MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Oct. 7–14)
SWAL FOOTBALL: Fennimore 20, Belleville 18
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial
Golden Eagles stop late 2-point try to hold off Wildcats, 20–18
FENNIMORE — The Fennimore football team scored a major SWAL victory Friday on Senior Night, handing visiting Belleville its first conference loss of the season, 20–18.
After junior running back Jackson Fahey scored on a 6-yard run with 25 seconds left to pull the Wildcats (5–4, 5–1 SWAL) had one play from the 2-yard line to tie the game.
After a Fennimore timeout, the Wildcats motioned into a stacked I formation. Belleville junior quarterback Rayden Taylor reverse pivoted and handed off to Fahey, who hit the line behind lead blockers Cayson Helwig and Marcus Hebgen.
Senior Jude Kinney forced Fahey to cut back toward the middle where junior Colton Tollefson wrapped up his legs, and senior Shawn Jahnke-Fielder hit him up high and finished off the tackle to preserve the narrow victory.
“That was definitely the play of the game,” said Fennimore head coach Tyrell Rosemeyer. “We called a timeout and sold out to stop the run or force a quick throw. SJF’s max effort pursuit sealed the victory.”
Fennimore (7–1, 5–1 SWAL) opened the scoring on a 2-yard TD run by Reece Kelley on the Eagles’ opening drive.
Belleville used a blocked punt and a 2-yard touchdown run by Taylor to make it a 7–6 game three minutes later.
Fennimore gambled on its next offensive possession and senior Dawson Crubel threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to junior Cooper Imhoff on a 4th-and-5 play from its own 34-yard line. The Eagles took that 14–6 lead into halftime and then into the fourth quarter.
Belleville broke the stalemate with a 17-yard TD pass from Taylor to Cooper Nemec with 6:41 left in the game. But after a successful two-point conversion was nullified by an offensive pass interference for an illegal pick play. Fennimore stopped the second 2-point conversion attempt from the 17-yard line and maintained a 14–12 lead.
The Eagles’ offense rose to the occasion after being held scoreless for the last 34 minutes and drove 80 yards in six plays capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Crubel to Jahnke-Fielder with 2:53 left in the game. Crubel was flushed from the pocket and scrambled to the right before finding Jahnke-Fielder in the back of the end zone.
The biggest play on the scoring drive was a 59-yard catch and run by Kinney on 3rd-and-5 from the Fennimore 25. Disaster nearly befell the Eagles when Crubel dropped the shotgun snap on second down, but the Fennimore QB quickly pounced on the loose ball to continue the drive. Crubel finished the game 19 of 29 for 295 yards with two TDs and one interception.
“Big time players, make big time plays, in big time games,” said Rosmeyer. “Dawson’s composure and playmaking ability really stood out on that drive. When we needed him the most, Dawson delivered. The long pass to Jude was something we had been setting up all night, and everyone involved in the play executed it to perfection.
“Then on the touchdown, SJF saw space in the back of the end zone and used his superior speed to separate from the defender and Dawson hit him right on the mark. Again, seniors stepping up and making plays was a constant theme throughout the game.”
Friday’s victory was also a big boost to Fennimore’s playoff seeding.
The Eagles gained 3.48 points for the win and moved up to 13th in the WIAA’s new Division 6 playoff matrix standings.
Fennimore is currently a No. 4 seed in its eight-team region, but could move up further with a win at Mineral Point (5–4, 3–3 SWAL) in this Friday’s regular season finale.
“It was a special win because Belleville is a talented and well coached team, it was Senior Night on The Rock, and it was the seniors who stepped up all night long,” added Rosemeyer. “These seniors went 1–7 on JV my first year back in Fennimore and through an unparalleled work ethic over the last three years, have turned themselves into a 7–1 varsity team according to the Wisconsin Football Playoff Matrix.”
“With the new playoff system, Belleville’s 5 wins will be a big boost to our playoff seeding. We are working to host at least one, if not two playoff games because of our success in the regular season.”
Fennimore 20, Belleville 18
(from Friday, Oct. 10 @ Fennimore)
Belleville.......6 0 0 12 — 18
Fennimore...14 0 0 6 — 20
First quarter
F: Reece Kelley 2 run (Ryder Zdanczewicz kick), 8:02
B: Rayden Taylor 2 run (kick failed), 5:06
F: Cooper Imhoff 66 pass from Dawson Crubel (Zdanczewicz kick), 2:47
Fourth quarter
B: Cooper Nemec 17 pass Taylor (pass failed), 6:41
F: Shawn Jahnke-Fiedler 16 pass from Crubel (fick failed), 2:53
B: Jackson Fahey 6 run (failed conversion), 0:25
Team statistics
First downs — B 12, F 14. Passing (comp-att-int, yards) — B 4-17-0, 35; F: 19-29-1, 295. Rushing – B 30-145, F 30-83. Fumbles-lost – B 1-1; F 1-1. Penalties-yards – B 5-25; F 5-25.
Individual Leaders
Passing — B: Rayden Taylor 4-17-0, 35; F: Dawson Crubel 19-29-1, 295. Rushing — B: Taylor 11-82, Jackson Fahey 14-59; F: Reece Kelley 14-44, Ryder Zdanczewicz 8-27. Receiving — B: Cooper Nemec 3-22, Brody Funseth 1-13; F: Shawn Jahnke-Fiedler 7-102, Jude Kinney 4-69, Cooper Imhoff 1-66, Kelley 4-38, Casey Dresen 2-15, Zdanczewicz 1-5. Tackles — F: Owen Klaas 7, Ryder Zdanczewicz 6 (1 TFL), Shawn Jahnke-Fiedler 5 (2 sacks), Casey Dresen 5, Colton Tollefson 5, Cooper Imhoff 4 (2 TFL, 1 sack). Interceptions — F: Brody Roth 1, Corey Dresen 1.
