SOUTH WAYNE - The showdown in the Six Rivers Conference between Black Hawk and Potosi turned into a blowout as the Warriors whipped the Chieftains 46-8 Saturday, Sept. 28.
Black Hawk senior Tanner Sweeney rushed for 122 yards on 22 carries and scored two touchdowns to propel the Warriors to the homecoming win. Black Hawk (6-0, 5-0 Six Rivers), behind a dominant line and a split veer option offense, gashed the Chieftains for 316 total rushing yards.
Black Hawk senior Jayden Rufenacht and junior quarterback Heath Butler each scored two touchdowns.
"The plan was to run it down their throats and that is what we did," Sweeney said. "We showed up and got it done."
The last time that another team besides Potosi won the conference outright came in 2007 when Black Hawk won the title. It's also the last time the Warriors beat Potosi before this season. Potosi has won the Six Rivers the last five years.
"We were playing confident coming in," Sweeney said. "We know we are a good team. Just beating them by that much is a confidence boost. We are ready to take it to the next level."
The Warriors' defense also got it done with a big performance, forcing five turnovers including two interceptions by senior Brett Lovelace and three fumbles that led to 14 points. Black Hawk is tied atop the conference with Pecatonica-Argyle and will play the Vikings at Argyle Saturday, Oct. 5.
"It feels amazing," Lovelace said. "We practiced hard all week. We did what we needed to do and got it done. Those turnovers were big."
It didn't take the Warriors long to get on a roll. Sweeney had a 29-yard kickoff return on the opening kickoff and the Chieftains were called for a facemask penalty. Seven plays later, Sweeney rumbled for a 10-yard TD run. The Warriors capped an 11-play, 67-yard drive with Rufenacht racing in for a 4-yard TD run on the option on fourth-and-goal. Butler tossed a two-point conversion pass to Seth Butler to give the Warriors a 16-0 lead with 1 minute, 42 seconds to go in the first quarter.
"When you get four, five and six yards a carry, I think that demoralizes a team," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "We thought the last couple of years against Potosi we got a little too fancy and we made some mistakes and got in bad positions. We wanted to run the ball and be physical."
The Chieftains answered right away with Chase Kruser darting for a 65-yard TD run that helped the Chieftains cut the Warriors' lead to 16-8 at the end of the first quarter. The Warriors bottled up the Chieftains' running game after that, limiting them to just 49 rushing yards the rest of the game. For Milz, the key was eliminating the big plays, against a team that had four running backs averaging 11 yards or more per carry. Kruser was limited to just 58 rushing yards.
"I think our main key was our defense against the run," Milz said. "They did not have any explosives. When they could not get any big plays and had to work for their yards, I think they were taken aback."
The Warriors responded with a 10-play, 67-yard drive, culminating in Heath Butler's 24-yard TD run. Rufenacht scored on the two-point conversion to extend the Warriors' lead to 24-8 at the half.
Lovelace had his second interception early in the third quarter. It didn't take the Warriors long to cash in on the turnover. Four plays later, Sweeney raced for a 24-yard TD run to give the Warriors a 30-8 lead midway through the third quarter. Black Hawk senior Kurtis Paulson recovered a fumble on the Chieftains ensuing possession. Heath Butler then hooked up with senior Tyler Peterson for a 38-yard pass play to set up the next scoring opportunity. Butler then scored on a 5-yard run and Lovelace ran in the two-point conversion to give the Warriors an insurmountable 38-8 lead.
"After scoring on that, we had a lot of confidence and momentum," Butler said.
Butler said the team's bread and butter on offense is still the split veer.
"The key (to the split veer) is speed, power and the offensive line getting a push," Butler said.
Black Hawk's Dakota Meier, Paulson and Shawn Woodruff combined on a tackle on Brent Curtis for a safety. Rufenacht capped the scoring with a 5-yard TD run.
Milz credited senior defensive tackle Tanner Schiferl for helping stymie the Chieftains' high-powered running attack.
"Tanner Schiferl really likes to get up the field and rush the quarterback," Milz said. "We didn't want him to get up the field and create creases in the defense. He found a way to take away their trap. That allowed our linebackers to attack."
Milz also credited safeties Lovelace and Seth Butler for their pass coverage when the Chieftains were forced to pass playing from behind.
