By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
Fans might have expected the match-up between Lake Geneva Badger and Delavan-Darien to be a shootout. Instead, Badger was on the ropes until blocking a punt with just over three minutes left and scoring its only touchdown of the game to take the lead and hold on for a 14-7 road win.
Badger came into the game averaging 32 points and 325 yards a game rushing. Delavan-Darien came in averaging 33 points and 287 yards passing behind Jake Benzing. Benzing leads the Southern Lakes Conference by a wide margin with 1,316 yards passing and 17 passing touchdowns against just six interceptions.
Each team’s defense stood up to the challenge as only six points were scored in the first three quarters of play on two field goals by Tias Larson – one for 35 yards in the second quarter and the other from 34 yards out in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Benzing connected with Ben Ingersol on a 40-yard touchdown pass and took a 7-6 lead with 8:43 left.
The Comets then held the Badgers until the blocked punt. Badger took over and scored on a 23-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Mason DuMez with 2:05 left. Will Keller rushed for the two-point conversion for the final points of the game.
The Badgers rushed for 211 yards, but the Comets kept them out of the end zone for most of the night. DuMez led the way with 106 yards rushing on 24 attempts. Patrick Watrous added 61 yards. Benzing completed 11 of 26 passes for 164 yards, but the Badger defense contained him to the one touchdown. Benzing also led the Comets in rushing with 75 yards. Ryan Gengler added 36.
The win kept Badger tied with Wilmot atop the SLC at 3-0 (5-0 overall). Delavan-Darien (3-2, 2-1 SLC) could have moved into a tie with Wilmot for first and moved Badger to second with a win.
Badger hosts Wilmot on Friday night. Wilmot is fresh off a 21-9 home win over Union Grove (3-2, 1-2).
Cross country wins
The Badger boys cross country team won the Badger Invitational on Sept. 15 with 26 points. Gustavo Gordillo led the way with a second-place individual finish and a time of 17:10.16. Logan Koehling finished third with a time of 17:28.29. Miguel Barrera finished right behind him for fourth with a time of 17:28.65. Brandon Hirschmann (18:04.02) finished eighth, and Jacob Dertz (18.14.85) finished ninth.
“The boys continue to train hard and should be prepared to make a good showing at one of the biggest meets in the state this year,” Coach Mike Butscher said.
The team will compete in the Janesville Craig Midwest Invitational on Saturday.
Swim beats Whitewater
The Badger swim team defeated Whitewater 126-34 on Sept. 13.
Individual first-place finishes included:
- 200-yard freestyle – Claire Koeppel, 2:08.14;
- 200-yard individual medley – Cora Rafe, 2:21.12;
- 100-yard fly – Molly Dover, 1:03.95;
- 100-yard freestyle – Koeppel, 59.37;
- 100-yard backstroke – Rafe, 1:03.69;
- 100-yard breaststroke – Katelyn O’Brien, 1:12.17.
The Badgers won all three relay events as well. They were:
- 200-yard medley – Rafe, Dover, O’Brien, Theresa VanSchyndel, 1:57.28;
- 200-yard freestyle – O’Brien, VanSchyndel, Rylee Kennel and Eden Wember, 1:50.04;
- 400-yard freestyle – Dover, Rafe, VanSchyndel and Eden Wember, 4:01.67.
Soccer wins and ties
The Badger soccer team defeated Burlington 7-3 on the road Sept. 13.
Payton Aranda scored first for Badger on an assist by Will Hamilton. Burlington’s Marco Hernandez answered on an assist by Gerso Soto.
Aranda scored on a penalty kick, and Tias Larson scored with an assist from Eduardo Cruz to make it 3-1. The Demons (5-5, 0-2 SLC) tied it on goals by Alex VanWyhe with an assist by Soto and Hernandez.
Aranda, with an assist from Cruz, put Badger back on top for good. Cruz with an assist by Hamilton, Marco Gonzalez assisted by Aranda and Quin Fraizier with an assist by Aranda put Badger firmly in control after that.
Badger tied Delavan-Darien 2-2 on Sept. 15 in Delavan. The Comets scored first on a goal by Israel Montelongo with an assist by Pablo Guzman Martinez. Aranda tied it on an assist by Ulises Escobar. Gonzalez put Badger up 2-1 with an unassisted goal. Edwin Urban scored an unassisted goal to tie it up again in the 77th minute.
The Comets outshot Badger 20-7
Golf wins twice
The Badger golf team defeated Burlington at Brown’s Lake Golf Course 178-205 on Sept. 13. Holly Murphy led the way with a 40. Madison Whitehead followed with 44, Liz DiAuria shot 45, and Jenn Freeman carded a 49.
The Badgers defeated Wilmot at home 187-202 on Sept. 16. Murphy again led the way, again shooting a 40. D’Auria was second with 48, Whitehead shot 49, and Freeman shot 50.
