1 week Ago By ANDREW TUCKER [email protected]
FOUNTAIN CITY — The Cochrane-Fountain City football team finally got over the hump Friday night and took a step forward in the Dairyland Conference title race this fall after back-to-back years coming up just short. The Pirates cruised past Independence/Gilmanton 46-0 to finish the season with a 6-1 record in conference play and clinch a three-way share of the Dairyland Conference title, Cochrane-Fountain City’s first since 2013. “These four years we’ve put in all this work, we’ve got all this talent,” senior receiver and defensive back Grayden Barum said.
"I’m so proud of them." Friday’s season finale was not much of a contest as the Pirates (8-1 overall) scored early and often against the Indees (1-6, 1-8). They led 26-0 after one quarter and a 39-0 late int he second quarter to institute a running clock with two minutes until halftime.
Cochrane-Fountain City’s reserves added one more score in the second half and kept the shutout alive by the thinnest of margins with a goal-line stand on an untimed down to end the game. While a stumble in the final two weeks would have doomed the Pirates, the conference title race truly was decided in Weeks 5 through 7. The first critical game came when Blair-Taylor traveled to Pepin/Alma in Week 5.
The Eagles defended their home turf in a 38-34 nailbiter. Cochrane-Fountain City hosted Blair-Taylor the next week, and the Wildcats kept their title hopes alive with a 21-14 victory. It was a deflating loss for the Pirates, but one that renewed their focus.
“It put our backs against the wall," coach Jesse Cyrus said. "We either had to show up or shut up. We answered the call.
" Cochrane-Fountain City fell behind by a 12-0 margin in the first half against then-undefeated Pepin/Alma, but the Pirates rallied with 14 points in the third quarter and iced the game with one more score in the fourth to revive their hopes for a conference crown. It has been a steady build for the Pirates, going 6-2 in conference play the past two seasons with both losses coming against the Wildcats and Eagles near the end of the season. Cochrane-Fountain City was able to shake off those late losses last season to pull off a 5-seed vs 4-seed playoff upset with a 14-8 win over New Lisbon for the program’s first playoff win since 2012.
The Pirates head into the postseason this season with a full head of steam and plenty of confidence. “I feel like this year we have 10 times more momentum going into the playoffs,” senior lineman Sam Schmitt said. "Last year, we ended our last two games in a loss, so we went into the playoffs a little empty handed.
" Andrew Tucker can be reached at [email protected] or via Twitter @andrewjtucker16 Coulee Conference GALESVILLE — Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 20, Westby 6 Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sports Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
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