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Cruising toward a conference title
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Among Potosi's plethora of offensive weapons this year are Spencer Hawes (#8), Tom Keene (#22) and Jase Udelhofen (#1).

POTOSI - Imagine being an opposing football coach watching film of the Potosi Chieftain offense in preparation for an upcoming game.

It very easily could cause you to lose sleep at night thinking about all the weapons the Chieftains have at their disposal, and how in the world you’re going to defend them all.

Whether or not Shullsburg coach Scott Matye lost any sleep before last Friday night’s game at Potosi is unknown, but he was certainly familiarized with most of Potosi’s weapons in a 42-7 Chieftain victory.

Coach Mark Siegert’s squad put up 477 yards of total offense was in complete control of Friday’s game from start to finish.

“We came out and gave up three straight first downs to their offense, so that was a little wake-up call,” said coach Siegert. “But then the kids seemed to adjust, and we were able to take control of the game.”

The Chieftains held a halftime lead of 28-0 and did not punt once in the entire first half.

Of their five first-half possessions, four ended with a touchdown and the other on an interception.

Potosi was faced with only one fourth-down situation in the first 24 minutes, but a 37-yard run by Alex Wright on a fake punt set up the Chieftain’s fourth score late in the second quarter.

The Chieftains scored on their first three possessions, getting a 28-yard TD pass from Tim Fritz to Jase Udelhofen, followed by a 20-yard TD pass from Fritz to Logan Udelhofen. Mitchell Langkamp then got into the end zone on a nine-yard pass from Fritz with 8:25 to play in the half.

On their fourth possession of the half, Fritz had a pass picked off and returned 38 yards to the Chieftain’s 17-yard line.

Three plays later on a third-and-14, Tom Keene picked off freshman quarterback Brett Matye at the 10-yard line and returned it up to the 29.

It took just six plays before Jase Udelhofen was in on a 25-yard screen play with 13 seconds remaining on the clock.

Udelhofen, who is listed at 5’8”, 145 pounds, runs with power and energy that isn’t seen very much in a little back.

“He’s got a lot of power in that body of his, and he seems to get every ounce of it out,” said Siegert. “He’s a fun player to have, and he’s very explosive.”

The team’s top rusher on the night was senior Tom Keene, who rushed for 116 yards and a third-quarter touchdown on nine carries.

Hunter Leibfried was the team’s top receiver with five catches for 37 yards, while quarterback Tim Fritz completed 11-of-17 passing attempts for 164 yards and four TDs.

On the night, five different players for Potosi all scored touchdowns, and that’s without their leading rusher, Chase Kruser, who has been nursing a high ankle sprain since the De Soto game three weeks ago.

“We’re blessed to have a lot of weapons, there’s no doubt about that,” Siegert said.

 “That’s always a challenge when you’re a defensive coordinator. Not only do you have to stop this play out of this set, but it could be coming out of any set.”

The Chieftains have become very efficient running and passing out of their Wing-T offense, and as of yet, no one has had much luck stopping it.

“It’s not a new offense, it’s just things in our offense that we are able to do now just because of the kids that we have in there,” Siegert explained. “Our same base offense is right in there, it’s just a different group of kids in different formations.”

 “It’s all the same stuff, it’s just a matter of terminology, a few different wrinkles here and there, and coach (Chad) Infield does an awesome job at mixing all that stuff up.”

Defensively, the Chieftains gave up 154 yards and a late fourth-quarter touchdown to Shullsburg running back Nate Carrier. The Miners finished with 208 yards rushing on 43 attempts and completed 1-of-8 passing attempts for eight yards and two interceptions.

Having already clinched a playoff spot, the Chieftains are looking to collect another conference championship. This Friday night they host Benton-Scales Mound (2-4, 1-4), who is coming off a 14-7 loss to Black Hawk.

 

Potosi 42, Shullsburg 7
(from Friday, Sept. 23)
Shullsburg    0    0    0    7 - 7
Potosi            13    15    14    0 - 42
First quarter

P - Jase Udelhofen, 28-yard pass from Tim Fritz (Fritz kick)
P - Logan Udelhofen, 20-yard pass from Fritz (kick failed)
Second quarter
P - Mitchell Langkamp, 9-yard pass from Fritz, (Keene run)
P - J. Udelhofen, 25-yard pass from Fritz (Fritz kick)
Third quarter
P - Tom Keene, 8-yard run (Fritz kick)
P - Alex Wright, 15-yard run (Fritz kick)
Fourth quarter
S - Carrier, 37-yard run (Trejo kick)


Team statistics
First downs
- S 9, P 18. Rushing - S 43-208, P 31-313. Passing yards - S 8, P 164. Passes - S 1-8-2, P 11-17-1. Fumbles lost - S 0, P 1. Penalties-yards - S 3-25, P 7-56.


Individual leaders
Rushing
- S: Carrier 29-154; P: Tom Keene 9-116. Passing - S: Matye 1-4-0, 8; P: Tim Fritz 11-17-1, 164. Receiving - S: Lyne 1-8; P: Leibfried 5-37.