(10.22.09)-- Playing in horrible weather conditions, the Wisconsin Dells Chiefs hosted the Mauston Golden Eagles in a must-win game for both football teams.
Mauston needed the win to qualify for the Wisconsin post-season tournament for the first time in four seasons while the Chiefs needed the win to finish 4-1 in South Central Conference play and keep their SCC title hopes alive.
With actual temps in the 40s, heavy rains and 20 to 30 mph winds pushing the wind chills below freezing, both teams were facing two worthy opponents on the field.
Thanks to a Ryan Theiler punt return that looked to have caught the Golden Eagles by surprise, the Chiefs moved the ball and scored first on a six-yard Alex Yacko run.
Junior Kyle Holzem who had struggled with his point-after kicks all season long made good on his PAT, despite the howling winds and driving rain.
Mauston wasted little time in putting together a 10-play scoring drive of their own capped by a 19-yard touchdown pass from their junior signal caller, Brady Nelson to senior Josh Wrezinski.
The Golden Eagles' point-after-try was low and struck a diving Bobby Blaschke in the helmet as he came in to block the kick.
That left the score at 7-6 in Wisconsin Dells' favor.
Early on the Mauston touchdown drive Nelson kept the ball twice, picking up 25 yards with his legs. He was two-for-two throwing the ball, having also hit Jeff Erickson for 11 yards and a first down as Mauston first approached the Chiefs' red zone.
The lone sophomore on last season's South Central All-Conference list, in addition to his quarterback duties Nelson is a key defensive player for the Golden Eagles.
With the first half winding down and the Chiefs still leading 7-6, Wisconsin Dells sat on the 50-yard line after Blaschke fought through two Golden Eagle defenders to make the catch and two more before picking up 13 yards along the Mauston sidelines to give the Chiefs the first down.
Juniors Skylar Liebzeit and Alex Yacko then failed to connect on the next play, with Mauston recovering the errant pitch as they took over at the Chiefs' 43-yard line.
The Golden Eagles moved forward to the Chiefs' 30-yard line, before they lost five yards on their own recovered fumble. An incomplete pass on second down then left Mauston facing a third-and-15.
From the Chiefs' 35-yard line, Nelson called his own number.
Running wide towards the Mauston sideline Nelson began his cut up field. With Blaschke closing fast, the Chiefs' leading tackler caught Nelson at the line of scrimmage and threw him backwards five yards. Landing awkward, Nelson fumbled the ball and suffered a leg injury.
The refs called him stopped at the point where Blaschke hit him, ruling he was down and did not fumble. After an injury delay, Nelson was helped off the field and his season was finished.
The loss of Nelson proved to be the turning point of the game, as Mauston was not the same team without their star player.
Starting the second half, the teams traded possessions, but Yacko fumbled a Mauston punt giving the Golden Eagles great starting field position at the Chiefs' own 40.
Without Nelson, the Golden Eagles faced a quick three-and-out. A Wisconsin Dells penalty on the punt gave Mauston another first down and parked the Golden Eagles at the Chiefs' 25-yard line.
Four plays later Wisconsin Dells took over on downs at the 23.
After the Chiefs failed to move the chains with their passing game, Wisconsin Dells was forced to punt the ball back to Mauston. Another quick three-and-out resulted for the Golden Eagles.
Starting the fourth quarter, Wisconsin Dells ate up a huge part of the clock putting Blaschke in at tailback and riding the senior for 45 yards on 10 carries as the Chiefs put together a 13-play fourth quarter touchdown drive capped off by a one-yard Liebzeit TD to give the Wisconsin Dells the 13-6 advantage.
Mauston's next possession ended on downs at the Chiefs' 36.
Looking to secure the win, Chiefs offensive coordinator Jeff Buss returned Yacko to the Chiefs' backfield. Getting one yard from Yacko on first down, Coach Buss then called a pass play. Liebzeit lost seven yards and was sacked for the 26th time of the season on the play.
With Wisconsin Dells fans on the edge of their seats, the Chiefs' final four plays to secure the 13-6 win and keep their 2009 SCC championship hopes alive included Yacko runs of zero and minus two yards and sack numbers 27 and 28 for Liebzeit.
In the end, the Chiefs won and finished 4-1 as SCC runner-ups, once again despite the odd play calling from the Chiefs' sideline.
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