Chiefs deny Eagles again

By Jim den Hollander, Events Sports Editor

wde-sports@capitalnewspapers.com

Alex Yacko has made some big plays for the Wisconsin Dells High School varsity football team this season.

But his 19-yard run may have been the one play that ultimately carried one team, the host Chiefs to a three game regular season ending winning streak while also slamming the door hard on the chances of the visiting Mauston Golden Eagles with a 13-6 win.

For the Golden Eagles, this is the second straight season the Chiefs have denied it a shot at the post season in the final week. Last year, the Chiefs came out on top in a vital game for both teams played in Mauston.

Internet Web sites have taught all football fans that a one-score game is not officially over until the final second ticks off the clock...and even then, make sure everything is official.

But when the elusive Dells junior turned what looked to be a loss of yards into a 19-yard gain on a third-and-15 situation with about two minutes to play, it stood up as the play that ultimately lifted the Chiefs to the win while ending Mauston’s chances.

Head coach Bob Johnson said he didn’t breathe easy in his final SCC contest until the final seconds, but added that was certainly a big play by Yacko.

“Yeah, that was key for sure,” said the coach. “It was a key run and there was some blocking too. One thing about Alex, he’s really matured as a runner. He’s shifty, you have to really hit him.”

The Chiefs still had to run things out, junior quarterback Skylar Liebzeit making it official when he took the ball and ran back from his 40 yard line to inside his own 20 before taking a knee to wipe out the final 10 seconds.

“There was no moment to breathe easy,” said coach Johnson later. “But, my gut feeling was, we were going to get something going.”

Earlier, the Chiefs gained a little extra breathing room when Liebzeit carried  the ball into the Mauston end zone with a little over three minutes to play, bringing a successful end to a seven minute drive that turned a narrow 7-6 edge into a slightly more comfortable advantage for the locals.

It stood up as the lone second half score and was made possible by Bobby Blaschke who, after nearly two full periods of stalled drives, helped the Chiefs move the ball to within a yard of the goal line with seven straight carries.

The Chiefs other score came from Yacko early in the game and Kyle Holzem followed it up with an extra point that looked huge for most of the game as Mauston followed with a scoring drive of its own – finished with a 19-yard scoring pass by junior Brady Nelson to senior Josh Wrezinski.

Mauston missed the extra point and the 7-6 cushion for the Chiefs stood up to the half and well into the final period.

For the Chiefs, the win kept South Central Conference championship hopes alive briefly, but the Nekoosa Papermakers clinched  its first conference title in more than a decade while destroying the playoff hopes of the Adams-Friendship Green Devils with a  lopsided win at Adams.

Adams and Mauston tie for third while Wautoma, defending conference and Division 4 state champs downed Westfield 30-14 to wrap up fourth.

For Westfield, the loss is its eighth straight after a season opening win.

WISCONSIN DELLS 13, MAUSTON 6

Mauston                  6       0     0    0 — 6

Wisconsin Dells    7       0     0    6 — 13

WD - Yacko 6 run (Holzem kick)

M - Wrezinski 19 pass from Nelson (kick blocked)

WD - Liebzeit 1 run (kick no good)

TEAM STATS           M    WD

First downs. . . . . .  7 13

Rushes-yards . . . . 33-56 44-132

Passing. . . . . . . . . .87 25

Comp-Att-Int. . . . .6-12-1 3-8-0

Penalties-Yards. . .5-30 2-20

Fumbles-Lost. . . . 2-1 2-2

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: M - Nelson 7-27. WD - Yacko 23-122; PASSING: M - Nelson 4-7-0, 50; WD Liebzeit 3-8-0, 25; RECEIVING: M - Erickson 3-41; WD – Blaschke 1-13.