Vikings score early and often in win over Elk Mound

Just two years ago, the Elk Mound football team was enjoying their sixth straight win over the neighboring Colfax team with a 42-6 drubbing on the Vikings’ home field. But the Vikings broke the streak last year with a 46-27 win, then made it two in a row on their homecoming night with a 54-20 victory over the Mounders. The win was the third conference win for Colfax and makes them playoff eligible.

For the second straight week, the Vikings scored three times in the first quarter, starting on the second play from scrimmage when Jeremiah Wait zipped around the left side for a 59 yard run to paydirt. Jarrod Rudi missed the extra point kick but it was 6-0 with less than a minute taken off the clock.

Elk Mound’s game plan was displayed rather quickly as Noah Zurbuchen ran three consecutive times on their first possession but gained only four yards, forcing a punt.

Colfax took the ball at their own 28 yard line and after a short pass from Rudi to Sawyer DeMoe, Wait was off to the races again, this time for a 67 yard scamper down the right sideline. Rudi converted the kick for a 13-0 lead with 9:11 on the clock.

Tyler Sahm took the kickoff back 35 yards to the Mounder 46 yard line, and Zurbuchen broke two long runs resulting in a Mounder first down at the Vikings 13. But a fumble was recovered by Aliymu Davis for Colfax to thwart the drive.

Elk Mound’s defense held as Jon Storing picked off a Rudi pass to give them the ball at the Colfax 36 but two penalties on Elk Mound along with two incomplete passes resulted in them punting the ball back. Colfax started at their own 20 and with Wait and Rudi pounding the ball for 20 yards, Andrew Adix found an opening in the middle on a fourth and one and raced to the endzone for a 60 yard touchdown. Rudi’s kick made it 20-0 with just under a minute left in the quarter.

Elk Mound couldn’t move the ball on their next possession and on a fourth and three, the ball sailed over the punter’s head and the Vikings took over at the Mounders 13 as the second quarter started.

It looked like Davis had a touchdown  but a holding call nullified the run, and two plays later it appeared Wait had scored but that was also called back for a holding call. After a Rudi to Wait pass  for a short gain and another run by Wait, Rudi connected with DeMoe on a fourth and 11 for the score, and the Rudi kick put Colfax up 27-0.

Starting at their own 33 after a Sahm kickoff return, Zurbuchen ran four times and picked up a first down on fourth and three. But the Colfax defense forced another fourth down and this time there was nowhere for Zurbuchen to run as he was stuffed on the Colfax 34 yard line, giving the ball back to the Vikings.

Another holding penalty on the Vikings made it second and 18, then an eight yard run by Wait, an eight yard pass to Adix and a five yard gain by Davis put the ball on the Mounder 27.

On first down Davis blazed into the end zone, and after Rudi missed the kick, Colfax led 33-0 with 2:13 left in the half.

The Mounders had some fight in them however, as they started at their own 32 and with Zurbuchen and Lew running and Lew hitting Alex Hollister with a pass, Lew broke loose for a 30 yard score with 34 seconds left. Lew booted the extra point and the Mounders were on the board down 33-7.

The Vikings decided no lead was safe yet as they used the passing game to move down field, starting with a little razzle dazzle with backup quarterback DeMoe finding Rudi for a 39 yard gain. Two plays later Rudi found Davis who had gotten behind the Elk Mound defender for a 31 yard strike with less the two seconds on the clock. Rudi’s fifth kick gave Colfax a 40-7 halftime lead.

“We thought we had a pretty good defense coming into this game,” Elk Mound coach Dave Lew said. “But Colfax has good size and speed, and they hit hard. We let them get off to a good start and it’s hard to come back against a good team like that.”

Elk Mound started the second half with a purpose with Hunter Adleman taking the kickoff to the Colfax 37 after yet another Viking penalty. Adleman and Zurbuchen both broke off six yard gains and Lew found Storing for a 25 yard scoring pass. Lew’s kick made it 40-14 in the Viking’s favor a minute and a half into the third quarter.

Colfax responded when they started at their own 20 and with the running game of Wait, Rudi and Davis, they moved the ball to the Mounder 13 yard line.

On fourth and one, Adix bulled his way for two yards and another holding call on the Vikings made it first and 21, Davis squirted up the middle for his third touchdown of the night.Rudi’s kick increased the Colfax lead to 47-14 with 5:22 left in the quarter.

Things were going bad enough for the Mounders but things got a lot worse when quarterback Lew went down with an injury and was taken off the field. It appears he has a broken leg and will be out for the season.

Elk Mound was forced to punt on their next possession, and the Vikings started on their own 16.

In one play, which happened to be a 75 yard pass and catch,  DeMoe broke several tackles and carried a host of Mounders with him for extra yards, the ball was deep in Mounder territory. Adix eventually ran in from nine yards out and Rudi’s final kick made it 54-14.

Elk Mound added their final points with 7:05 left in the game after they recovered a Colfax fumble and  Zurbuchen raced to the end zone from 14 yards away. The two point conversion was stopped and reserves got some playing time for both teams the rest of the game.

“We pretty much knew we had to shut down their two big guns (Lew and Zurbuchen) if we wanted to win this game,” Colfax coach Mark Maloney said. “For the most part, our defense did the job. And our offense had a good mix of passing and running which kept them off balance. But for the second week in a row we had way too many penalties and we have to fix that as we go into the next few games. It’s great for the boys to get a big homecoming win. They have worked hard and things seem to be coming together for us at the right time,” he added.

Colfax rushed for a total of 444 yards with Wait leading the pack with 238 yards on 17 carries. Adix added 86 yards on just five attempts, Davis finished with 84 yards on seven carries and Rudi ran four times for 36 yards. Rudi completed seven of 14 passes for 163 yards and DeMoe was one for two for 32 yards. DeMoe was the leading receiver with 96 yards on four catches.

Zurbuchen rushed for 158 yards on 23 carries and Lew added 37 yards on two rushes. Lew completed three of 13 passes for 46 yards before leaving the game with Storing snagging two of those passes.

Colfax will travel to Tigerton/Marion this Friday to face a team that is 0-6 for the year and plays in the Central Wisconsin Conference. Elk Mound will host the 1-5 Mondovi Buffaloes for their homecoming game.