Toppers turn Turtle Lake turnovers into points and a D-SC football victory

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TURTLE LAKE — The Glenwood City football team headed to Turtle Lake last Friday evening with aspirations of qualifying for the upcoming WIAA playoffs.

A second straight win would likely make the Hilltoppers playoff eligible while a loss might just dash those dreams.

The contest got off to a somewhat dubious start for the visitors from Glenwood City. Turtle Lake, who was celebrating homecoming, took the opening kickoff and promptly marched 58 yards in 11 plays, consuming nearly half of the first-quarter score clock, for a touchdown. They then added the extra point boot for a 7-0 lead.

The Hilltoppers responded in a big way.

Not only did Glenwood City put its opening drive in the end zone, the Hilltopper scored touchdowns on its first four possessions and ended up posting 34 unanswered points against the Lakers en route to a key 34-7 victory.

Glenwood City recovered five Turtle Lake turnovers – two fumbles and a trio of interceptions, three of which lead to Topper touchdowns.

The lopsided win over the Lakers not only got the Hilltoppers back to .500 in league play at 3-3, it made them playoff eligible.

Glenwood City, 5-3 overall, can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Elmwood-Plum City in the regular-season and conference finale which will be on played on the Toppers’ turf this Friday, October 13. Level one of the WIAA playoffs will begin the following Friday night.

Senior running back Walker Korish’s 3-yard run capped that opening Turtle Lake scoring drive, the only one the Lakers would have all night.

Fortunately, Glenwood City had an immediate response with more to follow.

Senior Morgen Eggert, who started at quarterback, along with backfield running mate, junior Mitchell McGee, provided the Hilltoppers’ offense with the continuous spark it needed throughout the game.

After taking the Laker kickoff, Glenwood City began its first possession of the game at its own 43. McGee ripped off an 8-yard run that seemed to put the offense in high gear. Two plays later Eggert completed a pass to sophomore Brody Riba for another 8-yard gain and a first down. After runs by McGee and Eggert, the Toppers avoided disaster when McGee pounced on a loose ball. Faced with a fourth and three, Eggert called his own number and ran for five yards to gain a fresh set of downs at the Turtle Lake 31. On the ensuing first-down play, Eggert broke through the line and galloped to the end zone with 2:50 left in the first quarter. Steven Booth’s extra point kick went wide right leaving the Toppers a point short of their hosts at 7-6.

The Lakers had the football all of three plays when they committed their first turnover – a fumble, which the Hilltoppers alertly jumped on at the Turtle Lake 34 as the opening stanza came to a close.

Runs by McGee and Eggert took the Hilltoppers into the red zone (inside the 20 yard line of the Lakers) but an incomplete pass on third down, left Glenwood City with a fourth and seven. The Toppers converted the first down with an 8-yard pass from Eggert to senior Zachary Hill. With the football now sitting on the Lakers’ nine yard line, Eggert carried twice, the latter for 5 yards and the go-ahead touchdown at 8:36. Eggert tossed a good conversion pass to Hill and the Toppers lead 14-7.

Glenwood City’s defense would again put the ball back in the offense’s hands as it forced a Turtle Lake punt.

Despite taking over at its own seven yard line, Glenwood City moved quickly down field highlighted by a 37-yard Eggert run that set up a first and goal at the seven. Eggert then finished off the drive, covering the final seven yards on a run to pay dirt with 2:51 still remaining in the first half. Although Booth’s boot fell short of the cross bar, the Toppers now led 20-7.

But, Glenwood City wasn’t done putting ball into the end zone.

On the second play of its ensuing possession, Turtle Lake fumbled again and McGee was ‘Johnny on the Spot’ as he covered the loose pigskin at the Lakers 30 yard line with 2:04 to play.

It took Glenwood City all of 17 seconds and two plays to score its fourth touchdown of the half. Eggert ran for 12 yards on first down and drew a face-mask call against Turtle Lake which placed the ball at the nine. McGee covered that distance on the very next play. Eggert ran the 2-point conversion into the end zone for a 28-7 GC advantage.

Freshman Brock Wood picked off Turtle Lake quarterback Brody Tarman to end the half.

Unlike the first half, neither team was able to finish off their drives in the latter half.

Taking the second-half kickoff, the Hilltoppers fumbled away that possession.

Turtle Lake had to punt after just three plays which Glenwood City did on its next possession as well.

After another Laker punt, the Hilltoppers appeared to have a promising drive underway as the fourth quarter began. But, the drive eventually stalled and the Lakers took over on downs at their own 19 yard line.

Turtle Lake moved the ball to midfield before a fourth-down incompletion put the ball back in Glenwood City’s hands.

After a 14-yard run by McGee, the Toppers’ drive ended as they fumbled the ball back to the hosts.

Three plays later, Brody Riba made a diving interception at the Laker 30 but that Glenwood City possession ended too when the Toppers netted just three yards on a fourth-and-six play and the Lakers took over at their own 30.

But, two plays later, sophomore Brady Thompson intercepted a Laker pass and returned it 32 yards for the game’s final score at 3:54. Booth’s kick missed to the left, leaving the final score 34-7.

After gaining 189 yards rushing the previous week, Eggert led the Topper rushing attack with 170 and three touchdowns on 29 carries. McGee tallied 103 yards with a score on 20 attempts. The duo accounted for all of Glenwood City’s ground gains. Eggert added 42 yards passing on a 4-8 effort. Zachary Hill had three catches for 35 yards.

Defensively, Glenwood City held Turtle Lake to a total of 170 yards including 114 rushing and 56 passing.