---

When if comes to weapons the Cuba City football team is well armed.
Or maybe it is Cuba City quarterback Preston Droessler who is well armed....and well legged....and well able to contribute on defense.
At least the Cuban senior was Friday when he led his team to a 38-8 win over Iowa-Grant in a game that elimiated the Panthers from the post season and allowed Cuba City to advance to Level 2. It was the second time the two teams met this season and the Cubans took both games.
"Droessler can do many things very well," said Panther coach Gary Alen. "You have to account for him on every single play. He is very good at running the option which puts a lot of stress on you defensively. Plus he has a very good arm. He returns kicks and punts. He plays aggressively at defensive back. He has a big effect on every play."
After Panther running back Luke Nowak scored on a two yard run at the 2:30 mark of the first quarter to start the scoring, Droessler threw touchdown passes spanning 24 and 10 yards to Theo Denlinger and made it 14-8. Isaac Anderson threw a conversion pass to Trent Milliken after Nowak scored and Sawyer Ogelsby kicked extra points after the two Denlinger touchdowns.
With 2:49 left in the second quarter Ogelsby kicked a 32 yard field goal to send the score to 17-8. Before the half ended Zach Gaines got a pick six with a 34 yard return and Ogelsby's conversion made it 24-8 at intermission. Gaines got the pick with 1:47 left in the first half, sending the momentum to Cuba City's side.
After a scoreless third quarter Droessler went back to work and scored twice in the fourth frame. He snuck in from the one with 6:42 left and got in from the four at 2:53. Ogelsby added the conversions.
The Panthers ran for 180 yards and threw for 84. Anderson passed for 56 yards before leaving with an injury and his back-up, sophomore Caleb Hill, passed for the rest.
Nowak picked up 45 yards on 20 carries, Milliken hauled in three passes for 18 yards.
Droessler ran for 99 yards on 11 tries and passed for 84 more. Denlinger hauled in three for 59 yards.
Allen did not feel there was a turning point to the game but said two fumbles and the interception came at critical times.
"When you are playing a team as good as Cuba City you can't afford turnovers," Allen said. "Cuba just outplayed us. They controlled the line of scrimmage and they deserved the win."
But the Panthers did hang around deep into the game and it wasn't until Droessler put on his last two scoring thrusts that the game was over.
Until then the Panthers had hope at the start of the fourth quarter.
"We thought if we could make a couple of big plays we could win," Allen said.
But it was Droessler who came up with the plays.
The loss ended a season where the Panthers had to overcome several hurdles and fight their way into the play-offs. It wasn't an easy task and Allen was glad the team got help from the seniors.
"I am very proud and grateful to our seniors for all the hard work they have put into not only this season but all four years," Allen said. "They also kept this team together the last few weeks with their leadership. They will be missed a lot."