Four champions were crowned at the 2023 State Football Championships at Camp Randall Stadium Thursday.
Lodi (14-0) capped an undefeated season with a 38-14 triumph over Luxemburg-Casco (13-1) in the Division 4 championship game.
The Blue Devils featured a potent balanced attack to compile 488 yards of total offense, including 268 rushing and 220 passing. They capitalized on several explosive plays.
The first score of the game was a 67-yard strike from Mason Lane to Aiden Groskopf on the games’ opening possession, giving the Blue Devils a 7-0 at the 11:44 point of the first quarter. Lane extended the Lodi lead to 14-0 with 2:09 remaining in the first quarter on a 4-yard touchdown run.
The Spartans answered with their first score, a 2-yard run by Andrew Klass midway through the second quarter to narrow their deficit to 14-7. Lodi responded with a 72-yard drive that culminated with a 19-yard toss from Lane to Gavin Sargeant with 5:15 still to play in the second period to increase the Blue Devils’ lead to 21-7.
Luxemburg-Casco again responded on its next drive by scoring on a 58-yard dash to the end zone by Klass at 4:49 of the second quarter to cut the deficit to 21-14. However, the Blue Devils scored on their fourth straight possession with 2:27 remaining in the first half on a 58-yard run by Brady Puls for 28-14 halftime advantage.
Lodi scored the only points of the second half. A 74-yard burst up the middle by Kyler Clemens extended the Blue Devils’ lead to 35-14, and Jacobo Castillo Rosales ended the scoring with a 23-yard field with 5:50 remaining in the game.
Lane threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns, completing 11-of-16 passes. Sargeant was his favorite target with six catches for 74 yards and a score. Clemens rushed for a game-high 147 yards and a score, and Lane also ran for 100 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Clemens led the team in tackles with eight, and Lane made five tackles and intercepted a pass.
The Spartans were led on offense by Max Ronsman, who completed 13-of-26 passes for 163 yards. Eight of his connections were to Trace Schoenebeck, who tied a State Division 4 record for receptions, which accounted for a game-high 76 yards. Klass was the team’s leading rusher with 85 yards and two touchdowns.
Lodi wins the State title for the second time in three State finals appearances, and Luxemburg-Casco earned the silver trophy in its first-ever experience in the State final.
The above story is a news release from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association
