Late score at Thorp pushes Greenwood into playoffs

The Greenwood football team overcame four fumbles and 10 penalties at Thorp on Oct. 18 to eke out a last-second win that guaranteed the Indians a spot in the WIAA Division 7 playoffs. Despite dominating the game statistically, the Indians needed quarterback Cooper Bredlau’s 4-yard touchdown run in the last half-minute of the contest to get a 14-6 win that set its final Cloverwood Conference record at 4-3.

Greenwood out-gained Thorp 351-189 yards on the night, but could never reach the end zone to take a lead until very late in the game. The Indians lost two of their four fumbles to kill a pair of drives, and other scoring chances were negated by costly penalties.

Thorp scored on a 1-yard Zander Rockow run midway through the first period and that stood up for almost the entire first half. The Indians tied it at 6-6 just 13 seconds before halftime, on Bredlau’s 7-yard run.

Although the Greenwood ground game accumulated 295 yards and Bredlau’s two interceptions stopped a pair of Cardinal drives, the Indians could not get into the end zone. Finally, with 26 seconds left in regulation, Bredlau got it in on a 4-yard run and then found Westen Schmitz for the 2-point conversion.

The Greenwood run defense was stingy all night, allowing only 42 net yards on 24 running plays. Thorp relied on the pass and went to the air 18 times with eight completions for 147 yards. Isaac Soumis had three catches for 73 yards and Aidan Reis picked up 65 more yards on three catches, but Greenwood was able to stiffen and not give up points.

Greenwood ran 58 times for 295 yards. Bredlau carried 21 times for 138 yards and Wyatt Artac added 81 yards on 26 carries.

Bredlau passed 12 times, but completed only three for 36 yards.

The win gave Greenwood the 4-3 conference mark it needed to guarantee a playoff berth. It ended with a 6-3 overall record, but received the 8-seed in its 8-team Division 7 regional pool, and that means a Level 1 game at top-seeded Edgar (8-1) on Oct. 25. The winner of that game will play either Loyal (5-4) or Hurley (7-2) in a Level 2 game.