. He often comes through."
The Warriors' defense limited Kruser to just 36 rushing yards on eight carries. Potosi sophomore Teagan Friederick led the Chieftains with 73 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Black Hawk will now gear up for Lake Country Lutheran with the winner advancing to the state championship game. The game and site of the game hasn't been released by the WIAA yet.
"We would like to play Friday night," Milz said. "In our talks with the WIAA the game could be played at Middleton or UW-Whitewater. Nothing is definite at this point."
