Glenwood City fumbles away game and playoff berth in close loss to Turtle Lake

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GLENWOOD CITY — A trio of second-half turnovers including a pair of key fumbles in its final conference and regular-season contest of 2022 at home against Turtle Lake last Friday not only cost Glenwood City a win but ended any chances it had to qualify for the WIAA playoffs.

Nursing a two-point halftime lead, Glenwood City lost out on a pair of promising drives due to fumbles, the latter coming as Glenwood City had moved inside Turtle Lake’s 10 yard line early in the fourth quarter.

The Lakers recovered at their own six and then drove 94 yards, using a running game that the Toppers had difficulty stopping throughout the October 14 Dunn-St. Croix contest, in 15 plays capped by a 14-yard jaunt to the end zone by Turtle Lake back Christian Torgerson. Although Glenwood City stopped the two-point conversion run, Turtle Lake now held an 18-14 lead with just under five minutes to play.

The Lakers would then thwart a pair of Topper drives – one on downs and the other via an interception – that allowed the visitors to escape with an 18-14 victory.

“This was a difficult loss because we most likely would have made the playoffs with a win,” said Glenwood City head coach Shane Strong. “We put ourselves in position to win the game, but we turned the ball over twice on pivotal drives.”

Instead of a playoff game, the Hilltoppers are packing away their equipment following a 4-5 campaign that yielded just two conference wins in seven tries for a sixth-place finish. Turtle Lake, meanwhile, finished fourth in the D-SC with a 4-3 record and improved to 5-4 on the season as it prepares to travel to Edgar this Friday for a Division 7 quarterfinal game.

With just 11 pass attempts between them, the Hilltoppers and Lakers relied heavily on their running games.

Lakers’ runners proved difficult for the Toppers’ defense to bring down as they often gained good yardage following the initial contact. Turtle Lake ran 54 times for 287 yards with senior Christian Torgerson gaining 170 of those and a touchdown on 28 carries while fellow senior and backfield mate Wyatt Nitchey battered Glenwood City for another 71 yards on 16 hauls.

Glenwood City finished with 234 yards rushing on 47 attempts as Max Janson eclipsed the 100-yard mark for a second straight game finishing with 113 yards on 22 carries. Gabe Knops, who was just 1-for-7 passing for nine yards and an interception, added 69 yards on 13 carries and a score while Brady Klatt ran the ball a dozen times picking up 52 yards and the Toppers’ final touchdown.

Turtle Lake looked as though it was going to put points on the scoreboard on the game’s first drive. Taking the opening kickoff, the Lakers marched inside GC 30 yard line before the Hilltoppers defense stiffened and threw quarterback Walker Korish for a loss on a fourth and one attempt.

Glenwood City managed a first down on its first opportunity with the football but then had to punt.

Turtle Lake started its second drive at its own ten but moved the ball quickly and effectively with six straight handoffs to Torgerson who netted 31 yards. A short gain by Nitchey and an incomplete pass by Korish had the Lakers facing a fourth down and seven. But a personal foul call on the Toppers moved the ball into Glenwood City territory. Consecutive three-yard runs by Torgerson and Nitchey took the Lakers to the GC 35 as the first quarter ended.

But, two plays into the new quarter, Korish broke free on the quarterback keeper and scored the game’s first touchdown on the 34-yard run. Isiah Buck’s kick went wide but the Lakers led 6-0 at 11:06.

Janson took the Lakers’ kickoff and returned it 42 yards to the Turtle Lake 43. From there, it didn’t take long for the Glenwood City to even the score. Three plays into the drive, Knops called his own number and scampered 32 yards for the six points at the 9:52 mark. Klatt kick the extra point to give GC a 7-6 advantage.

Turtle Lake responded on its ensuing possession. Alternating runs by Korish, Nitchey and Torgerson took the Lakers to the Toppers’ 13. After he was stopped for no gain on first down, Korish went to the air and found a wide open Nitchey for the 13-yard score at 6:25. Torgerson was stopped on the two-point conversion run but the Lakers led 12-7.

Starting at its own 40 following the kickoff, Glenwood City went to work on the ground as it moved the ball into Laker territory. Janson ripped off a 19-yard run to the TL 13. Klatt caught a nine-yard toss from Knops to set up a first and goal at the three. Three plays later, Klatt finished off the drive with a 1-yard run to pay dirt with just over a minute remaining in the half. Klatt added the PAT and Glenwood City took a 14-12 advantage into halftime.

The Toppers received the second-half kickoff and moved past midfield with runs by Knops, Janson and Klatt. But, on a first down at the Laker 40, Klatt was hit after a short gain and fumbles. Turtle Lake’s Walter Thill fell on the loose ball to end the GC drive.

Four plays later, Janson recovered a Torgerson fumble at their own 31. Glenwood City made a couple of first downs but eventually had to punt.

Pinned deep in their own end of the field, Turtle Lake had to punt from its 16 on a fourth and eight.

Glenwood City’s drive began on the Laker 43 and moved to the 20 as the third quarter ended. Janson made consecutive runs of 7 and 6 yards to get the Toppers to the seven. On second down, Knops kept the ball but was met hard at the five and fumbled with the Lakers’ recovering at the six.

Turtle Lake would then embark that decisive 94-yard drive as it feed the ball to Torgerson and Nitchey. Thirteen plays later, Torgerson helped the Lakers overcome a holding penalty as he scored from 14 yards out with 4:58 to play to put Turtle Lake back in front. A try for two points was stopped but Turtle Lake had an 18-14 lead.

That would be the final as the Hilltoppers turned the ball over on downs and Knops was intercepted in their last two possessions of the game.

“I thought our kids played hard all night, we just made too many crucial mistakes to earn the victory,” said Strong.

“We are all disappointed with our finish, but we have a great deal to be thankful for having the opportunity to play high school football together as a team,” he added.

It was the final football game for seniors Gabe Knops, Max Janson, Brady Klatt, Jayden Quinn, Aaron Brigham, Noah Brite, and Nick Hierlmeier.

“I’m proud of our senior class for the dedication they have demonstrated,” concluded Strong. “They were a great group of kids.”