Raiders capitalize on Riverside turnovers to punch ticket to state

OSHKOSH  — Capitalizing on three Milwaukee Riverside turnovers, Wisconsin Rapids controlled the game early and sailed to a 35-14 win in the state semifinals.

Wisconsin Rapids (12-1) will try for a third time for a state title, this time against Kenosha Bradford at 4 p.m. on Nov. 12 at Camp Randell Stadium in Madison.

The Raiders controlled both lines of scrimmage, which gave them the win, said Riverside coach Pat Wagner.

“Their offensive line beat up our defensive line,” he said. “Line up five guys against each other in the trench and the better guys — the guys who execute the most — wins.”

The Raider offensive line helped push the triple option running game for 339 yards on 65 carries.

“Our line came up and they were driving their guy off the ball,” said Raiders running back Rylan Lubeck. “It starts up front. When they set the tone we are dangerous.”

The senior rushed for 82 yards on nine carries, while quarterback Cort Halbur ran for 66 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown and Zach Campbell rushed seven times for 60 yards and a touchdown. The Raiders were led by Devin Peterson, who rushed for 122 yards on 27 carries including three touchdowns.

Peterson’s first score capped a 12-play, 63-yard drive that started when Raiders Sam Delaney forced a Sharmari Triggs fumble recovered by Tyler Tesch at the Wisconsin Rapids 37-yard line with 3:49 left in the first quarter.

Peterson’s 1-yard scoring dive with 10:42 left in the second quarter followed an acrobatic 8-yard run by Lubeck that ended with the senior diving over would-be tackers at the 3-yard line trying to score but getting hit out of bounds at the 1-yard line.

The first few possessions showed Wisconsin Rapids coach Tony Biolo that the Raiders option was going to find openings in the defense.

“I knew we had a lot of option plays against them after the first drive,” he said. “I knew we had our game plan that we wanted to run on them.”

The running game controlled the whole contest, Biolo said.

“It’s one thing this offense can do,” he said.

The offense did not waste the three take-a-ways caused by the defense. The Raideres scored three times off Riverside turnovers — two interceptions and a fumble.

Following Peterson’s first touchdown, Riverside (11-2) faced a fourth-and-3 at the Wisconsin Rapids 38-yard line, where Raiders defensive back Brady Goska dove in front of a Triggs pass for the interception.

The Raider offense marched back down the field, this time 71 yards over 13 plays ending with Halbur scoring from 1-yard out to give Wisconsin Rapids a 14-0 lead with 3:19 left in the second quarter.

Peterson would score on a 2-yard run with 0:33 left in the first half to give Wisconsin Rapids a 21-0 lead.

Campbell scored with 7:46 left in the game on a 28-yard run, in which he raced around the right corner and beat the defenders to the front pylon.

Two plays into the following Riverside drive, Regis Henke wrestled the ball away from a Riverside receiver for the second interception.

“I barely had it,” said the 6-foot-1, 190 junior linebacker. “I was holding on for dear life.”

With Wisconsin Rapids scoring early, Riverside was forced to pass more, which negating some of the Tigers’ speed, Henke said.

“They didn’t run in the open field as much as we thought they would,” he said “They passed more, which helped us actually because they weren’t running around as much.”

Triggs, Riverside’s slippery quarterback, was the bright side of the Tigers’ offense. The 5-foot-9 150-pound senior threw for 222 yards on 11-of-19 passing, with 119 yards and the two touchdowns coming with the Raiders starting defense on the bench late in the fourth quarter.

While Triggs found some success through the air, the Raiders defensive line held Riverside to a mere 26 yards rushing.

“Our defense has been stellar all year and has stepped up in the big game again,” said Biolo.

Between an effective Wisconsin Rapids offense and stifling defense, Riverside watched as a running clock started with 5:57 left in the game after Peterson scored this third touchdown — this one a 37-yard run right up the middle.

When the lines are dominating the game, it gives the Raiders confidence, Lubeck said.

“It makes us feel that we can beat anybody,” he said. “We got a shot to go in the end zone on any play.”

Link to sidebar: Speed and space was key in Raiders beating Riverside at their own game

Box score

Raiders 35, Tigers 14

Wis. Rapids        0        21        14        0        —        35

M. Riverside        0        0        0        14        —        14

Scoring drives

Second quarter

WR: Devin Peterson 1-yard run (Rod Keyzer kick), 10:42

WR: Cort Halbur 1-yard run (Keyzer kick), 3:19

WR: Peterson 2-yard run (Keyzer kick), :33

Fourth quarter

WR: Zach Campbell 28-yard run (Keyzer kick), 7:46

WR: Peterson 1-yard run (Keyzer kick), 5:

MR: Larry Watkins 2-yard pass from Shamari Triggs (run failed)

MR: Chris Cummings 68-yard pass from Triggs (Triggs run)

Team stats

        WR        MR

Rushing         65-339        25-26

Comp-Att-Int        1-2-0        1-19-2

Passing yards        13        222

Total yards                352        248

First downs        18        10

Fumbles-lost        0-0        1-1

Individual leaders

Rushing — WR: Peterson 27-122, Halbur 12-66, Rylan Lubeck 12-82, Campbell 7-60, Tyler Wendt 1-1, Justin Reinke 3-4, Jayson Wiernik 3-4; MR: S. Triggs 10-14, Watkins 6-12, Bakari Triggs 1-(-3), Jalen Gillie 8-3

Records: Wisconsin Rapids 11-1, Milwaukee Riverside 10-2