The Owen-Withee Blackhawk Football Team gave us all a lesson in perseverance Friday night with a big come from behind win vs the Highland Cardinals in Level III of the WIAA playoffs that now sends them on to the State Championship game in Wisconsin Rapids!  It’s not very often that you can spot your opponent 14 points and all of the momentum early in the game and then fight your way back to win the game!

The Hawks chose to receive the football to start the game and it looked like a great decision as Brandon Geldernick burst up the middle to midfield before he was spun down – unfortunately a block in the back pushed the Hawks back deep in their own territory inside the 15 yard line. Three running plays left the Hawks short of the first down marker forcing a punt. Sherwood got off a good punt giving the defense a long field to play on. The Blackhawk defense did their job forcing a Highland punt, that rolled deep into Blackhawk territory on the artificial turf. After two first downs the Hawks committed the first turnover of the game giving Highland good field position. Two pass plays later the Cardinals were up 7-0. A two yard run early in the second quarter gave Highland a 14-0 lead and all of the momentum.

This is when the character of this football team showed up. The Hawks put together two big drives capped off with touchdown runs of 22 yards and 32 yards by Brandon Geldernick. The inside running of Poehler and Geldernick and the offensive line carving up the Highland defense, the Hawks fought their way back to tie the game at 14 apiece! A forced  fumble by Talon Mueller recovered by Dominic Sherwood a big part of that comeback! An interception by Dominic Sherwood at the 15 yard line ended Highland’s drive and gave the ball back to the Hawks with not much time on the clock in the first half. The Blackhawk line continued to own the LOS and the Hawks drove the ball down to the Highland 15 yard line with .03 seconds remaining on the clock. That’s when Winston Poehler came in and banged through a 32 yard field goal to give the Hawks a 17-14 lead at the half. Little did we know that that field goal would be the difference in the game!

Highland’s high power passing attack was not going to be denied as they took the second half kick-off and marched 65 yards converting on a fourth down play with a 6-yard touchdown pass to take the lead at 21-17. An attempted onside kick that was touched before going 10 yards by the Cardinals gave the Blackhawks great field position just inside the Highland 50 yard line. The Blackhawks came up with another signature 13 play drive ending with the third TD of the night when Geldernick crashed in from 7 yards out. The PAT came up short giving the Hawks the 23-21 lead. Highland was looking to answer that score and had driven the ball deep into Blackhawk territory when on fourth down the Hawks defense made certainly one of the biggest plays of the game and shut the door with a failed fourth down pass attempt.

The Hawks took the ball over deep in their own territory hoping to put together a drive that would run down the clock and secure the win. With a grind it out mentality, the Hawks ran out the remaining 10:16 on the clock driving the ball the length of the field and sending them on to the big dance! What a great win for the boys and our community.

The Blackhawks will be taking on Lena/St, Thomas Aquinas on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 in Wisconsin Rapids at South Woods Recreation Football Stadium for the 8-Man Football Championship! “One Family-Willing to take the Risk.” Come and be a part of journey for this team!