Chiefs moving on
Keegan Golz congratulated the members of the Wisconsin Dells High School varsity football team following their regular season finale win at Mauston Thursday. The Chiefs move on to the post season against Reedsburg Tuesday night.
By Jim den Hollander
The Wisconsin Dells High School varsity football team needed its most inspired and best effort of the season Thursday night in Mauston and the players couldn't have responded better. Just six days after the lowest point of the season to date, a 37-2 whipping at the hands of the Fighting Hornets in Wautoma, the Chiefs basically started the playoffs a few days early in Mauston Thursday and answered the bell with a 34-7 whipping of the host Golden Eagles. Both teams entered the team with 2-2 South Central Conference records and only one could move on to the post season. The Chiefs made sure it was them with an awesome team effort, led by players who had plenty of incentive. The team's on and off field leader Michael Morse was forced to the sidelines, four seasons of sacrificing his body for the team having finally caught up with him, and while there were several players that filled the gap for him, it was fitting that running back Zach Batchelor, also a senior, wrapped up the regular season with a career best night and accounted for all five Dells' scores. Head coach Bob Johnson said an "assignment" from Defensive Coordinator Lee Maciejewski helped out as well. The assignment was to pick someone on the team to play the game for. After the contest, Maciejewski told the players to tell the player they played for him and there was clearly a long line waiting to embrace Morse. "That was a huge motivation for us," said Johnson afterward. It was an emotional night for the Golden Eagles as head coach Mike Taake wrapped up a two-decade coaching career, playing against a good friend in Johnson. Ironically, the coaches are more than familiar with each other, both UW-La Crosse alumni, and for Johnson games against Taake are always special. "We have a similar background. We didn't play side by side at UW-La Crosse, but we have that connection. It's pretty special to play against him. I consider him a very good friend, said Johnson. Teams traded three and outs through the opening minutes, until the Chiefs put together a 73-yard drive that culminated in an 11-yard run for Batchelor. That score came late in the opening quarter, but opened a floodgate that saw the Chiefs pile on four more on runs of 10, five, nine and one by Batchelor in the second period. Mauston's lone score came early in the final quarter on a seven yard run from Pat Guyse. At games end, the Chiefs players also showed ultimate respect for their coach, giving Johnson a standing ovation before he addressed the team. He immediately shifted a bulk of the credit to his coaching staff. Along with Johnson and Maciejewski, inspirational words were provided to team members from one of the team's three managers Keegan Golz. The Chiefs will move on to play Reedsburg in the opening playoff encounter