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Big Foot survives defensive battle with Brodhead/Juda

BRODHEAD — Brodhead/Juda football coach Jim Matthys walked off the field after his team’s disappointing 7-6 loss to fourth-ranked Walworth Big Foot here Friday with a two-point conversion that never happened on his mind.

The Cardinal coach was recalling a missed extra-point kick in the first quarter that turned out to be the painful difference in classic defensive battle that gave Big Foot (7-0, 5-0) the upper hand in the Rock Valley South race.

“It (extra-point snaps) has been a problem a little bit,” said Matthys, whose sixth-ranked team fell to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in conference. “I wouldn’t lie to you. If we scored again, then we definitely would go for two. “It was something that we have definitely been trying to work on in practice this week,” he said of the extra-point kicking.

Meanwhile, Big Foot coach Rodney Wedig said he was surprised that one point proved to be the difference.

“I actually thought this game would be a little higher scoring,” he said. “Their defense really dug in and made it hard for us, and we just got out of rhythm after the first couple of drives.”

The host Cardinals certainly opened the game with a nice rhythm. Junior Devin Seitz scooped up a short kickoff and stormed straight up the middle to Big Foot’s 5-yard line.

Four plays later, Brodhead/Juda quarterback Beau Benner dove into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown run to give his team a 6-0 lead. With the home crowd still celebrating the touchdown, the failed kick on the ensuing extra point was practically ignored.

The Chiefs, however, answered the Cardinals late in the first quarter. Mike Walker’s 27-yard touchdown run, followed by Sean Kevlin’s successful extra-point kick, gave Big Foot a 7-6 and, amazingly enough, completed the scoring.

Defense and field position took over from there.

Big Foot was in a position to increase its led early in the fourth after recovering a fumble at the Brodhead/Juda 32. The Chiefs methodically charged to the Cardinal 12 before Brodhead/Juda’s Danny Douglas nabbed a tipped Steve Dowden pass to end the scoring threat.

After that, Brodhead/Juda had two more possessions to take the lead, but the Chiefs’ defense held on for the victory.

BIG FOOT 7, BRODHEAD/JUDA 6

Walworth Big Foot 7 0 0 0—7

Brodhead/Juda 6 0 0 0—6

Scoring summary: B/J—Beau Benner, 4 run (kick failed). WBF—Mike Walker, 27 run (Sean Kivlin kick).

Statistics: First downs—WBF 8, B/J 10. Rushing—WBF 43-114, B/J 36-128. Yards passing—WBF 50, B/J 55. Passes—WBF 9-3-3, B/J 17-5-0. Fumbles—WBF 4-2, B/J 3-1. Penalties—WBF 3-15, B/J 6-53.