Springs and WLA run the table, will meet next week for Flyway title; Oakfield still unbeaten
Here are the Week 8 results from the Fond du Lac area high school football teams:
Article will update as stats and supporting details come in.
Neenah 14, Fond du Lac 7
NEENAH - Fondy quarterback Connor Klapperich gained 116 rushing yards on 15 carries, but Neenah (6-2, 4-2 Fox Valley Association) stifled the Cardinals' passing game, only allowing Klapperich to complete six of his 19 pass attempts for 68 yards and snagging two interceptions.
Tanner Dalske scored the only touchdown for Fondy (3-5, 3-3 FVA), finishing with 40 rushing yards on 14 carries and one catch for 43 yards receiving.
Rhett Hlavacka led the Cardinals defense with 16 tackles (12 solo) and Klapperich picked off a pass from Neenah quarterback Ashton Van Beek.
Fondy now faces a "win-and-they're-in" scenario next week, but with a loss, the Cardinals would be eliminated from playoff contention. It won't be a picnic, either, as Fondy's opponent, Oshkosh West, is also on the postseason bubble, fighting for the chance to continue playing.
Next game: Oct. 13 vs. Oshkosh West (4-4, 2-4 FVA)
No. 2 (D-6) St. Mary's Springs 26, Mayville 21 (Thursday)
MAYVILLE - Springs (8-0, 6-0 Flyway) got on the board first with 33 seconds left in the first quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run by quarterback Max Bauer. Bauer ran the ball 16 times for 83 yards and completed 9-of-13 passes for 72 yards.
The Ledgers struck again early in the second on a 49-yard touchdown run by John Coon.
Mayville (4-4, 3-3 Flyway) countered minutes later with a 3-yard touchdown run by Sawyer Hardesty, who then also took back a pick-six 47 yards to the house on the very next possession. Both teams each missed an extra point to make it 13-all at the half.
With just under seven minutes to go in the third quarter, Coon scored his second touchdown of the night on a 3-yard run, giving Springs a 20-13 advantage. Coon finished with eight carries, tying Bauer with a team-high 83 yards rushing along with five catches for 33 yards.
The Cardinals took their first lead of the game, 21-20, halfway through the fourth on a 1-yard touchdown run from Hardesty, who also converted the two-point try on a pass from Cohen Raddemann. Hardesty handled 19 carries for 80 yards on the night and Payton Borchardt complimented him with 11 rushes for 51 yards.
At the 2:40 mark, the Ledgers regained control when J.T. Koenigs ran in an 11-yard touchdown and, despite not converting the two-point try, Springs held on in the final minutes to remain unbeaten heading into next week's Flyway conference championship game against fellow undefeated Winnebago Lutheran.
The Vikings have not beaten the Ledgers since October 17, 2007.
Brendan Gaertig racked up 19 total tackles (10 solo) and Noah Moul added 11 more for Springs, defensively. Weston Huempfner collected the Ledgers' lone sack.
Next game (Springs): Oct. 13 @ Winnebago Lutheran (8-0, 6-0 Flyway)
Next game (Mayville): Oct. 13 @ Lomira (4-4, 3-3 Flyway)
No. 3 (D-5) Winnebago Lutheran 54, North Fond du Lac 18 (Saturday)
FOND DU LAC - WLA (8-0, 6-0 Flyway) and North Fondy (1-7, 0-6 Flyway) traded touchdowns in the first quarter, although the Orioles missed both extra point attempts to keep the advantage in favor of the Vikings, 14-12, after one.
The opening score of the game came courtesy of WLA quarterback and Fond du Lac area Player of the Year candidate Sam Loehr on a 4-yard touchdown run, then Loehr found Noah Gensler on a 31-yard touchdown pass later in the period.
After a 12-minute dogfight with North Fondy, the Vikings pulled away by going on a 40-point run that WLA sustained into the fourth quarter. Loehr, Noah Schumacher, and Gannan Schwartz each collected rushing touchdowns in the second quarter from seven, one, and 20 yards out, respectively, and Loehr tossed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Schwartz to make it 41-12 at the half.
A 10-yard touchdown run by Cole Keifenheim in the third and a 25-yard touchdown run by Sam Pollesch in the fourth put a bow on this one for the Vikings.
Loehr finished 7-of-10 passing for 140 yards and carried seven times for 42 yards. Keifenheim led WLA in rushing with 62 yards on eight attempts and Schwartz paced the Vikings receivers with four catches for 89 yards.
William "Chop" Simmons recorded seven tackles (three solo) to lead WLA's defense. Keifenheim and Marcus Christensen each intercepted a pass and Mason Faust earned the Vikings' lone sack.
Orioles quarterback Zach Seidschlag completed 12-of-24 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns and Abe Maurer went 5-for-10 for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Jackson Goldapske, also a candidate for Fond du Lac area Player of the Year, led North Fondy in receiving with six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown and Connor Groll followed closely with five grabs for 87 yards and two scores.
With the win, WLA keeps its undefeated season alive and will host a showdown against fellow undefeated St. Mary's Springs for the Flyway Conference championship next week. The Vikings are seeking their first victory over the Ledgers since October 17, 2007.
