Bulldogs swatted by Panthers in playoff action
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TOUGH YARDS — Sophmore back Nick Olson tried to pick up some yardage on this run with a Panther defender trying to take him to the turf during the October 29 playoff game in Durand.
—photo by Rochelle Olson
by Joel DeWitt
Sports Correspondent
DURAND – Riding high after a victory in Cumberland the previous week to open the WIAA Division 6 playoffs, Boyceville traveled to Durand on October 29th to face the top seeded Panthers.
The matchup brings together two 2nd place teams, Durand finished second in the Cloverbelt, and features one of the top rushers in the state in Durand’s Simon Bauer. While Bauer had a big night, it could have been missed opportunities that doomed the Bulldogs on the evening, as they fell to Durand 38-19 in Level 2 playoff action to finish 8-3.
“Durand made some mistakes and we just couldn’t capitalize on them,” Coach Michael Roemhild said. “In the playoffs when the opposition has miscues you have to use that to your advantage. Unfortunately, tonight we couldn’t do that.”
Durand’s mistakes came in the second quarter, leading 14-12, when they had turnovers on consecutive possessions. However, Boyceville could not capitalize on either miscue, and would in fact turn the ball over which would lead to Durand extending their lead right before halftime.
Scoring would come early and often as both defenses attempted to adjust to stop the other. Durand would take the opening kickoff and drive 65 yards and the touchdown as Bauer would take it in from 1-yard out, giving the Panthers the 8-0 lead after the rushing PAT.
However, the Bulldogs would bounce right back. Starting on their own 35-yard line, they would use a combination of runs and passes to push the ball down the fields. A 13-yard completion from Ira Bialzik to Caden Wold would give Boyceville first down in Durand’s territory.
Big rushes by Bash Nielson, Nick Olson, and Bialik would give the Bulldogs first and ten on the Panther 13-yard line. After a few rushes and an incomplete pass, the Bulldogs would go for it on fourth down, where Bialik would find and open Wold who would take it in for the touchdown to cut the lead to 8-6 after the failed PAT.
That’s when Bauer would make his presence known. After a long Durand kickoff return, Bauer would take the first snap 56 yards to the endzone to extend his team’s lead to 14-6.
Boyceville was not to be outdone. On the first play, Bialzik would connect with Wold who would take it 88-yards and the score. The touchdown would pull Boyceville within two points at 14-12
“Caden Wold was the best receiver on the field tonight hands down,” exclaimed Roemhild of his wideout. “That young man sets up his routes, can fly, and has great hands!”
The next four possessions are where the turnover bug would bite both teams. Combined, they would commit two fumbles and an interception. However, it was the last turnover by Boyceville that was costly.
After a Panther defender pounced on the ball at the Bulldog 30-yard line, it would only take Durand four plays to exploit that opportunity. Bauer would go in from 4-yards out for his third touchdown to extend the lead to 22-12.
Starting the second half, the Bulldogs would look to inch back into the game. Upon receiving the opening kickoff, they would push the ball down the field. Facing a second and 22, Bialzik would once again connect with Wold, this time for 33 yards, putting Boyceville in Durand territory.
Rushes by Nielson, Olson, and Braden Roemhild would set the Bulldogs up with a first down on Durand’s 24-yard line. However, Durand would pick off a pass in the endzone to end the Bulldog scoring opportunity.
Boyceville’s next possession would see them get into Durand’s side of the field again. However, a fourth down run by Olson would come a yard short of the marker and Durand would take over.
That’s when the Panther’s would take control. They would use a nine-play drive to extend their lead to 30-12. The ensuing kickoff would be fumbled by Boyceville giving Durand control of the ball at the 29-yard line.
Durand would take advantage of this mistake to push their lead to 38-12 midway through the fourth quarter and took the wind out of any chance Boyceville had at a comeback.
A touchdown by Tyler Dormanen with two seconds left in the game would cut the Panther lead to the final of 38-19. The loss would drop Boyceville to 8-3 on the year.
MAKING A tackler miss during a kickoff return was Boyceville’s Caden Wold. The sophomore finished with four catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns inlcuding an 88-yard strike from Ira Bialzik n the second quarter. —photo by Rochelle Olson
Both teams posted nearly identical offensive numbers as Boyceville tallied 306 total yards to Durand’s 299 yards. Bialzik led the way for the Bulldogs, throwing for 210 yards on 11 completions. Wold led all receivers with 144 yards on four catches. Neilson paced the way on the ground with 66 yards.
While the season didn’t end as hoped, there were many positives to take away from this year. Boyceville finished a strong second place in a tough Dunn-St. Croix conference that sent six teams to the post season.
Their eight wins on the season are also the most for any Boyceville team since 2002, when they finished the year 8-2.
“They made sure that wasn’t going to happen again and over the next two years they were able to put together back-to-back winning seasons, make the playoffs both years, and have a combined 2-year record of 15-4,” Roemhild said of his senior class who only won two games as sophomores.
He continued, “Football is back in Boyceville and there is an excitement running in everybody’s veins.”