PLATTEVILLE — The Platteville High School performance of “Shutout City” at its newest venue was as big a hit as everywhere else it’s played this season.
The Hillmen secured their sixth shutout of the season, an outright Southwest Wisconsin Conference title, and as it turned out the program’s first Division 4 number one seed by shutting out River Valley 45–0 in the Platteville Activities Complex opening night Friday.
“It’s crazy to think that we went from being 4–5 last year and barely squeaking into the playoffs to now being 8–1 and outright conference champs,” said second-year Platteville head coach Bryce Arneson. “I would be lying to you if I didn’t admit that we had some very athletic/talented kids, but we also do have a change of culture going on here at PHS. Our kids are hungry and they want to win any way possible! I love the way that this team has fought and proven to everyone that we are different and are here to dominate. I am excited to see what this team will do in the playoffs and see how this conference championship will boost our morale.”
Platteville (8–1, 7–0 SWC) will host eighth-seed Jefferson (5–5) at the Activities Complex Friday at 7 p.m. The winner will face fifth-seed Lake Mills Lakeside Lutheran (6–3) or fourth-seed Evansville (8–2) Oct. 27, in Platteville if the Hillmen win Friday night.
“I think that the atmosphere was electric and something that I have never seen before,” said Arneson. “From the time that the referendum was passed to now I have seen great strides on the complex. When we got the confirmation that we are able to play in the new facility I was so excited for not only our players, but our community. I know that Platteville is a college town and that is something that we are known for, but I want our community and especially the high school to get some recognition and something that we can call home. If anyone is able to go to the game this Friday and experience that atmosphere then I highly recommend it.”
A night that was not conducive to passing proved to be only an irritant for the Hillmen, who got 196 yards and three rushing touchdowns from Tyler Sasse on just 13 carries.
Quarterback T.J. Pink seemed not to be substantially bothered by the rain and wind, completing 14 of 21 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception. Six different Hillmen caught passes and three Hillmen caught touchdown passes, led by Lucas Ludlum’s seven catches for 88 yards.
The defense let River Valley into the red zone only once, a trip that ended with a recovered fumble, one of four Blackhawk turnovers, to preserve shutout number six of the season.
Sasse’s 51-yard touchdown on Platteville’s first offensive play started the in-game festivities after the Blackhawks lost five yards on 4th-and-3. The Hillmen’s first recovered fumble at the River Valley 32 led seven plays later to Pink’s 4th-and-1 four-yard touchdown pass to Seth Wilson.
Sasse ran 18 yards for a first down on 3rd-and-2, and then two plays later Sasse ran in his second touchdown from 23 yards out extending the lead to 20–0 with 3:42 left in the first half.
The fireworks shot off after the game followed the offensive fireworks that rained down on River Valley like the rain intensified in the second half. A 44-yard Sasse run on the Hillmen’s first offensive play of the third quarter led to Sasse’s third touchdown from the 5, extending the lead to 26–0 with 9:20 left in the third.
Davyn Edge caught a 5-yard touchdown pass two plays after a fourth-down stop to extend the lead to 32–0 with 3:32 left in the third. A fumble recovery two plays later led to Pink’s 1-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 39–0 with 1:52 left in the third. Logan Day’s interception led to Pink’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Lucas Ludlum with 8:54 left in the game, by which time everyone still in attendance could hum the Hillmen’s new touchdown song, The Fratellis’ “Chelsea Dagger.”
Platteville won its first conference title since 2017, its first un-shared conference title and first undefeated conference season since 2004, and also earned its first number one seed since football postseason seeding began in 2000.
Platteville was seeded second in the 2004 (49–21 Level 2 loss to Brodhead/Juda), 2006 (24–6 Level 3 loss to Evansville) and 2016 (44–26 Level 2 loss to Lake Mills) playoffs, and third in 2013, the season of Platteville’s last trip to state.
“I think we deserved a one seed and we need to go out there and prove that we are a one seed,” said Arneson. “I think that there are going to be multiple games in these playoffs where we won’t be favored, but we need to go out there and play our brand of football. We need to prove that we are one of the four best teams in Division 4 and have that swagger that we are the best. We also need to realize that in every one of the next three games, the teams need to come to our house and we need to defend our turf. We can’t listen to the outside noise and just need to go out and play the best that we can play.”
Platteville will get one of its injured trio back Friday, senior inside linebacker and short-yardage running back Riley Donahoe, who suffered an elbow injury in Poynette.
#5 Platteville 45, River Valley 0
(from Friday, Oct. 13 @ Platteville)
River Valley 0 0 0 0 — 0
Platteville 14 6 19 6 — 45
First quarter
P: Tyler Sasse 51 run (Tyler Sasse kick)
P: Seth Wilson 4 pass from T.J. Pink (Sasse kick), 3:35
Second quarter
P: Sasse 22 run (Sasse kick), 3:42
Third quarter
P: Sasse 45 run (conversion failed), 9:20
P: Davyn Edge 5 pass from Pink (conversion failed), 3:32
P: Pink 1 run (Sasse kick), 1:52
Fourth quarter
P: Lucas Ludlum 39 pass from Pink (kick failed), 8:54
Team Statistics
First downs — RV 9, P 17. Passing (comp-att-int, yds) — RV 8-15-1, 68; P 14-21-1, 185. Rushing — RV 33-88, P 21-202. Fumbles–lost — RV 3-3, P 0-0. Penalties-yards — RV 1-5, P 6-54.
Individual Leaders
Passing — Pla: T.J. Pink 14-21-1, 185; Sebastian Histed 8-15-1, 68.
Rushing — P: Tyler Sasse 13-196; RV: Andy Fiske 28-85.
Receiving — P: Lucas Ludlum 7-88, Sasse 2-51; RV: Sam Pape 2-20.
Tackles — P: Keegan Coffey 6, John Baxter 5 (1 sack, 4 TFL), Davyn Edge 5, Seth Wilson 4 (1 sack).
