MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Sept. 2–9)
PREP FOOTBALL: Darlington Invitational
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial
Hillmen rally from 38–27 deficit in final 10 minutes to stun Flying Arrows
PLATTEVILLE — Platteville’s 40–38 comeback win over Southwest Wisconsin Conference rival Lancaster was one for the ages.
Junior quarterback Brody Digman launched a 63-yard touchdown pass to senior Jauron Blevins with 1:03 left in the game for the game-winning score.
The jaw-dropping strike came just five plays after the Platteville senior Myron Reuter broke up a 4th-and-6 pass to give the Hillmen thee ball at their own 24-yard line with just 1:50 left in the game.
The Platteville defense — which struggled much of the first half against the quick-strike Flying Arrows — iced the game when senior Ethan Burgraff stripped Lancaster sophomore quarterback Toay Ragatz forcing Lancaster’s sixth fumble of the night (they lost three) and Hillmen defensive end Cam Moore recovered the loose ball with 24.9 seconds left in the game.
Moore finished with a game-high 11 tackles, including five solo stops.
The fumble recovery — which was quickly followed by a Platteville kneel down to run out the clock — set off an emotional celebration by the Hillmen, who trailed the entire second half up until Digman’s game-winning connection with Blevins.
Platteville improved to 2–2 on the year and 1–1 in the Southwest Wisconsin Conference, while Lancaster fell to 2–2 overall and a dreaded 0–2 start in the SWC.
“Pulling out that win was a tremendous moment for our team,” said Platteville head coach Isaiah Altfillisch. “Any time you can battle back against a rival, it says a lot about the kids’ heart and resilience.
“It gave our guys a huge emotional lift because it validated all the hard work and preparation they’ve been putting in. More importantly, it showed them that if we stay together and keep responding the right way, good things will happen. That belief and confidence are things we can carry with us moving forward, but at the same time, we know it’s still just one game. Our focus remains on our process and continually getting better every single day.”
Platteville set the tone early in Friday’s game, when senior Tyler Saase returned the opening kickoff for a 78-yard touchdown and a 7–0 lead just 15 seconds into the game.
Lancaster responded with a 55–yard touchdown pass from Ragatz to senior Dayne Kauffman less than three minutes later.
Following a Brady Schmitz interception deep in Lancaster territory, the Arrows drove 57 yards in 10 plays and scored on a 5-yard scramble by Ragatz on 4th-and-goal to take a 12–7 lead.
The Platteville offense then went 3-and-out and Ragatz went over the Hillmen defense for an 85-yard touchdown pass to senior fullback Nolan Hanke on the Flying Arrows’ next offensive play.
A high snap led to a botched PAT play and Lancaster led 18–7 with 10:55 left in the half.
Platteville returned the favor on its next offensive play when Digman caught the Flying Arrows secondary flat footed with a pump fake to Reuter near the line of scrimmage before unleashing a 57-yard TD pass to a wide open Blevins.
Lancaster (2–2, 0–2 SWC) extended its lead to 24–13 with 6:17 left in the half on a 5-yard run by Ragatz.
The Flying Arrows defense held and forced another Platteville punt.
That’s when Lancaster gave the Hillmen new life in this game.
Facing a 4th-and-4 at their own 45 with just over three minutes left in the half (and getting the ball after halftime), Lancaster decided to go for the first down rather than punt and tried to pin Platteville deep.
The result of the play was disastrous for the visiting team, as a wild Ragatz pitch went flying over Hanke’s head and was recovered by sophomore Briggs Wiegel at the 24-yard line.
One play later, Digman took a shot gun snap and raced through a seem in the defense to the end zone and Platteville was back in the game at 24–20.
Lancaster used a 46-yard pass to senior Aidan Wilson on second down to get quickly into position.
But the Hillmen defense eventually held when fumbled on 4th down at the 3-yard line and fell on it short of the goalline with just 19 seconds left in the half. The Arrows would pay dearly for their second quarter miscues.
Hanke broke free for a 62-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second half and Lancaster led 30–20 after a failed extra point attempt, but the lead could have been 36–20 or more if not for the turnover on downs at the 2-yard line in the closing seconds of the first half.
Reuter took a short pass from Digman on Platteville’s next drive and turned it into a 59-yard TD reception.
Lancaster answered with a 14-yard touchdown run by Ragatz — his third of the night — and added the two-point conversion on a pass to Taylor Williams. Lancaster was just 1 of 6 on PAT tries in the game.
Less than a minute later Sasse took a pitch around the right end and outraced the entire Lancaster defense for a 62-yard touchdown run, trimming the Platteville deficit to 38–33 with 9:21 left after a failed two-point conversion.
Lancaster then used 11 plays to burn more than 7:30 off the clock before turning the ball over on downs.
Digman finished the night 11 of 18 for 204 yards and four TDs with one interception, and rushed for 107 yards and a score on just six carries. Blevins caught two passes for 116 yards and two scores, while Reuter hauled in seven passes for 87 yards and 2 TDs. Sasse rushed for 128 yards on 10 attempts.
Platteville heads to Richland Center (2–2, 1–1) this Friday for another key SWC matchup.
Lancaster will host River Valley (3–1, 2–0 SWC) Friday for Homecoming.
Platteville 40, Lancaster 38
(from Friday, Sept. 12 @ Platteville)
Lancaster 12 12 6 8 — 38
Platteville 7 13 7 13 — 40
First quarter
P: Tyler Sasse 78 kick return (Sasse kick), 11:45
L: Dayne Kauffman 55 pass from Toay Ragatz (kick failed), 9:06
L: Ragatz 5 run (pass failed), 0:25
Second quarter
L: Nolan Hanke 85 pass from Ragatz (kick failed), 10:55
P: Jauron Blevins 57 pass from Digman (kick failed), 10:19
L: Ragatz 2 run (failed), 6:17
P: Digman 24 run (Tyler Sasse kick), 2:59
Third quarter
L: Hanke 62 run (kick failed), 11:04
P: Myron Reuter 59 pass from Digman (Sasse kick), 9:21
Fourth quarter
L: Ragatz 14 run (Taylor Williams pass from Ragatz), 10:05
P: Sasse 61 run (run failed), 9:21
P: Blevins 63 pass from Digman (Sasse kick), 1:03
Team Statistics
First downs — L 21, P 11. Rushing — L 53-296, P 17-238. Passing (comp-att-int, yds) — L 10-12-0, 227; P 11-18-1, 204. Fumbles–lost — P 0-0, L 6-3. Penalties-yards — L 6-50, P 6-70.
Individual Leaders
Passing — P: Brody Digman 11-18-1, 204; L: Toay Ragatz 10-12-0, 227. Rushing — L: Nolan Hanke 25-157, Ragatz 27-139; P: Tyler Sasse 10-128, Digman 6-107. Receiving — L: Hanke 1-85, Dayne Kauffman 2-60, Aidan Wilson 2-58, Taylor Williams 5-24; P: Jauron Blevins 2-116, Myron Reuter 7-85, Tyler Sasse 1-3, Evan Johnson 1-0. Tackles — L: Dayne Kauffman 6, Taylor Williams 5; P: Cam Moore 11 (1 FR), Landon Donahoe 9, Gage Kastner 9, Briggs Wiegel 6 (1 sack, 1 FR). Interceptions: L: Brady Schmitz; P: none.
