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Waterford stuns Badger late

WATERFORD — The Southern Lakes Conference title was in the Lake Geneva Badger football team’s grasp.

With Waterford down 3-0, possessing just one timeout and facing a third-and-10 from its own 20-yard line with just over 1 minute, 30 seconds left, the Badgers were ready to celebrate an undisputed SLC title.

Then, two plays and 80 yards later, the Wolverines stole the conference title, just like that. A 59-yard run on a draw by Alex Thomaschek and a 21-yard scamper on a direct snap out of the shotgun by quarterback Ryan Danbrea left the Badgers stunned with an incomprehensible 6-3 defeat at Waterford.

Waterford (7-1 overall, 7-0 SLC) whooped it up in a jubilant circle of players, coaches and students, while Badger (6-2, 6-1) has no choice but to gather itself for the postseason.

“We’ll get ready (this) morning for the postseason, and I know it’s going to be very difficult for the kids,” Badger coach Matt Hensler said. “But we play in a week, and there’s a lot to play for yet, no doubt about it.”

With 80 yards to go for the lead, Waterford took over at its 20 with 1:50 to play. It seemed impossible that the Badgers’ defense—led by the relentless tackling of defensive back Matthew Reynolds and linebacker Andrew Cychner—would allow a score considering they’d given up just 137

total yards and seven first downs to that point.

Danbrea threw two incom-

plete passes that weren’t close, and that’s when the Wolverines decided to get unconventional.

plete passes that weren’t close, and that’s when the Wolverines decided to get unconventional.

Realizing that dropback passing isn’t its strength, Waterford called for a draw on third-and-10. Thomaschek got a crease up the middle, bounced it to the right, shook a couple tacklers and raced 59 yards all the way to the Badger 21.

“When nothing else is working, you kind of have to do something that maybe they don’t expect in that situation,” Waterford coach Adam Bakken said. “Because, typically, third-and-10, down three in your own territory, you’re just gonna try and throw the ball downfield and hope for a pass interference call, or hope for something.”

On the next play, Danbrea took the snap and cut to his right. He seemed to be walled-off but somehow emerged from a pile of bodies and broke free to the end zone.

“That was just amazing,” Danbrea said in the postgame pandemonium. “I can’t explain the feeling I have right now. That was an awesome play. I’ll never forget it.”

Scoring only on Thomas Ritzman’s 28-yard field goal at the end of the first half, Badger gained just 148 total yards for the game. The Badgers’ triple-option attack entered the game averaging 37.3 points per contest but was stymied by Waterford’s stout front four, especially hulking defense linemen Brandon Miller and Brandon Schindler.

WATERFORD 6, BADGER 3

Lake Geneva Badger 0 3 0 0—3

Waterford 0 0 0 6—6

Scoring summary: LGB—FG, Tom Ritzman, 28. W—Ryan Danbrea, 21 run (kick failed).

Statistics: First downs—LGB 9, W 9. Rushing—LGB 46-117, W 40-184. Yards passing—LGB 31, W 36. Passes—LGB 7-2-0, W 9-2-0. Fumbles—LGB 0-0, W 3-1. Penalties—LGB 2-15, W 4-20.

In other SLC action, it was:

n Elkhorn 49, Westosha 35—Kyle Mounteford gained 129 yards on 27 carries and scored three touchdowns to help lift the Elks.

In a wild fourth quarter with five touchdowns scored, the Elks’ Arik Anderson threw a 54-yard TD pass to Jake Sawyers and scored twice on runs of 22 and 25 yards. Anderson finished with 53 yards rushing.

ELKHORN 49, WESTOSHA 35

Westosha 14 7 0 14—35

Elkhorn 7 7 14 21—49

Scoring summary: W—Austin Feeney, 30 run (Mike Hall kick); E—Kyle Mounteford, 2 run (Arik anderson kick). W—Tyler Stoxen, 1 run (Hall kick). E—Mounteford, 13 run (Anderon kick). W—Luke Millhouse, 17 pass from Stoxen (Hall kick); E—Mounteford, 12 run (Anderson kick). E—Jake Sawyers, 16 run (Anderson kick). E—Sawyers, 54 pass from Anderson (Anderson kick). W—Millhouse, 51 pass from Stoxen (Hall kick). E—Anderson, 22 run (anderson kick). E—Anderson, 25 run (Anderson kick). W—Feeney, 14 run (Hall kick).

Statistics: First downs—W 22, E 14. Rushing—W 46-225, E 44-265. Yards passing—W 169, E 157. Passes—W 21-8-2, E 11-6-1. Fumbles—W 5-1, E 3-2. Penalties—W 4-35, E 4-5.

n Wilmot 48, Delavan-Darien 12—Matt Christiansen caught four passes for 100 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Panthers to the Southern Lakes win.

Delavan-Darien (1-7, 1-6) scored first on John Damrow’s 29-yard touchdown reception.

WILMOT 48, DELAVAN-DARIEN 12

Delavan-Darien 6 0 0 6—12

Wilmot 0 34 14 0—48

Scoring summary: DD—John Damrow, 29 pass from Stephen Rodriguez (kick failed). W—Bennett Kothe, 65 run (Marcus Lindstrand kick). W—Matt Christiansen, 13 pass from Noah Strasser (kick failed). W—Christiansen, 12 pass from Strasser (Lindstrand kick). W—Christiansen, 37 pass from Strasser (Lindstrand kick). W—Kothe, 25 run (Lindstrand kick). W—Garrett Bogucki, 33 fumble return (Lindstrand kick). W—Zach Dodge, 10 run (Lindstrand kick). DD—Landon Schramski, 1 run (kick failed).

Statistics—First downs—DD 7, W 18. Rushes—DD 18-4, W 37-225. Yards passing—DD 125, W 164. Passes—23-9-1, W 13-8-1. Fumbles—DD 7-4, W 4-2. Penalties—DD 2-25, W 11-76.