The third-seeded Spring Valley High School football team suuered a 15-8 defeat on the road against the second-seeded Edgar Wildcats in the second round of the 2022 WIAA Division 7 playou bracket on Friday, Oct. 28, putting an end to the Cardinals' sea son.

Both Spring Valley and Edgar had experi- enced significant ouensive success – partic – ularly in the rushing attack – throughout the 2022 season, which is part of the reason both teams entered Friday night's Level 2 playou game with 9-1 records. However, both of fenses struggled against the opposing defen- sive units, which Spring Valley head coach Ryan Kapping stated is standard for playou football.

"It was a pretty physical game between two solid teams," Kapping said. "Neither team got going ouensively like they're ac –

customed to, which is pretty typical of play – ou football." Like most Division 7 schools, both Edgar and Spring Valley entered the game with dy – namic rush-heavy ouensive schemes and a stout defense to supplement them. Kapping knew going into the game that it would likely be a low-scoring defensive battle.

"We knew it was going to be a big chal –

lenge because they're the winningest pro – gram in state history – a good ground game and great defense has been their pedigree over the years," Kapping said. "They had a couple of drives where they were able to piece it together enough to go down the field and score. Overall, I was pretty pleased with how we played." Neither Spring Valley nor Edgar's defense gave up points in the opening quarter of the Level 2 playou game on Friday night. It wasn't until early in the second quarter that the Wildcats drew first blood. Edgar junior running back Karter Butt found the endzone on a four-yard touchdown run with just over eight minutes to go in the second quarter. A successful two-point conversion gave the Wildcats an 8-0 advantage.

Edgar capitalized midway through the third quarter with another touchdown. It was again Butt, this time on a 14-yard touchdown run that gave the Wildcats a 15-0 lead with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Spring Valley scored its lone touchdown of the game on the ensuing drive when junior quarterback Wyatt Goveronski connected with sophomore Cade Stasiek on a 19-yard pitch and catch. Moments later, Goveronski again connected with Stasiek, this time for a two-point conversion to cut the lead to sev – en, 15-8, with four minutes to go in the third quarter.

The Wildcats' defense picked ou Spring Valley multiple times in the fourth quarter as the Cardinals began passing the ball try –

ing to make something happen late in the game. The entire fourth quarter returned to a defensive battle that featured no scoring and resulted in Spring Valley's 15-8 defeat on the road against Edgar. Kapping spoke about his team's two interceptions.

"Our interceptions were late in the game trying to make something happen," Kapping said. "We were trying to move the football down the field and were in a situation where they knew we had to throw it." Spring Valley finishes the season with a 9-2 overall record and a 7-0 showing in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference schedule, which earned the Cardinals a third consecutive DSC Conference Championship. Kapping spoke about this season's success.

"We're really proud of what the kids did," Kapping said. "Some years we've been for –

tunate enough to be picked as the frontrun – ner, this year we weren't and were picked to fall back a little bit. For the kids to come out and still go get a conference championship, I think that says a lot about them." Spring Valley's senior class of six players got even smaller late in the season, as run – ning back Justin Rielly and two-way lineman Dylan Aamodt both experienced season-end- ing injuries during the regular season.

Rielly was a First-Team All-Conference running back last season and Aamodt was a Second-Team All-Conference lineman that played an important role on both sides of the ball. Kapping spoke about their injuries and how they impacted the team.

"Justin (Rielly) was a First-Team All-Con – ference running back last year and Dylan (Aamodt) was an All-Conference defensive player last year that was going to be a big part of our defense and was a two-way starter," Kapping said. "It's hard to lose those guys because they were two of our best leaders, guys that are steady players that guys look to and respond to." Other seniors on the roster include Cole Steinmeyer, Walter Holstadt, Makaden Par – sons, and Dodge Sampair. Kapping detailed what their class as a whole has meant to this team not only on the field but also in the classroom.

"They're an Academic All-State team be – cause of their work in the classroom which says a lot about the kinds of kids that we have there," Kapping said. "They're kids that have been there for four years. They weren't a big group coming in, but we didn't lose any of them, they all stayed out and it was a really good group of young men. I know they're go – ing to be successful when they leave school." Next season, Spring Valley will return multiple experienced starters along the ouen –

sive and defensive lines and at the skill posi – tions and will look to continue improving a program that has already won three consec –

utive Dunn-St. Croix Conference Champion –

ships dating back to 2020.