FOND DU LAC — Mayville will be resigned to look at the timing of Friday's lesson rather than the steep cost.

With the playoffs starting in 11 days, the Cardinals learned that quality teams like St. Mary's Springs magnify your mistakes. As a result, Mayville is likely to watch a chance at a conference title slip away late for the second straight season following a 14-7 loss.

"We had to play a near-perfect game to beat them," Mayville coach Tom Noennig said. "We're a good football team but we're not good enough to make a lot of mistakes and win."

It wasn't a boatload of mistakes that the Cardinals committed at Fruth Field but rather the poor timing of them. Mayville struck first but the Ledgers, ranked fifth in the Associated Press small school poll, rallied behind two short scoring runs from Anthony Parker, who finished with 102 yards on 26 carries.

Mayville moved the ball effectively in the first half but got in its own way. Kevin Goard lost a fumble after a big run on the opening series, Mike Gionet slipped while dropping back on the next possession and a procedure penalty helped kill the third drive.

Springs got into field goal range but a bad snap ruined any shot Mike Prado had at a 34-yard field goal. Mayville marched 80 yards in 11 plays, capped by Gionet's sneak from a yard out with 4 minutes, 20 seconds left in the half.

Parker capped the ensuing drive by bouncing outside from four yards away with 1:25 before halftime. Another bad snap helped ruin the extra point and kept the Cards in front.

Mayville bottled up the Ledger ground game in the first half but Springs rode Parker and found success after halftime. Springs turned over its first drive on downs at the Card 28 and Mayville saw another drive scuttled by a procedure penalty.

The Cards pinned the Ledgers at their own 6 with a punt and a holding call led to a 3rd-and-18. Springs threw a double pass, with Prado finding Parker for 43 yards, before Parker scored from a yard out with 8:18 to play.

"We let them off the hook," Noennig said. "We practiced against the double pass all week but we don't have anyone that runs like Parker."

Mayville marched to the Ledger 23 in search of the tying score, but on 4th-and-inches, suffered another procedure penalty. A reverse to Scott Moyle was stoned by Springs short of the first down.

"It's no secret who would get the ball there and we jump," Noennig said, referring to Jared Nehls. "We haven't done that all year."

Mayville forced the Ledgers into a 3rd-and-9 but Mitchell Beau took a quarterback draw 21 yards. By the time the Cardinals got the ball back, they were at their own 13 with 52.7 seconds left and Gionet was picked of by Parker to end it.

"Some of that's on me," Noennig said. "In back-to-back years, we put ourselves in a position to win conference and that's a credit to the kids.

"We just couldn't overcome tonight."

Mayville (6-2, 5-1 Flyway) hosts Winnebago Lutheran Academy Wednesday. The Cards need a win and an upset win by Horicon over the Ledgers (8-0, 6-0) the following night to split the league title.

SPRINGS 14, MAYVILLE 7

Mayville  0  7  0  0  -   7

Springs   0  6  0  8  -  14

M - Gionet 1 run (Moyle kick), 2nd 04:20

S - Parker 4 run (kick failed), 2nd 01:25

S - Parker 1 run (E. Steffes from Beau), 4th 08:18

    M    S

First downs    13    14

Total Net Yards    199    295

Rushes-yards    34-109    37-145

Passing    90    150

Comp-Att-Int    6-14-1    10-19-0

Penalties-Yards    4-20    3-25

Fumbles-Lost    1-1    0-0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS: RUSHING - M, Goard 15-51. S, Parker 26-102. PASSING - M, Gionet 6-14-1-90. S, Beau 9-18-0-108. RECEIVING - M, Griepentrog 2-38. S, Martin 6-66.