Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – Owen-Withee (12-0) completed an undefeated season by capturing the State 8-player football championship with a 50-36 victory over Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas (10-2) at South Wood County Stadium Saturday.

The Blackhawks scored touchdowns on their first four drives of the game. Gaining possession of the ball with only with only five seconds remaining in the first half may have kept them from scoring on every possession until their final drive of the game.

Statistically, the game was remarkably even. Owen-Withee gained 417 yards of total offense to Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas’ 412 yards. The Titans actually had more than a four-minute advantage in possession time in the game.

After forcing a Titans’ punt on their first possession to begin the game, Owen-Withee marched 86 yards on 10 plays to go ahead 8-0 after the successful two-point attempt. Mason Gay, who set the 8-player State record with six touchdowns in the game, capped the drive with a 3-yard run.

The Titans tied the score at 8-8 on the ensuing kickoff on a 95-yard return by Lucas Heimke and the made two-point try. Just eight seconds later, the Blackhawks regained the lead at 16-8 with a 46-yard run by Gay on the first play from scrimmage following a failed onside kick. Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas scored on its next possession, going 80 yards in 12 plays to tie the game at 16-16 with a 27-yard pass from Calvin Peters to Ty Shallow at the 9:11 mark of the second quarter.

The Blackhawks would add two more Gay scoring runs of five and 34 yards to open a 30-16 halftime advantage. They took control of the game with a five-play, 55-yard drive on the first possession of the second half when Gay raced 37 yards to give Owen-Withee a 36-16 lead.

Calvin Peters plunged into the end zone on a 1-yard run to cap an 11-play, 64-yard drive to cut the Titans’ deficit to 36-22 with 4:52 remaining in the third quarter. The Blackhawks responded with a touchdown on its next drive on a 44-yard pass from Dominic Sherwood to Tim Stock, who was alone behind the Titans’ secondary to double-up the score at 44-22.

Shallow scored a rushing touchdown from a yard out to bring the Titans’ back to within two scores at 44-30 with 9:58 to play in the fourth quarter. However, the Blackhawks answered with its final score of the game on an 11-yard Gay scamper, capping an eight-play, 54-yard drive with 5:47 remaining in the game. The Titans scored on the game’s final play with a 12-yard pass from Peters to Shallow as time expired to account for the final score.

Gay accounted for most of the Blackhawks’ offense, rushing for 321 yards and six scores. His rushing yardage total ranks second-most in championship game history. Sully Poehler ran for 35 yards on nine carries. Sherwood completed his one pass attempt for 44 yards and a touchdown. The Owen-Withee defense was led by Colin Fritz with 17 tackles, including 10 solos and a sack, and Sherwood contributed with 12 tackles.

Calvin Peters rushed 30 times for 178 yards and a score to lead the Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas offense. He also completed 10-of-16 passes for 122 yards and a pair of scores. Max Peterson and Shallow each carried the ball eight times for 42 and 37 yards, respectively. Shallow caught five passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns, and Max Peterson made four receptions for 51 yards. Peterson led the Titans’ defense with 11 tackles.

Owen-Withee wins its first 8-player football title in the Blackhawks’ first appearance in the championship game, and Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas finishes runner-up in its first experience in the State final.

Complete Game Statistics