Raiders pile on early, win Level 3 matchup

SCHOFIELD — It seemed to be over for D.C. Everest before it got started

The Wisconsin Rapids Raiders jumped to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and stayed an arm’s length away from the lethal DC Everest offense en route to a 41-24 Level 3 playoff win Nov. 4.

“It feels great and it’s a great win,” said Wisconsin Rapids quarterback Cort Halbur.

Momentum followed a key first half special teams play. Leading 14-0, Wisconsin Rapids (11-1) pooched an on-sides kick over the first line of defenders and Raider Vince Beigel found the football on the Everest 22-yard line. It only took four plays for Wisconsin Rapids to score — a 4-yard Devin Peterson touchdown run — and the Raiders were leading, 21-0 with 3:29 left in the first quarter.

The first score in the game for the Raiders highlighted the running attack as the team drove 78 yards on seven plays — all runs — capped by a Rylan Lubeck 3-yard run.

Peterson finished with 130 yards on 27 rushes, while Lubeck had 28 yards on 10 carries. As a team, the Raiders rushed 52 times for 239 yards.

Only throwing for 404 yards for the season, Halbur passed for two touchdowns and 146 yards. The rushing game’s reputation opened up the passing attack, Halbur said.

“If we get the pass going, it opens up all the plays on the run. It opens up everything,” he said.

As predictable as the first drive was, the second Raider touchdown was a surprise to the defense. On third-and-2 at the Everest 37-yard line, Halbur faked the inside handoff and threw deep to Josh Biba, who had outran his defender down the middle of the field.

“We knew we were going to throw all week on third-and-short,” coach Tony Biolo said. “We saw something on film.”

All the momentum Wisconsin Rapids built in the first quarter seemed to be in jeopardy after Everest (7-5) drove 55 yards and kicked a 27-yard field goal with 4:43 in the half. On the second play of the following Raider possession, Sam Graff grabbed a batted-down pitch from Halbur and ran 31 yards for a touchdown to cut the Raider lead, 28-10.

“They came back a did a nice job of making it closer than we would have liked,” Biolo said.

Wisconsin Rapids responded with a final touchdown before the half — Peterson took a Halbur pass and turned up field for a touchdown from 9-yards out.

The first half statistics were as lopsided as the 35-10 score. The Evergreens had 88 total yards and one first down. The explosive duo of quarterback Luke Heller and receiver Brent Esser was contained in the first two periods. Heller threw for 58 yards on 5-of-10 passing while Esser had three receptions for 41 yards.

The Raiders, however, had 261 total yards in the first half. Peterson rushed for two touchdowns on 103 yards while Halbur threw for two more on 3-of-3 passing for 72 yards.

The Everest defense was determined to stop the Raiders rushing game, which left one-on-one coverage on the receivers.

“We saw that we had one-on-one coverage with most of our guys and I just trusted our receivers to be able to beat their guys,” Halbur said.

Converting two-of-three attempts, the Raiders were successful in fourth down conversions. The lone failed attempt came from a fourth-and-3 late in the third quarter when Lubeck was taken down for no gain.

The Raider defence stopped Everest three plays later when Ethan Elgersma came from from his linebacker position to sack Heller for an 8-yard loss.

It was not the last time the Raider defense stopped an Everest drive. A fourth quarter drive for the Evergreens was stalled when, on fourth down, Beigel blitzed from his linebacker spot — the senior Wisconsin recruit ran right at Heller, who threw the ball away on fourth-and-2.

Wisconsin Rapids would mount its final drive on the next possession. While the touchdown was scored traditionally — Peterson rushed into the end zone from 1 yard out — the drive was propelled by two athletic receptions, the first of which a 26-yard pass from Halbur to Lubeck who leaped up to catch the football over the Evergreen defender and came down at the Everest 30-yard line. Two plays later, Halbur found Garrett O’Neil down the middle of the field. O’Neil caught the football one handed before being tackled at the 1-yard line.

The defense was working together, said senior defensive back Alex Marriott.

“Everyone on the team was doing their job,” he said.

Raiders 41, Evergreens 24

Wis Rapids        21        14        0        6        —        41

DC Everest        0        10        7        7        —        24

First quarter

WR — Rylan Lubeck 3 yard run (Rod Keyzer kick), 8:27

WR — Josh Biba 37 yard pass from Cort Halbur (Keyzer kick),

WR — Devin Peterson 4 yard run (Keyzer kick), 3:29

Second quarter

WR — Peterson 8 yard run (Keyzer kick), 7:59

DCE — Jacob Daigle 27 yard field goal, 4:43

DCE — Sam Graff 31 yard fumble recovery, 3:50

WR — Peterson 9 yard pass from Halbur (Keyzer kick), 0:23

Third quarter

DCE — Nick Sierakowski 9 yard pass from Luke Heller (Daigle kick), 3:37

Fourth quarter

WR — Peterson 1 yard run (Kick failed), 3:39

DCE — Jared Hoekstra 24-yard pass from Heller (Daigle kick), 2:20