1 week Ago By BRANDON BERG [email protected]
Chuck Raykovich had a good feeling. It only took his Chippewa Falls football team a few plays to show why. Drake Daken broke free on a 62-yard run on the second play from scrimmage to set up Chippewa Falls' first score and set the tone as the Cardinals earned their first regular-season win over Menomonie since 2008 on Friday evening at Dorais Field with a 35-7 victory.
Jackson Bohland ran for two scores, Jackson LeMay and Daken each added a scoring run and Noah Potter connected with Jaylyn Smith for a 24-yard scoring strike in the final minute of the first half of what was the largest victory for the Cardinals over Menomonie since 1973. Raykovich said throughout the week his Chippewa Falls team was dialed in on the gameplan and by Wednesday the coach felt his Cardinals (6-3, 4-3) had a strong chance to earn the win and clinch a playoff berth against the rival Mustangs. “I’m really proud of the kids," Raykovich said.
"They worked hard this week in practice, they spent a tremendous amount of time looking at film. They were ready. They were ready to play and you can tell.
I’ve been doing this for a while and you can tell when they’re not ready and you can tell when they are and I’ll tell you, last week at Hudson before the game they weren’t ready.” Daken set the tone as the senior fullback used second and third effort to fight free from a tackle near the line of scrimmage and rumble down to the 2-yard line, where LeMay powered into the end zone one play later to stake Chippewa Falls to a lead 50 seconds into the game. The Cardinal defense held Menomonie (5-4, 3-4) to one 36-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Brady Johnson to Isaac Ellison.
Overall the Cardinals forced two turnovers with Smith snagging an interception and Braden Jaquish recovering a fumbled kickoff return. Brayden Hagmann had two quarterback sacks of Johnson and Collin Clary added one. “They’re going to fly around, they’ve going to give everything they’ve got," Raykovich said of the defense.
"They’re strong, wiry-type kids. That’s how we like them to play football and that’s how they like to play football.” Menomonie had won eight in a row over Chippewa Falls dating back to the Cardinals' 17-6 win in the third round of the Division 2 playoffs on Nov.
6, 2015. The last regular-season win for the Cards over Menomonie was a 33-14 triumph almost exactly 16 years to the day on Oct. 17, 2008.
“We always talk about we can’t turn the ball over on offense and we cannot give up big plays on defense," Menomonie coach Mike Sinz said. "Today we didn’t do both of those.” Chippewa Falls will learn its playoff path when statewide pairings are released Saturday morning.
Menomonie isn't guaranteed a postseason berth but could receive one due to its strength of schedule and winning record with two nonconference victories. Lydia Steinmetz Chippewa Falls seniors Colton Petska (85) and Sam Hebert (5) celebrate after Petska recovered a fumble against Stevens Point on Thursday evening at Dorais Field. Cadott running back Warren Bowe runs for yardage against Augusta on Friday evening in Cadott.
Braydon Gassen (48) Cadott's Kennedy Nerdrum (15) Stanley-Boyd's Bailey Sikora (2) Chippewa Falls' Claire Hoepner (12) McDonell's Payton Hepfler (7) Bloomer's Addison Pecha (16) Bloomer seniors Alena Otto (left) and Liona Rufledt (right) run at Tuesday's Bloomer cross country invitational at Three Lakes Ski Trail in Bloomer. The Bloomer boys team starts the race. McDonell's Ryder Sullivan (13) and Grant Smiskey (1) celebrate after connecting on a touchdown pass.
Lake Holcombe's Kaden Jones (9) and Emmit Johnson (2) celebrate after an interception. Lacie Grant Brooke Petska (8) Jillian Wik Chippewa Falls celebrates a point. Weston Leverson (73) stays cool with water during a timeout.
Stanley-Boyd celebrates a point during Tuesday's match. McDonell's Anne Siegenthaler (15), Claire Ruf (12) New Auburn junior Nora Jensen (8) and sophomores Elise Branville (3) and Whittney Gotham (17) celebrate after a point against Cornell on Thursday in New Auburn. Cornell senior Briana Glaus swings for a kill in the matchup.
Gilman's Tony Syryczuk (20) McDonell's Eli Stepp (7) celebrates as the final seconds tick away. Chippewa Falls senior Aaron Christie heads the ball against Wausau West on Saturday at Dorais Field. Cadott's Cortney Weggen McDonell's Ben Siegenthaler (left), Jack Hanson (right) and Cooper Mittermeyer (behind) run a pack at Tuesday's Cadott cross country invitational at Whispering Pines Golf Course in Cadott.
Susan Bergeman Chippewa Falls senior Mason Fredrickson pumps up the team before the boys race. Noah King (68) and Drake Daken (20) celebrate after a touchdown. Chippewa Falls junior Colton Petska (85) celebrates after a turnover against D.
C. Everest on Friday evening at Dorais Field. New Auburn's Chester Lang (24) and Frederic's Leif Lahti (2) battle for a pass.
New Auburn offensive lineman Elliot Harder scores a touchdown against Frederic last Friday in New Auburn. Stanley-Boyd defensive backs Madden Mahr (left) and Carson Hodowanic (right) force a fumble against Eau Claire Regis on Saturday at Carson Park in Eau Claire. Stanley-Boyd quarterback Carter Isenberger (12) and Madden Mahr (6) celebrate after connecting on a touchdown pass on Saturday.
Chippewa Falls junior Grant Von Haden celebrates after scoring his second goal against Eau Claire North on Oct. 8 in Eau Claire. Chippewa Falls juniors Grant Von Haden (4) and Griffen Yohnk (7) celebrate after Von Haden's second goal.
Anne Siegenthaler (15), Claire Ruf (12), Kendall Hepfler (4) Anne Siegenthaler (15) Thorp's Cooper Rosemeyer (6) Thorp and McDonell watch the coin toss before Friday's game at Dorais Field. Evelyn Arnold Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Chippewa Herald sports editor {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items..
