MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Sept. 3–10)
PREP FOOTBALL: #3 Black Hawk/Warren 24, #4 Potosi/Cassville 12

SOUTH WAYNE – It may have been a conference opener in the third week of the season, but Friday night’s prep football clash between #3-ranked Black Hawk/Warren and #4-ranked Potosi/Cassville sure had a conference championship feel to it.

While the Six Rivers Conference title is far from being decided, the Warriors (3-0 overall, 1-0 SRC) took a definite leg up in the race by holding off a late rally by the Chieftains (2-1, 0-1) to secure a 24-12 victory at Black Hawk High School's Murphy Field on Sept. 6.

“Anytime you can get a win against Potosi/Cassville, that is a good night. We are happy to be where we currently are,” said Warriors head coach Cory Milz after improving to 5-0 against the Chieftains since their merger.

The Warriors grabbed the lead on a 7-yard TD run by senior quarterback Ethan Williams at the 5:06 mark of the first quarter, and then added to their lead on a 4-yard TD run by senior running back Jaylen Rufenacht with 1:33 remaining in the first quarter. Williams ran in both conversion runs to put the hosts ahead 16-0.

The score remained stuck there over the next two quarters as the two rivals refused to relent like two prizefighters going toe-to-toe with one another.

The Warriors appeared to throw the knockout punch when they landed the key third score of the night on an 11-yard run by Williams. Rufenacht’s conversion run put the Warriors ahead 24-0 with 9:23 remaining.

The Chieftains counted quickly with an 86-yard kickoff return touchdown by Gunnar Stappert on the ensuing kick. However, the Warriors’ D stopped their conversion attempt to keep the lead at three scores.

The guests tacked on another score on a 1-yard TD plunge by quarterback Ben Udehofen with 3:28 to play, but that was as close as the Chieftains would get as the Warriors held on for a key conference decision.

The Warriors rolled up 447 yards of offense on the night after out-gaining the Chieftains on the ground, 367-121, and through the air, 80-76.

“Our offensive and defensive lines controlled the line of scrimmage most of the night.  I thought our backs and QB ran hard. Defensively, we like the way that our kids hustled to the ball,” Coach Milz pointed out. 

Senior Cayden Milz rushed 19 times for 156 to lead the way for the Warriors. Williams chewed up 89 yards on 14 carries with two TDs and completed 4-of-7 passes for 80 yards with an interception, while Rufenacht toted the ball eight times for 43 yards and a TD and had three catches for 71 yards.

Paving the way for the Warriors’ offensive was their stout offensive line consisting of Thatcher Schliem (6’3”, 221-lbs.), Avery Baumgartner (6’1”, 270-lbs.), Hunter Metz (6’1”, 244-lbs.), Nick Hull (6’1”, 225-lbs.), Skylar Neff (6’0”, 274-lbs.) and tight end Nick Whitcomb (6’0”, 212-lbs.). Another usual starter, Gunner Foecking (6’3”, 232-lbs.) did not play in the game.

Udelhofen ran for 43 yards and passed for 76 yards to lead the Chieftains, who return home to host undefeated Benton/Scales Mounhd/Shullsburg (3-0, 1-0) in another key SRC showdown on Friday, Sept. 13. 

The Warriors exit league play for a week as they head south of the state line to take on Waterloo (0-3) in a non-conference game at Warren’s Blackhawk Park on Friday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

Black Hawk/Warren 24, Potosi/Cassville 12
(from Friday, Sept. 6 @ South Wayne)
Potosi/Cassville 0 0 0 12 —  12
Black Hawk/Warren. 16 0 0 8 —  24
First quarter
BH/W: Ethan Williams, 7-yard run (Williams run)
BH/W: Jaylen Rufenacht, 4-yard run (Williams run)
Fourth quarter
BH/W: Williams, 11-yard run (Rufencacht run), 9:23
P/C:  Gunnar Stappert, 89-yard kick off return (pass failed), 9:08
P/C: Ben Udelhofen, 1-yard run (pass failed), 4:05
Team statistics
First downs — P/C 11, BH/W 17. Rushing – P/C 22-121, BH/W 51-367. Passing (comp-att-int, yards) — P/C 8-20-1, 76; BH/W 4-7-1, 80. Fumbles-lost – P/C 1-0, BH/W 4-2. Penalties-yards — P/C 7-65, BH/W 8-75. 
Individual Leaders
Rushing — P/C: Brandon Klein 6-52, Ben Udelhofen 8-43; BH/W: Cayden Milz 19-156, Ethan Williams 14-89, Cody Blosch 9-75. Passing — P/C: Udelhofen 8-20-1, 76; BH/W: 4-7-1, 80. Receiving — P/C: Gunnar Stappert 4-32, Ryan Kruser 3-36; BH/W: Jaylen Rufenacht 8-43. Tackles — P/C: Cal Collins 12, Tucker Leibfried 11, Nelson Bauer 8.