Tigers drop second in a row, host Kaukauna on Sept. 8

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

HORTONVILLE — Hortonville made just enough big plays to knock off Marshfield in a Valley Football Association game Friday night at Akin Field.

The Polar Bears converted on a number of third- and fourth-down plays in the fourth quarter and scored the go-ahead touchdown with just more than nine minutes left to pull out a 22-14 victory, sending Marshfield to its second-straight close loss.

Marshfield scored first on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Krueger to Brant Bohman with 4:13 left in the first quarter.

Hortonville finally got its offense going in the second quarter, scoring on back-to-back possessions to take the lead.

Josh Giese caught a deflected pass for a 30-yard touchdown from quarterback Cole Hyde, and Kole Ellenbecker turned a middle screen into a 48-yard touchdown to put Hortonville up 13-7 at the half.

Marshfield regained the lead on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Krueger to Isaac Meverden with 2:37 to go in the third quarter, but the Tigers could not hang on.

Jose Concepcion hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Hyde with 9:13 to go to give the Polar Bears a 19-14 lead, and Jake Bakich kicked a 31-yard field goal with 3:56 remaining to finish the scoring.

Marshfield went four-and-out on its final two possessions, unable to move the ball against the Hortonville (2-1 overall and Valley Football Association South) defense.

Marshfield (1-2 overall, 0-2 VFA West) hosts Kaukauna in a VFA contest next Friday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. at Beell Stadium. The game will be broadcast on WDLB-AM 1450 and wdlbwosq.com.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Polar Bears 22, Tigers 14

Marshfield 7 0 7 0 – 14

Hortonville 0 13 0 9 – 22

First Quarter

M – Brant Bohman 1 pass from Ryan Krueger (Mason Coffren kick), 4:31.

Second Quarter

H – Josh Giese 30 pass from Cole Hyde (kick missed), 7:13.
H – Kole Ellenbecker 48 pass from Hyde (Jake Bakich kick), 3:58.

Third Quarter

M – Isaac Meverden 17 pass from Krueger (Coffren kick), 2:37.

Fourth Quarter

H –Jose Concepcion 16 pass from Hyde (pass failed), 9:13.
H – Bakich 31 field goal, 3:56.

Team Statistics

Rushing (att-yards): Marshfield 29-82; Hortonville 36-190.

Passing (comp-att-yards-int): M 12-22-110-1; H 10-17-207-0.

Total yards: M 192; H 397.

Individual Leaders

Rushing: M, Andy Goettl 8-55, Brant Bohman 11-33. H, Kole Ellenbecker 114 yards, Jose Concepcion 50 yards, Cole Hyde 26 yards.

Passing: M, Ryan Krueger 12-22-110-1. H, Hyde 10-17-207-0.

Receiving: M, Bohman 5-52, Goettl 4-28, Mitch Wilhelm 2-19, Isaac Meverden 1-17. H, Ellenbecker 109 yards, Josh Giese 72 yards, Concepcion 22 yards.

Records: Marshfield 1-2, 0-2 Valley Football Association West; Hortonville 2-1 overall and VFA South.