12 area teams still alive in WIAA football playoffs

Run game lifts Neenah past De Pere

VanBeek scored on touchdown runs of 5, 6, 4 and 1 yards and also had a 26-yard touchdown pass to Elliot Devlin to lead the Rockets to the win. Neenah (7-3) will travel to Bay Port (9-1) for a second-round game Oct. 30.

Just as critical for the Rockets was the way they scored. Neenah had five scoring drives of 10 plays or more, including a 17-play, 80-yard journey early in the fourth quarter that ate up most of the quarter and kept De Pere's potent offense on the sidelines. The drive ended with VanBeek's 1-yard score.

LIVESTREAM REPLAY: Ground and pound Neenah turns back De Pere in WIAA playoff opener

Neenah's other drives that ended with scores covered 51 yards (10 plays), 78 yards (12 plays), 74 yards (10 plays) and 56 yards (10 plays).

"That was a huge factor in our game plan because we know they traditionally passed the ball well against us, and we needed to just dry the clock and keep their offense off the field," Neenah coach Steve Jung said. "And offensively [offensive coordinator Justin Budiac] put a nice plan together and that's what we did in the second half, and we just burned the clock."

VanBeek finished with 215 yards rushing on 35 carries and also had 73 yards passing.

"We knew what we had to do the whole time, just grind out the yards, run down the clock," VanBeek said. "And that's what we were doing. It was a good feeling. We definitely knew what we needed to do and keeping away from their offense. They're pretty explosive."

Neenah junior center Max Mueller said he and his fellow linemen love being at the forefront of those epic drives.

"It feels amazing," he said. "Honestly, when we were going down the fields, getting yards, chunk plays ... just feels amazing."

Jung said he and the team know the challenge that awaits them with Bay Port. The Pirates advanced with a 32-7 victory over Wausau West.

"We're going to have to pass the ball well and we're going to have to run the ball somewhat because they're really physical," Jung said. "We're going to have to put a really nice game plan together. I think that we know them well and they know us well."

Division 1: Lightning pulls upset of Stevens Point

Sixth-seeded Appleton North got the upset of the night with a 21-7 victory over third-seeded Stevens Point Area Senior High.

The Lightning (6-4) erupted for 21 points after falling behind 7-0 to SPASH, the Wisconsin Valley Conference champion. Calvin Hank had 123 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries for North, which finished with 205 yards rushing. He also had a 10-yard touchdown run.

"It was a great team effort tonight as we earned a first-round WIAA playoff victory over a tough SPASH squad," Appleton North coach Rob Salm said. "From start to finish the boys stayed connected, executed the game plan and controlled the line of scrimmage for 48 full minutes. Winning a game like this takes everyone and it was rewarding to see so many different players step up and make timely contributions."

Carson Tegelman had a 2-yard scoring run and Owen Rein hit Matthew Larsen on a 6-yard touchdown pass. North's defense was also fantastic, allowing just 172 yards of total offense to the Panthers.

Salm said his team has played a rugged schedule and the Lightning has another tough challenge playing at No. 2 seed Waunakee on Oct. 30.

"That schedule prepared us for moments like tonight," he said. "It's encouraging to see the team put together solid football when it counts most. These players have put in countless hours of hard work behind the scenes and we're grateful to see that effort pay off with another week of football together."

No. 8 seed Kimberly saw its season end in a tough 31-21 loss at West De Pere. Maddux Hermus scored all three of Kimberly's touchdowns on a 71-yard rushing score and on punt returns of 79 and 44 yards. He finished with 140 yards rushing on 25 carries.

“You know, we ask him to do everything,” Kimberly coach Chad Michalkiewicz said of Hermus. “Our other quarterback [Rylan Welch] got dinged up in the first quarter and it ended up we needed him just a little too much. He left everything on the field. He’s one of a kind. We have got a lot of great kids on our team, but Maddux certainly left his mark on the program.”