Chi-Hi defeats Menomonie, claims BRC title

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By DAVID BOSSICK
david.bossick@lee.net
Saturday, October 18, 2008 3:05 PM CDT

Chippewa Falls made Dorais Field and the 48 minutes it shared with Big Rivers Conference foe Menomonie nothing but h-e-double hockey sticks in a 33-14 victory.

The Cardinals led from virtually start to finish against the Indians. Chi-Hi scored on runs, passes and a blocked punt recovery in the end zone to complete a back-to-back BRC championship (see the video highlights).

But Chi-Hi coach Chuck Raykovich warned against raising any kind of title banner, yet.

“There’s still a lot of good football teams in this league. We haven’t won it all yet,” he said, referring to having a share of the title. “We’ve got one more game.”

Raykovich, though, made sure he recognized the team that had league title after league title all these years.

“Menomonie is still a heckuva team. They’re coached extremely well. They have great players. They don’t need to bow their heads at all,” he said. “They played a great game.”

The Cardinals earned their second straight league championship for the first time since the 1999 and 2000 seasons. And, some of those radio veterans in the pressbox believed it was the first time in legendary coach Joe LaBuda’s tenure to lose to the Cardinals in back-to-back seasons.

And while Chi-Hi’s players had their customary high-fives with the crowd following hand shakes with the Indians, Menomonie’s team loaded up its buses and left Dorais Field. LaBuda left as well and was unavailable for comment.

Chi-Hi took control of the contest from the outset. Mike Adams took the first play from scrimmage 52 yards and his running helped to set up a 10-yard touchdown pass from Mitch Olson to Collin Schindler.

“If anything, it sent a message that we’re here to play,” Raykovich said.

Adams finished with touchdown runs of 3, 22 and 1 yards as he had 131 yards on 18 carries. His 3-yard run just before halftime helped to lift Chi-Hi to a 12-point lead after Menomonie’s earlier in the second quarter on Kasey Krause’s 3-yard run.

And, Adams put the capper on the game with his 1-yard run. It was the end of an 11-play, near 6-minute drive that began just before the third quarter and ate much of the fourth quarter clock.

“We told the kids and we told Mitch (Olson) to take your time and watch the official, use the clock and burn it up as much as you can,” Raykovich said.

The Cardinals had all facets of their game working. The special teams came up with a blocked punt by Adams that bounced into the end zone. Chi-Hi’s Brett Larson jumped on the ball and curled up in the end zone.

Once the whistle blew, he sprung up with a touchdown signal of his own.

“Of any play we made, that was probably the big one. Coach (Mike) Thompson, the special teams coach, I’ve been bugging him all year. ‘When are we going to get a score on the special teams,’” Raykovich joked. “We got one tonight and that’s special.”

On top of the block, Menomonie had to work with poor field position for the entire contest. The Indians started drives inside the 20-yard line three times and at the 20 once because of coverage and the booming punter’s foot of Cole Zwiefelhofer.

“If there’s a better punter anywhere in the country, I’d like to see him. There can’t be one in Wisconsin and there can’t be one in the Midwest,” Raykovich said. “You saw it. Phenomenal.”

Meanwhile, the Cardinals had great field position for nearly the entire night. Chi-Hi started drives at midfield twice and once at the Indians’ 27-yard line.

The Cardinals now are one win away from repeating as undefeated Big Rivers Conference champions. Chi-Hi rides a 14-game BRC winning streak into Thursday’s game at Carson Park in Eau Claire against Memorial.