"Brett Lovelace and Seth Butler did an outstanding job," he said. "They know the defense well. They made some big plays for us. They are smart. I'm glad to see them make plays."
Black Hawk senior Tanner Sweeney rushed for 122 yards on 22 carries and scored two touchdowns to propel the Warriors to the homecoming win. Black Hawk (6-0, 5-0 Six Rivers), behind a dominant line and a split veer option offense, gashed the Chieftains for 316 total rushing yards.
Black Hawk senior Jayden Rufenacht and junior quarterback Heath Butler each scored two touchdowns.
"The plan was to run it down their throats and that is what we did," Sweeney said. "We showed up and got it done."
The last time that another team besides Potosi won the conference outright came in 2007 when Black Hawk won the title. It's also the last time the Warriors beat Potosi before this season. Potosi has won the Six Rivers the last five years.
"We were playing confident coming in," Sweeney said. "We know we are a good team. Just beating them by that much is a confidence boost. We are ready to take it to the next level."
The Warriors' defense also got it done with a big performance, forcing five turnovers including two interceptions by senior Brett Lovelace and three fumbles that led to 14 points. Black Hawk is tied atop the conference with Pecatonica-Argyle and will play the Vikings at Argyle Saturday, Oct. 5.
"It feels amazing," Lovelace said. "We practiced hard all week. We did what we needed to do and got it done. Those turnovers were big."
It didn't take the Warriors long to get on a roll. Sweeney had a 29-yard kickoff return on the opening kickoff and the Chieftains were called for a facemask penalty. Seven plays later, Sweeney rumbled for a 10-yard TD run. The Warriors capped an 11-play, 67-yard drive with Rufenacht racing in for a 4-yard TD run on the option on fourth-and-goal. Butler tossed a two-point conversion pass to Seth Butler to give the Warriors a 16-0 lead with 1 minute, 42 seconds to go in the first quarter.
"When you get four, five and six yards a carry, I think that demoralizes a team," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said. "We thought the last couple of years against Potosi we got a little too fancy and we made some mistakes and got in bad positions. We wanted to run the ball and be physical."
The Chieftains answered right away with Chase Kruser darting for a 65-yard TD run that helped the Chieftains cut the Warriors' lead to 16-8 at the end of the first quarter. The Warriors bottled up the Chieftains' running game after that, limiting them to just 49 rushing yards the rest of the game. For Milz, the key was eliminating the big plays, against a team that had four running backs averaging 11 yards or more per carry. Kruser was limited to just 58 rushing yards.
"I think our main key was our defense against the run," Milz said. "They did not have any explosives. When they could not get any big plays and had to work for their yards, I think they were taken aback."
The Warriors responded with a 10-play, 67-yard drive, culminating in Heath Butler's 24-yard TD run. Rufenacht scored on the two-point conversion to extend the Warriors' lead to 24-8 at the half.
Lovelace had his second interception early in the third quarter. It didn't take the Warriors long to cash in on the turnover. Four plays later, Sweeney raced for a 24-yard TD run to give the Warriors a 30-8 lead midway through the third quarter. Black Hawk senior Kurtis Paulson recovered a fumble on the Chieftains ensuing possession. Heath Butler then hooked up with senior Tyler Peterson for a 38-yard pass play to set up the next scoring opportunity. Butler then scored on a 5-yard run and Lovelace ran in the two-point conversion to give the Warriors an insurmountable 38-8 lead.
"After scoring on that, we had a lot of confidence and momentum," Butler said.
Butler said the team's bread and butter on offense is still the split veer.
"The key (to the split veer) is speed, power and the offensive line getting a push," Butler said.
Black Hawk's Dakota Meier, Paulson and Shawn Woodruff combined on a tackle on Brent Curtis for a safety. Rufenacht capped the scoring with a 5-yard TD run.
Milz credited senior defensive tackle Tanner Schiferl for helping stymie the Chieftains' high-powered running attack.
"Tanner Schiferl really likes to get up the field and rush the quarterback," Milz said. "We didn't want him to get up the field and create creases in the defense. He found a way to take away their trap. That allowed our linebackers to attack."
Milz also credited safeties Lovelace and Seth Butler for their pass coverage when the Chieftains were forced to pass playing from behind.
"Brett Lovelace and Seth Butler did an outstanding job," he said. "They know the defense well. They made some big plays for us. They are smart. I'm glad to see them make plays."
