The clash of high school football helmets and shoulder pads could be heard loud and clear in Plum City on Friday November 6, as the local Elmwood-Plum City Wolves faced off against the Glenwood City Hilltoppers in downtown Plum City, with the Wolves ultimately coming away victorious. Amidst the flurry of action Friday the words “Asher up the middle for a gain of…,” became a common refrain from the announcer’s booth, while cars were parked at an angle for drive-in football viewing off Main Street and both team’s cheerleading squads sought to add some pep to the festivities.

With a “Happy Holidays” sign strung across Main Street to the north and electric- powered snowflakes lighting the way into town, once everything had settled the score was 24-20, in favor of the Wolves. Welcome to the Plum City Valley, where the Wolves know their territory and how to defend it.

Coming from a recent away game loss to the Spring Valley Cardinals on the night before Halloween, the Wolves conducted themselves in a manner befitting the occasion at Friday night’s hometown showdown against the Hilltoppers, with distinctive plays recognizable on both sides.

Whereas Glenwood City appeared to favor the highand- arched long pass shot or else lightning speed shotgun pass by quarterback Bryce Wickman to receivers Brady McCarthy, Brandyn Hallquist, or William Eggert among others, the Elmwood-Plum City Wolves’ made heavy use of fleet-footed running back Trevor Asher and defensive tight end Ryden Carson, along with quarterback Luke Webb making runs up field occassionally. Payton Kopp, meanwhile, handled many kickoffs by the Wolves to the Hilltoppers. The mostly slow-and-steady approach to making progress up field was made somewhat easier by a balmy 62 to 63-degree night in the valley, but the Hilltoppers didn’t go down lightly, in any case.

Starting in the first quarter with a kickoff by Glenwood City’s own Conner Gross received by Trevor Asher for Wolves and run up field from the 25-yard line for a sevenyard gain to start out the game, the Wolves’ good fortune took a reverse when a tackle by Glenwood City’s Mitchell Bliese followed by an intercepted pass taken to the Wolves’ 10-yard line by the Glenwood City’s Hallquist resulted in the Hilltopper’s making first goal, although the follow-up point conversion was ruled no good.

Realizing they needed to step it up a little, the Wolves turned around to even the score 6 – 6 with six minutes and 30 seconds to go in the second quarter. A run by Asher up the middle followed by Carson on recovery helped lead to the first turn in the Wolves’ fortune, though their two-point try following was also ruled no good, similar to Glenwood City.

With the follow-up kickoff punt made by Elmwood-Plum City’s Payton Kopp and returned by Hallquist for the Hilltoppers, the Wolves’ defense was on the ball, a follow-up pass by Wickman of Glenwood City coming up incomplete, while a later snap over the head of the punter resulted with a safety for the Wolves at five minutes and six seconds to go in the second quarter, the Wolves’ leading 8 – 6 against the Hilltoppers. Helping hold back Glenwood City somewhat in their advance were tackles by the Wolves from quarterback Webb, running linebacker Ben Luther, and defensive back Ambrose Malles. The Hilltoppers fought back hard, however and when halftime rolled around the score came in at 8 – 14 in favor of Glenwood City.

Making use of the halftime break to go over their strategy at the south field goalpost, the Hilltoppers took a kickoff punt from Elmwood-Plum City’s Kopp and came on strong, until a tackle of McCarthy by the Wolves’ Basil Gilles followed up in like fashion by a tackle from linebacker Frank Weix again halted the Hilltopper’s momentum, with hard fought touchdowns proceeded by a slow-and-steady process of plowing the ball up the middle, courtesy of Asher and sometimes Webb. Taking solid advantage with a touchdown and point conversion in the third quarter that evened things up to 16 – 14 in favor of the Wolves, Ethan Rupakus kept up on the outside with Wolves’ quarterback Webb, who scored the second touchdown.

Not willing to concede defeat just yet, however, the Hilltoppers used quarterback Wickman to run the ball up field for a gain of 6 yards, before a turnover and a third touchdown by the Wolves with nine minutes and ten seconds left in the third brought the game’s score to 22 -14, with the Wolves in the lead. Following a successful two-point conversion that increased the Wolves’ lead to 24 – 14, it was all over save the time clock, and the team effort needed to keep the Hilltoppers from making up the point difference before the end of the quarter. When all was said and done the Wolves did just that, ending the regular season with a 24 – 14 win versus Glenwood City.

Photo by Joseph Back.