Cedar Grove, Kewaskum fall in grid playoffs
A quick, aggressive defense propelled Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs to a 34-7 win over Cedar Grove- Belgium in the Division 5 football state quarterfinals Saturday afternoon at Fond du Lac.
The Ledgers, 11-0 and a No. 1 region seed, advance to the semifinals this weekend against Lancaster (12-0). The Rockets, the No. 2 seed, ended their season at 11-1. They were the Division 5 state runners-up last year.
Kewaskum, which ousted Plymouth in the second round of the Division 3 playoffs, lost to host West De Pere, 24-21, in the quarterfinals Saturday afternoon on a last-second field goal. The Indians finished 10-2. West De Pere, 11-1, moves on to the semifinals against Waupaca (11-1) this weekend.
The Rockets, who trailed only 14-7 at halftime, were held to zero first downs in the second half. The Ledgers broke the game open with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter – the first one being set up by an interception.
Springs outgained the Rockets 308-171 in total offensive yardage. Quarterback Mitch Beau sparked the Ledgers’ attack with three TD runs and a pair of scoring passes. Beau led all rushers with 104 yards.
The Rockets’ TD came on a 1-yard run by Ian Evans in the second quarter that capped off a 76-yard drive.
Spencer Jacque led the Rockets in rushing with 55 yards. Nic Vrubley, Cedar Grove’s top rusher this season, suffered a shoulder injury in the second quarter and didn’t carry the ball again.
KEWASKUM GAME
Randy Hill’s 26-yard field goal as time expired gave the Phantoms a thrilling victory over Kewaskum. The Indians were denied a fifth straight semifinal berth.
West De Pere outscored Kewaskum 10-0 in the fourth quarter to erase a 21-14 deficit.
The Indians trailed 14-0 in the second quarter but rallied to tie the game, 14-14, at halftime. Quarterback Cody Nuernberg threw a 16-yard scoring pass to Mat Toles and Eric Perkins had a 4-yard TD run for Kewaskum.
Kewaskum grabbed a 21-14 lead in the third period on Nuernberg’s 2-yard scoring run. The Phantoms led in total offense, 345-253.
