Post Messenger Recorder -

Friday, October 18. On a perfectly crisp made-for-football October evening, the rivalry which defines the very word commenced as the lads from Belleville made the eight-mile trip to the New Glarus gridiron. Ohio State has Michigan and the Packers the Bears, but here, in the shadows of the venerable State Line League tombstone, it is the annual renewal of the Belleville - New Glarus (NGM) football game that stirs the blood and stokes the fires. It is a rivalry that pre-dates the days of the FDR administration. The boundaries of allegiance may be as subtle as a farmer's fence line here and a gravel road there, but they are fiercely honored. As the game draws nigh, otherwise-bonhomous relations may be temporarily suspended for the evening...then quickly resumed the next morning with that time-worn cliche, "wait 'til next year". History says you can return the book back to the librarian as even the most savvy of Vegas odds makers will not touch this one. Patrons on both sides are accustomed to seeing a classic donnybrook on the field, something akin to a family quarrel between brothers. All nostalgic waxing aside, by Jove a football game broke out.

Each team entered the contest with identical 4-4 records. Playoff considerations and bragging rights were on the line. Add to this it was Senior Night for NGM, and one can start to feel the high level of emotion attendant.

Belleville won the coin toss and deferred. Their onside kick came up short and was recovered by NGM sophomore Dain Walter near midfield. This would prove to be a harbinger of things to come. On the third play from scrimmage, junior receiver Nathan Streiff took a shovel pass from junior quarterback Darris Schuett to the east end zone from 26 yards out. (Streiff would go on to catch five more passes, score two more touchdowns, rack up 182 yards receiving and in the process set a new all-time program record for both receptions and yards). Two more quick scores on sustained drives brought the first quarter to a close with NGM up 21-0.

The second quarter highlight was Streiff catching and scoring on a 64-yard bomb from Schuett. Belleville got its offense going behind their talented junior running back Sawyer Fahey, but was stopped short on the two-yard line as time expired in the half.

The third quarter had sophomore receiver Cooper Dreyfus taking a perfect strike from Schuett and a 30-yard touchdown. In the fourth it was senior running back Robert Chenoweth punching it in at the 9:38 mark from 7 yards out to conclude the scoring for NGM. The latter part of the fourth quarter was largely played by the reserves, with Belleville's JJ Wenger putting the Wildcats on the board. Final score: 42 -7.

Sue Moen

Knight Quarterback Darris Schuett passed for 305 yards and five touchdowns - a new single game program record.

In the final analysis it was just too much NGM aerial offense that won the day. Quarterback Darris Schuett passed for 305 yards and five touchdowns - a new single game program record. Belleville's offense was largely centered around the fleet-footed Sawyer Fahey as he tallied 129 yards rushing before leaving in the third quarter with an injury, proving, once again, he is one of the best running backs in the Capitol Conference.

NGM paid a heartfelt tribute to its departing seniors: Reece Rufer, Calvin Strok, Josh Wieser, Matthew Zierl, Robert Chenoweth and Connor Siegenthaler.

NGM earned a Division 5 playoff berth. They will play at Prairie du Chien at 7:00 p.m., on Friday, October 25, 2019. See you at the game!

Author's Note: While the WIAA seems hell-bent on sending teams to Timbuktu and beyond, let us all hope that this eight-mile rivalry continues on in perpetuity. Some things are best left alone.