Badger (14-0) won the battle of undefeated teams by escaping with a 34-33 victory over Waunakee (13-1) in the Division 3 championship game Friday afternoon.
The Warriors scored a touchdown to draw within a point at 34-33 with 40 seconds remaining in the game. Waunakee decided to go for the win with a two-point conversion, but the two-point pass attempt fell incomplete, preserving the one-point lead and victory for the Badgers.
The game featured the quick-strike capabilities of the Warriors and the ball-control running game of the Badgers. The average time of possession for the five Waunakee drives was one minute and 22 seconds. The powerful Badger ground game amassed 451 yards in the game to set a new Division 2 State championship record.
After a scoreless first quarter, Waunakee led 14-13 at the half. A 2-yard run by Sebastian Rasmussen and a 60-yard pass from Vance Johnson to David Emerich with seven seconds remaining in the second quarter accounted for the Warriors’ scoring in the first half. Badger’s points in the second quarter came on a 1-yard plunge by JP Doyle and a 20-yard scoring strike from Doyle to Landon Nottestad.
Both teams scored a touchdown in the third quarter. Badger’s score was a 6-yard run by Matthew O’Grady with 2:17 remaining in the period, and Waunakee went 60 yards in two minutes capped by a 25-yard pass from Johnson to Robert Booker II to take a 20-19 advantage at the end of the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Nottestad broke free for a 40-yard rushing touchdown to give the Badgers a 27-20 lead, but the Warriors responded to tie the game at 27-27 on a 36-yard pass from Johnson to Emerich with 6:42 to play. Doyle put Badger back in front on a 10-yard run through the Waunakee defense into the end zone with 2:19 remaining. The Warriors marched 73 yards in 1:34 and scored on a 24-yard pass from Johnson to Booker II to set up the late game drama.
Three Badgers topped the century mark rushing the ball. Nottestad ran for a game-high 198 yards. O’Grady and Doyle added 131 and 118 yards on the ground, respectively. Doyle completed one of just two pass attempts for 20 yards. Nottestad made the only reception for the Badgers. Doyle led the defense with a game-high 11 tackles.
Johnson completed 13-of-15 passes for 215 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Warriors. Benjamin Lindley paced the Waunakee rushing attack with 123 yards on 24 carries. Emerich caught five passes for a game-high 119 yards and two scores, and Booker II added four catches for 67 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Samuel Hogland and Camren Marionneaux led the Warriors on defense with nine stop, and Brady Cizek intercepted a pass with a 50-yard return.
Badger wins the title in its first-ever appearance in the championship game, and Waunakee finishes runner-up in its 12th State finals experience.
The above story is a news release from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association
