FENNIMORE — Fennimore head coach Boone Tollefson said Friday’s Prior to Friday’s Southwest Wisconsin Activities League showdown with Iowa–Grant would all come down to battle at the line of scrimmage.
Tollefson’s Golden Eagles changed it up Friday night, controlling the game with its rushing attack in a 28–8 victory over the Panthers, keeping the Milk Can rivalry trophy in Fennimore.
Iowa–Grant had won seven straight games in the series until Fennimore’s 13–6 victory last year.
Junior Zach Davis rushed for a career-high 153 yards on 27 attempts Friday night to carry the Eagles offense, which selectively picked its spots in the passing game.
Fennimore junior quarterback Reid Larson, who entered the game with 553 yards and 6 TDs in two games, completed just 6 of 9 passes for 62 yards Friday night, but three of them went for touchdowns and Davis’ 13-yard touchdown run with 2:03 left sealed the game
The Fennimore defense, led by junior Derek Kephart’s game-high 18 tackles, did its part by holding Iowa–Grant senior stand out Brady Peat in check, for most of the night.
Peat, who entered the game with 470 yards and 10 TDs, had over 100 yards on the ground in the first half, but most of that came on one 80-yard run. Peat finished with 155 yards on 23 carries and was held out of the end zone.
Larson’s 15-yard TD pass to junior Macguire Fitgerald capped Fennimore’s opening drive. Sophomore Derek Turben’s extra point made it 7–0.
Iowa–Grant got on the board early in the second quarter on a 27-yard pass from junior Ross Havlik to sophomore Michael Winders. Peat added the conversion pass to Winders to give the Panthers an 8–7 lead.
Larson added a 7-yard touchdown pass to senior Kellen Kenney midway through the second quarter to give Fennimore a 14–8 halftime advantage.
The Eagles first drive of the second half resulted in a 4-yard TD pass to senior Trevor Neuroth, who made a sensational leaping catch over Winders in the left corner of the end zone to make it 21–8.
Iowa–Grant put together a nice drive and appeared to make it a one-score game on a 7-yard TD run by Peat, but the play was called back for holding.
The Fennimore defense held and a 4th-and-goal Havlik pass sailed over the head of sophomore Colin Steffl in the back of the end zone.
Fennimore gave the Panthers’ another chance when Neuroth fumbled at the Eagles’ own 40 early in the fourth quarter.
Havlik completed an 18-yard pass to sophomore Ethan Kuhls and Peat had back-to-back runs to move the ball to the Fennimore 11, but Iowa–Grant gave away another promising scoring opportunity with a fumbled snap.
Sophomore Will Ahnen pounced on the loose ball and the I–G threat was turned away again.
Fennimore (3–0, 1–0 SWAL), ranked fifth in Division 6 will travel to Cuba City (1–2, 1–0 SWAL) Friday for another key league matchup. The Cubans are coming off a 33–0 shutout of Darlington (0–3).
Iowa–Grant (2–1, 0–1) will host Southwestern (2–1, 0–0) Friday night. The Wildcats were wiped by Poynette 47–7 last week.
Fennimore 28,
Iowa–Grant 8
(from Friday, Sept. 1 @ Fennimore)
Iowa–Grant 7 7 7 7 — 28
Fennimore 0 8 0 0 — 8
First quarter
F: Maguire Fitzgerald 15 pass from Reid Larson (Derek Turben kick)
Second quarter
IG: Michael Winders 27 pass from Ross Havlik (Winders pass from Brady Peat)
F: Kellen Kenney 7 pass from Larson (Turben kick)
Third quarter
F: Trevor Neuroth 4 pass from Larson (Turben kick)
Fourth quarter
F: Zach Davis 13 run (Turben kick)
Team Statistics
First downs — IG 15, F 14. Rushing — IG 39-210, F 37-225. Passing (comp-att-int, yds) — IG 8-23-1, 98, F 6-9-1, 64. Fumbles–lost — IG 1-1, F 1-1. Penalties-yards — IG 3-20, F 6-58.
Individual Statistics
Rushing — IG: Brady Peat 23-155. F: Zach Davis 27-153. Passing — IG: Ross Havlik 8-23-1, 98. F: Reid Larson 6-9-1, 64. Receiving — IG: Michael Winders 3-42, F: Trevor Neuroth 3-28. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.0px; line-height: 10.0px; font: 10.0px Times} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 9.0px; line-height: 10.0px; font: 6.0px 'Humanist 777 Condensed'; min-height: 6.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 7.2px; font: 9.0px Helvetica} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; font: 6.0px Helvetica} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 6.0px Helvetica} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 7.2px; font: 6.0px Helvetica} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 7.2px; font: 6.0px Helvetica; min-height: 7.0px} span.s1 {letter-spacing: -0.1px} span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre}
