NUIC Football Week 6 Recap

By Al ZIpsie

Week six was highlighted by a matchup with a pair of teams in Dakota and West Carroll who both came in 4-1.

And the clash lived up to its billing. Dakota got a 27-yard field goal from Neil Lentz, a sophomore with 21 seconds left to pull out the 10-8 victory.

Both touchdowns came on passes. The Indians took the 7-0 lead in the first quarter on Kyle Bordner's 37 yard TD pass to Brock Duncan. Lentz's PAT kick made it 7-0. West Carroll then took an 8-7 lead at the 8:20 mark of the fourth quarter. The Plattenberger twins of Kody to Kaleb hooked up for a 39 yard TD strike. The two-point conversion run by Kody gave the Thunder an 8-7 lead.

Dakota then drove late and it set up a game-winning field goal by Lentz. He had missed a 34-yard field goal with 2.3 seconds left before intermission.

West Carroll had intercepted a Indians pass and had the ball at Dakota's 29-yard line with 2:56 left in the game. The Dakota defense then came up big with a stop. With 2:26 left the Indians took over on their own 28-yard line down 8-7. Dakota quarterback Kyle Bordner then completed four straight passes. A five-yard run moved the ball to the ten-yard line with :27 left. Thunder timeouts tried to ice Lentz, but he split the uprights 27 yards out for the game-winner. Bordner finished the game 8 of 15 for 142 yards passing. Dakota's homecoming game drew a large crowd.

In other Northwest games, Lena-Winslow rolled on blasting Amboy 54-0. E/PC shutout Galena 40-0 and Forreston beat East Dubuque 40-7.

In the Upstate, Aquin defeated Orangeville 27-6. Bulldogs quarterback Jonah Diemer completed 19 of 30 passes for 271 yards and four touchdown passes. Stockton whipped A/FC 45-6 and Polo defeated River Ridge 29-8. Milledgeville had a 58-30 victory over Warren. The Warriors will not play the state's top-ranked Lena-Winslow in week seven. Instead, Lena-Winslow will play Mooseheart (4-2) in a non-conference game.

On Saturday Durand/Pecatonica put up a good effort falling 28-21 to Madison (who is 4-2) in a non-conference game. Du/Pec hopes for their first win as a Coop Friday at East Dubuque, who has one win.

Stateline Sports Hub. NUIC Rankings after week six.

1. Lena-Winslow. 6-0.
2. Forreston. 5-1.
3. Eastland/Pearl City. 4-2.
4. Dakota. 5-1.
5. West Carroll. 4-2.
6. Aquin. 5-1.
7. Milledgeville. 5-1.
8. Stockton. 4-2.
9. Polo. 4-2.
10. Orangeville. 3-3.
11. Amboy. 2-4.
12. East Dubuque 1-5.
13. River Ridge 2-4.
14. Ashton/Franklin Center. 2-4.
15. Durand/Pecatonica. 0-6.
16. Galena. 0-6.
17. Warren 0-6.