Events Sports Editor

It's hard to believe a 4-1 team could be facing a 'must win,' game, but Friday's contest in Nekoosa was certainly an important one for the Wisconsin Dells High School varsity football team.

A 20-14 win for the locals though kept alive a perfect 3-0 road record for the locals, boosted them to 5-1 overall, but most importantly, gave them a crucial conference victory.

For a second week in a row, head coach Bob Johnson wasn't totally pleased with the way his team played, but this time at least the team grabbed the win.

"I thought we were going to have some dries and we didn't," said head coach Bob Johnson in a telephone interview laster.

Once again, the team relied on some big plays, including touchdown passes of 30 and 26 yards and Kyle Theiler's second kickoff return touchdown to pull out the win.

But, after a superb non-conference portion to the season and wins over four difficult opponents, "We didn't play as well as we should have," said Johnson, echoing his comments after the team's South Central Conference opening loss to Westfield a week earlier.

"I don't know why we're not playing as well," said Johnson. "There's some pretty good teams in this conference, that's part of it. Also, some things that worked well in the first games didn't work well this time,"

Johnson said this week the team is looking at making some changes. Asked if that meant changes in game plan or personnel, Johnson said it was more about "Who plays where."

Johnson did not use injuries as an excuse, but clearly, with senior Aaron Stroede on the sidelines for the year with a badly broken leg and other key seniors, Michael Morse and Lucas Triggs both battling 'turf toe' type injuries, the team is far from healthy.

As far as Morse goes, he hasn't missed a game, but did leave the Mayville contest in which the injury initially occurred, then the Westfield game week later, due to excessive pain.

On Friday in Nekoosa, Johnson said the team planned to limit his reps once again, but were forced to overplay him when sophomore Skyler Liebszeit also succumbed to an injury.

Triggs has played a big role for the Chiefs on defense that doesn't show up on the score sheet, he and Will Hoglund playing in the interior line roles in the 6-1 defensive system.

"He's been real physical for us," said Johnson of Triggs adding (Triggs and Hoglund) "really bring it on the defense."

A week after Westfield served notice they were not to be overlooked this season with the win over the Chiefs, the Pioneers ran into a steamroller Friday night.

The Mauston Golden Eagles, a perennial power for many seasons, but definitely coming off of a darker period, appears to have put itself right back into contention this season and after a 41-20 whipping of the Pioneers Friday, they are in the thick of the conference championship hunt.

The Golden Eagles and defending co-conference champion Wautoma Hornets are the lone undefeated teams remaining entering week three of conference play.

That number will be cut in half following Friday night's action and a trip by the Golden Eagles to Wautoma.

Mauston has a great and successful history in the SCC, but their quick start is certainly a bit of a surprise this season.

"Honestly, I think Mauston is raising a lot of eyebrows," said Johnson "They're playing very well and they're scoring a lot of points.

In other action Friday night, the Papermakers, who have endured an unenviable start against both of last season's co-conference winners (Wautoma and Wisconsin Dells) faces Westfield in a game that eliminates them from playoff eligibility if they lose.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs play host to Adams-Friendship Green Devils in their final home game of the regular season, tough road tilts in both Wautoma and Mauston awaiting them.

At first glance, the Green Devils appear to be the weak link in the conference this season, but as perhaps the Chiefs' greatest rival, this is a team that can never be underestimated.

Kickoff on Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m.