Next game (WLA): Oct. 13 vs. St. Mary's Springs (8-0, 6-0 Flyway)
Next game (NFDL): Oct. 13 vs. Laconia (2-6, 0-6 Flyway)
No. 6 (8-Player) Oakfield 48, Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah 14
OAKFIELD - The Oaks (7-0, 3-0 Ridge & Valley-East) did all of their damage in the first half, scoring 22 points in the opening quarter and 26 more in the second as they continue to steamroll over opponents.
Hunter Sabel wasted no time putting points on the board immediately with a 68-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage, but Oakfield quarterback Bailey Schepp was denied trying to run in a two-point conversion.
No matter, though, as the Oaks added back-to-back scores before the end of the initial period on a 19-yard touchdown run by Treyden Marchenkuski and an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown from Schepp. This time Oakfield converted both two-point tries, first on a pass from Schepp to Fond du Lac area Player of the Year candidate Mitchell Moser and then a Marchenkuski run, to make it 22-0.
In the second quarter, Schepp connected with Moser for three touchdown passes - from 46, 24, and 67 yards, respectively - and Marchenkuski added his second touchdown run of the night from eight yards out.
Schepp finished 7-of-9 passing for 182 yards and carried three times for 29 yards. Sabel paced the Oaks in rushing with 110 yards on 11 carries and Marchenkuski had five rushes for 32 yards. Moser grabbed four passes for 147 yards.
On defense, Brayden Glugla led Oakfield with six tackles (all solo) while Westin Bass collected a pair of sacks and Schepp added another sack with forced two fumbles.
Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah (3-4, 1-2 Ridge & Valley-East) managed to score on two big plays - a 67-yard passing touchdown with 2:13 before the half and a 54-yard rushing touchdown just under nine minutes to go in the fourth.
Next game: Oct. 13 vs. Abundant Life/St. Ambrose (6-1, 3-0 Ridge & Valley-East)
Campbellsport 14, Lomira 7
LOMIRA - The Lions (4-4, 3-3 Flyway) won the first quarter battle, scoring the lone points in the first 12 minutes on a rushing touchdown by Fond du Lac area Player of the Year candidate Taylor Schaumberg, but Campbellsport (6-2, 4-2 Flyway) won the war by shutting out Lomira throughout the rest of the game.
Fellow Fond du Lac area Player of the Year nominee Ben Timm added to his total as the state's leading rusher with 178 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown, his 15th of the year for the Cougars. Mason Willacker complimented Timm with five rushes for 62 yards and a touchdown.
Willacker and Brett Theisen each intercepted a pass for the Cougs defense while Joseph Volz and Blake Heltemes both recorded a sack. Heltemes also forced a fumble and led Campbellsport with 11 tackles (seven solo).
Schaumberg finished with 149 yards on 14 attempts to highlight the Lions' offense and Brody Luedtke collected 13 tackles to lead the Lomira defense. Logan Menzer added 11 tackles, a sack and forced fumble, and Warren Sauer also earned a sack along with seven tackles.
The Lions will slug it out against Mayville next week, with the winner clinching a playoff spot, while the Cougars will look for their third consecutive victory to keep momentum going into the postseason.
Next game (Campbellsport): Oct. 13 vs. Omro (3-5, 2-4 Flyway)
Next game (Lomira): Oct. 13 vs. Mayville (4-4, 3-3 Flyway)
Omro 21, Laconia 13
LACONIA - After a scoreless first half, Omro (3-5, 2-4 Flyway) got on the board in the third quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run from Jack Wellhoefer.
Laconia (2-6, 0-6 Flyway) countered with a touchdown run in the third, as well, but missed the extra point which gave the Foxes a 1-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
Omro quarterback Keenan Rahn took over in the final 12 minutes scoring twice on the ground, first from eight yards out and later taking a 37-yard run to the house. Rahn finished with 22 carries for 183 yards and Wellhoefer complimented him with 23 rushes for 111 yards.
The Spartans kept things close, adding another rushing touchdown following Rahn's first score, but it wasn't enough to gain the upper hand.
Jack Rens had 19 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown and Keeton Grade scrambled four times for 10 yards and the other Laconia touchdown. Sawyer Shultis led the Spartans in receiving with three catches for 62 yards.
Defensively, Cooper Schultz finished as Laconia's leading tackler with 12 stops (five solo), Shultis intercepted his fourth pass of the season, and the Spartans forced four fumbles (Devon Robbins - 2, Matthew Leonard and Flynn O'Laire - 1 each) as a team.
Wellhoefer had eight tackles (seven solo) and blocked a kick, Rahn and Parker Krokstrom each picked off a pass, and the duo of Jacob Calkins and Xander Sowls recorded a sack apiece.
Next game (Laconia): Oct. 13 @ North Fond du Lac (1-7, 0-6 Flyway)
Waupun 26, Ripon 0
WAUPUN - Warriors quarterback Chase Beahm completed 16-of-38 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns to Brayden Torres, leading Waupun (1-7, 1-5 East Central) to its first victory of the season.
Torres finished with eight catches for 137 yards and Haiden Rieder carried 12 times for 69 yards as the Warriors' leading rusher.
Owen Kooima collected 12 tackles (nine solo) and forced a fumble, Bryant Ferris forced another fumble, and Max Wittlieff reeled in an interception for Waupun's defense.
Ripon (0-8, 0-6 East Central) did not report any information.
Next game (Waupun): Oct. 13 vs. Port Washington (8-0, 6-0 East Central)
Contact Lance LeQue at LLeQue@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @LanceLeQue.
This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Fond du Lac area high school football Week 8 scores and results
