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Strange at times with a few momentum swings added in but still a win and a step closer to the play-offs for the Dodgeville football team.
The Dodgers (3-2 SWC) outlasted and outran the Richland Center Hornets Friday 46-20 in a game that saw a player ejected after a touchdown run was called back and a mid-game comeback by the Hornets.
Alex Mortimer took a Dodgeville kick-off back to paydirt in the second half. It was a good night for Mortimer. He was the Richland Center Homecoming King and had scored two touchdowns on passes thrown by John Paul Peckham. He thought he had a third with the runback but three flags that were tossed decided otherwise.
One of the flags was thrown when Mortimer got into the end zone and he was asked to leave the game.
The Hornets are 1-4 in SWC play and 1-5 overall. They did show some signs of improvement which should prove interesting as they close out the year, hoping to spoil someone's run.
But Friday the Dodgers had too much firepower and withstood the Hornet comeback to eventually win big.
Logan Yeager's 50 yard run set up Dodgeville's first score which was a 13 yard passing play, Austin Larson to Nate Hottmann.
Yeager then fought his way in from the four and accounted for Dodgeville's second score.
The senior was a thorn in Richland Center's side all night and set up the third Dodgeville score when he intercepted a pass. Later, he crossed the goal line from three yards out to make it 19-0.
It looked like the Dodgers would score again when Christian Shepler came up with an interception but the drive stalled.
Richland Center took advantage of the stop and scored on a 55 yard pass play, Peckham to Mortimer.
The Hornets got another score in the second quarter when Brandon Banker, a junior running back, sprinted 55 yards to the house to make it 19-14.
The Dodgers regrouped and Yeager stepped in from the two for a 25-14 halftime lead.
The Dodgers added three more scores in the second half.
Larson and Jason Gullickson hooked up for the first one on a 50 yard pass play.
Yeager got in for the fourth time in the game with an 11 yard run.
Sophomore Brady Wetter got the final score on a seven yard scamper.
After Peckham and Mortimer clicked on a 40 yard scoring play the teams traded the ball once more and when Dodgeville got it back, reserve quarterback Levi Nagle took a couple knees to secure the win.
Yeager had 41 carries for 324 yards to lead the ground game.  Larson was five for 10 for 129 with two touchdowns. Jason Gullickson grabbed three passes for 94 yards and a touchdown.
"It was a good victory to get," said Dodgeville coach Ryan Bohnsack. "Richland Center was short some athletes because of injuries and suspensions, but our kids did a nice job on all three phases of the game."
The win was the third in SWC play for the Dodgers. One more win puts them in a good spot for play-off consideration and two will assure them of a berth. They have three games remaining.
"We're excited to enter into the last three games feeling confident about what we are trying to do and look forward to the challenge of playing Platteville, River Valley and Prairie du Chien a second time," Bohnsack said.
The Dodgers entertain Platteville Friday for Homecoming and Hall of Fame Night.
"Platteville (2-3 SWC) is going to be a challenging opponent for us. We were able to beat them in Platteville after trailing by three scores in the second half. Our kids continued to believe and we came up with some big plays late in the game."
The game is an important one for both teams as the post season nears.
"Both teams should have some extra excitement on the line," Bohnsack said. "Platteville can't afford to take another loss and make the post season and it is our homecoming."