Athens edges Assumption in first round
WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Three failed attempts to get into the end zone from the Assumption five yard line as enough for Athens coach Mike Thurs.
With 90 seconds left in a tie game, Thurs sent out the field goal unit to go for the lead on a 19-yard attempt.
Junior Austin Engel calmly paces off his steps, the snap was clean and Engel easily split the uprights to take the lead in what would turn out to be a 17-14 victory over Assumption Friday during a WIAA Division 7 Level 1 game at South Wood County Field.
The Bluejays (8-2) take on No. 1 seeded Almond-Bancroft, a 42-0 winner over Port Edwards, in a Level 2 game next week. The victory also avenged a Week 4 loss to the Royals.
“I practice field goals every day in practice and coach always tells me to be confident,” Engel said. “I knew if I kept my head down and swing my foot trough there was no way I would miss.”
Added Thurs, “We had first and goal from the five and tried three times to get it in and we didn’t, so I figured why not give it a shot. We made two extra points tonight and Austin is confident so we went for the field goal. I would have rather got the touchdown, because Assumption is a good team, but the field goal turned out to be enough.”
After the field goal, Assumption (6-4) had 1 minute, 25 seconds to march 76 yards.
The Royals marched to the Bluejays 24 and Jake Stange intercepted and Isaac Kollock pass at the nine-yard line to seal the victory with two seconds left.
“It was an evenly matched game and it took a field goal to win,” Assumption coach Jeff Sullivan said. “It’s too bad that two good conference teams had to play each other in the first round, but it was a good game.
“I thought we had some mistakes in the first half, putting the ball on the ground a few times.”
The Royals fumbled four times and lost two, but the Bluejays weren't perfect either, putting the ball on the ground three times and losing one.
Athens also muffed a punt early in the fourth quarter, giving Assumption the all on the Bluejays’ 38. The Athens defense held stout, forcing Assumption to punt.
“That mugged punt could have been a big break for them, but our defense held them,” Thurs said. “On their last drive our defense bent, but didn’t break.”
Down 14-8 late in the third, Nathaniel Clark caught a 25-yard strike from Jake Sullivan with 3:30 left. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the game tied at 14-14.
Athens took its first play from scrimmage 75 yards for a touchdown, courtesy of Jake Stange, who led the Bluejays with 162 yards on 19 carries.
The Royals’ top rusher for the game was Brady Baltus, who scored on a 46 yard run in the first quarter and finished with 101 yards.
“What a ride our senior class gave us,” Sullivan said. “They were a talented group and it’s too bad that it’s over. They got us to the playoffs and that was big for our program.”
Athens
7
7
0
3
—
17
Assumption
8
0
6
0
—
14
First quarter
ATH - Jake Stange 75 run (Austin Engel kick), 11:43
ASSU - Brady Baltus 46 run (Jon Trickey run), 5:57.
Second quarter
ATH - Nate Morse 20 fumble recover (Engel kick), 7:59
Third quarter
ASSU - Nathaniel Clark 25 pass from Jake Sullivan (Run failed), 3:30
Fourth quarter
ATH - Engel 19 field goal, 1:30
Records: Athens 8-2; Assumption 6-4.
Mark Massoglia can be reached at 715-423-7200, ext. 4736 or mark.massoglia@gannettwisconsin.com. Follow him on Twitter @markmazzy.