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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
HORTONVILLE – The Marshfield football team staked claim to a share of the Valley Football Association championship with a 35-22 win over Hortonville on Friday night at Hortonville High School.
The Tigers finish the regular season 6-3 overall and 5-1 in the VFA (not including a forfeit win over Wausau East), to tie Wausau West and Wisconsin Rapids for the conference title. The championship is Marshfield’s fourth in the past six seasons.
Following a scoreless first quarter, Marshfield struck first.
Nick Spencer recovered a fumble to set up the Tigers at the Hortonville 31 early in the second quarter.
Marshfield picked up a fourth down play with a 15-yard pass from Trevor Foemmel to Luke LeMoine, and two plays later Foemmel tossed an 8-yard TD pass to Evan Jakobi for a touchdown. Braxton Kurth kicked the extra point and the Tigers led 7-0.
Hortonville’s Seth Valeri returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to tie the game before Marshfield drove right back down the field again.
Sam Meverden capped the 14-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown catch from Foemmel and the Tigers took a 14-7 lead.
The Polar Bears weren’t content, driving down the field to the Marshfield 1. However, after two incomplete passes and a failed running play, time ran out before they could attempt a field goal and the Tigers were up a touchdown heading into the second half.
After a slow start to the third quarter, Marshfield broke it open.
Following a successful fake punt by Hortonville, Vaughn Kolbeck returned an interception 44 yards to the Hortonville 21 and on the next play Foemmel hit Brooks Hinson for a touchdown. Kurth’s extra point pushed Marshfield’s lead to 21-7 with 4:17 to go in the quarter.
Foemmel added a 7-yard TD run with 23 seconds left in the third to take control for the Tigers at 28-7.
Hortonville scored early in the fourth quarter, but Marshfield responded with a long drive of its own. A 23-yard pass from Foemmel to LeMoine brought the ball into the red zone and two plays later Hinson leaped and hauled in a 23-yard touchdown pass on third-and-13. The Tigers led 35-15 with 5:43 to go.
Hortonville added a late touchdown on its first play following the kickoff, but that would be it as the Tigers were able to hold on.
Foemmel finished with 195 yards passing and four touchdown, giving him 17 this season.
Marshfield is the No. 4 seed in its portion of the WIAA Division 2 playoff bracket and will host No. 5 Pulaski (7-2) at Heiting Community Stadium on Friday, Oct. 21.
Click here to view the final Valley Football Association standings.
Tigers 35, Polar Bears 22
Marshfield 0 14 14 7 – 35
Hortonville 0 7 0 15 – 22
Second Quarter
M – Evan Jakobi 8 pass from Trevor Foemmel (Braxton Kurth kick), 7:26.
H – Seth Valeri 90 kickoff return (Colin Wendt kick), 7:13.
M – Sam Meverden 8 pass from Foemmel (Kurth kick), 1:28.
Third Quarter
M – Brooks Hinson 21 pass from Foemmel (Kurth kick), 4:17.
M – Foemmel 7 run (Kurth kick), 0:23.
Fourth Quarter
H – Valeri 4 pass from Broden Butzin (Wendt run), 10:00.
M – Hinson 23 pass from Foemmel (Kurth kick), 5:43.
H – Wendt 64 pass from Butzin (Wendt kick), 5:26.
Team Statistics
First downs: Marshfield 19; Hortonville 16.
Rushing (att-yards): M 41-162; H 17-74.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): M 12-24-195-0; H 17-39-321-1.
Total yards: M 357; H 395.
Penalties (no.-yards): M 7-31; H 4-22.
Fumbles lost: M 1; H 1.
Individual Statistics (Hortonville not reported)
Rushing: M, Trevor Foemmel 19-79, Jeff Marsh 8-30, Mason Seidl 5-19, Braden Anderson 5-14, Eli Colby 3-11, Cody Korth 1-9.
Passing: M, Foemmel 14-24-195-0.
Receiving: M, Sam Meverden 5-52, Luke LeMoine 4-52, Brooks Hinson 3-56, Anderson 1-27, Evan Jakobi 1-8.
Interception (defense): M, Vaughn Kolbeck.
Fumble recovery (defense): M, Nick Spencer.
Records: Marshfield 6-3, 5-1 Valley Football Association; Hortonville 1-7, 1-5 Valley Football Association.