The Chiefs faced some adversity before they even took the field on Tuesday afternoon, involving the team's top pitcher.

"He skipped a class and was suspended for the game," said coach Michalsky afterwards.

"That was a real downer heading into the game."

The original plan was to have Yacko come on in relieve, much like he did in the earlier playoff win against Adams-Friendship, but the Dells' sophomore handled the starting assignment well, as did the rest of the players.

Since opening day, while it hasn't been exactly announced, this team, which returned a large number of players from last season, has been building towards a 2010 season that should see them competing as a conference favorite.

"These kids did a great job," said the coach. "There wasn't a lot of seniors on the team and they set the tone for next year," said the coach.

Maybe the Chiefs deserved some breaks with all of the adversity it faced already this season (the starting pitcher is the third player on the team lost due to a disciplinary penalty this season. The season's starting catcher also missed the playoffs and the first half of the campaign was played without the player expected to be the starting shortstop.

So, if the team was due a couple of breaks, they got them in the bottom of the first inning when it looked to protect a slim 1-0 lead.

The lead was in place after Yacko reached on an infield single with one out in the top half of the frame, moved to second on a balk, then scored on a base hit down the third base line by Kyle Stowers.

The first play of the bottom half of the inning saw a slow roller down the first baseline. The base runner was called out after a bit of a controversial play at first, then with one out, a fly to center was dropped when the player went to grab it out of his glove for the throw.

In both cases it appeared the umpire made quick calls, then had to live with them, but to their credit, the Portage team was able to shrug them both off and teams were even at 1-1 heading to the second inning.

The Chiefs pulled one more back in the third, also scored by Yacko who led off the frame with a walk, then stole second before moving to third on a single to left by cousin Billy Percival.

Jake Williams grounded into a double play that eliminated both himself and Percival, but Yacko scored on the play as well.

Ryan Theiler started a fourth inning rally with a sharp single up the middle and moved up when Aaron Forsythe earned a walk.

Spencer Showers walked to load the bags prompting a Portage pitching change.

Matt Lagoda, batting leadoff in the game hit a comebacker to the pitcher, but he quickly ran out of options after taking a quick look at a couple of possible throws. Theiler scored on the play and Yacko followed, hitting into a fielder's choice that eliminated Lagoda at second, but scored Forsythe.

The Portage hitters seemed top flip a switch after that and it was a different team that came to bat in the bottom of the fourth.

Ryan Voelker kicked it off, hammering a pitch over the fence in straight-away center field to pull the Warriors within one.

Just to show that was not fluke, the next batter, Randy Wade slashed a double to right-center and Eric Leudeman walked followed by Travis Hamilton who laid down a sacrifice bunt which turned into a single and Kevin Hurd who made it a one-run game when his walk forced Wade across the plate.

A ground out tied the score with none out, but

the Chiefs got a break on the next play as a Portage

hitter launched a two-run double. Unfortunately for him, he thought he hit a triple and was thrown out at third by center-fielder Theiler.

The Chiefs managed to get out of the fourth after that, but Portage collected three more in the fifth and sixth to widen the gap even further.

The Chiefs managed one more run in the top of the sixth, but it was far too little and way too late to matter