The Lake Geneva Badger Badgers stopped a two-point conversion attempt by Waunakee to survive and win their first WIAA State Football Championship in school history.
After a scoreless first quarter, Waunakee got the scoring going with a 2-yard touchdown run from Sebastian Rassmussen, Owen Elliot added the extra point to make it 7-0.
Badger would respond with a touchdown of their own on a 1-yard touchdown run by JP Doyle, Matthew O’Grady added the extra point to make it 7-7.
Then the insanity hit, Badger scored on a 20-yard touchdown run with :28 left in the half from Landon Nottestad, O’Grady would add the extra point and give Badger a 14-7 lead.
Waunakee not to be outdone, Waunakee took the kickoff and in two plays scored on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Vance Johnson to David Emerich, Elliot would add the extra point and took the game to the half 14-14.
Badger would take the opening kickoff of the second half and go 80 yards in 18 plays, taking 9:43 off the clock, and scoring on a 6-yard touchdown run from O’Grady, he would miss the extra point making it 20-14.
Waunakee would respond on the next drive scoring on a 25-yard touchdown pass for Johnson to Robert Brooker II. Waunakee would go for two and fail, Badger led 20-19.
Badger would then score on a 40-yard touchdown run from Nottestad, Anthony Richardson would tack on the two-point conversion Badger took a 27-20.
Waunakee would score with 6:42 left in the 4th on a 36-yard pass from Johnson to Emerick, Elliot would hit the extra point to tie the game at 27.
Badger would then use the next 4:00 to drive down the field and take the lead back on a 10-yard run by Doyle. O’Grady would add a crucial extra point to take a 34-27 lead.
Waunakee would take the ensuing kickoff and drove down and score with :40 left on a 24-yard touchdown from Johnson to Booker.
Waunakee decided to go for two, but Johnson’s pass fell incomplete. Badger would recover the onside kick, and kneel out the clock for the 34-33 win.
This was Lake Geneva Badger’s first trip to Camp Randall, their previous best finish was Level 4 finishes in 2012, 2015, and 2016.
