ELMWOOD — Nearby rival Spring Valley came to town for Elmwood/Plum City’s Homecoming, looking to send their rivals a message in an important game for conference positioning. Although the teams battled for the lead through the first three quarters, the Cardinals landed the winning blow in a 29-14 win.

EPC started off strong with a tough 35-yard run from Owen Kober up the middle to take an 8-0 lead. EPC had the Cardinals shut down in the first, but Spring Valley got the last laugh in the half as junior Asher Turner punched one in on the goal line to tie things 8-8 at the half.

“We got settled in, challenged [the players] a little bit at halftime. Just talked about the things we thought we should’ve been able to do offensively, defensively,” Head Coach Ryan Kapping said. “I don’t know if we were overlooking them or if we were looking at their record or whatever. I just didn’t feel like we executed in the first half like we are capable of.”

In the second half, both teams tugged for field position until Turner punched in another on the goal line. The Wolves pushed right back down the field until the third quarter ended with EPC on the 3-yard-line. EPC scored it right away in the third with a run from junior Logan Auth, but failed the two-point conversion to remain behind 16-14.

Spring Valley tacked on two more scores in the fourth, one from Mason Winger to Collin Brunner from 16 yards and one on a 16-yard run from junior Sam Schmitt to seal a 29-14 win.

“At practice we’re locked in. We have high energy. In the game we’re starting to have high energy,” Turner said. “Know that we’re a family together.”

Spring Valley moved to 4-2 overall and a perfect 4-0 in conference. The Cardinals are on a great run because they are managing lasting drives and taking care of the football. Fumbles have been an issue this year, but moving the chains has not. That success has been because of a lot of people, a leading candidate being Turner, who took 23 carries for 185 yards and two scores.

“The big thing is we’re just trying offensively to possess the football, sustain drives,” Kapping said. “We’re longing in experience defensively, so we feel like that helps keep our defense a little fresher.”

The second half was a significant improvement, with the offense looking much more like the conference contender it needs to be.

Turner said taking on their rivals on their Homecoming meant something, and they did not want to be another team that gets trounced on spirit week.

“Just a tough team and have a bunch of tough players that run the ball hard and want to win,” Turner said of his teammates.

Spring Valley’s defense is young and scrappy. In the second half, they plugged holes and made the ball bounce in order for any positive plays to take shape.

“We told the guys it didn’t really matter what their record was, we knew they were going to play as hard as they’ve played all year just because of the close proximity,” Kapping said. “We were able to regroup, able to get a W and sort of put it away in the second half and not make it close at the end. So I think that’s a positive to build on.”

Next up is a date with one of the state’s best in Boyceville. Kapping said they are going to have to play better than they have all year to win it. The Bulldogs are undefeated and have gone back-and-forth with the Cardinals for many top-tier battles over the years. A year ago, Spring Valley got the win late in the year to win the Dunn-St. Croix Conference, and Boyceville got the last laugh in the playoffs.

EPC fell to 1-5, taking on Glenwood City next week and Clear Lake the following.