By Jennifer Eisenbart
Sports Editor
It may be seven straight victories for the Southern Lakes Blue Devils, but it’s that seventh in the string that means the most.
The Blue Devils, taking on the Rock County Rage for the second time this year, avenged an earlier loss Saturday by downing the Rage 27-14 at Milton.
It was the first loss of the season for the Rage, who had beaten the Blue Devils 33-27 at Westosha Central High School June 22.
This time, the Blue Devils came out on top – and may have done more than prove a point. The Rage lost starting quarterback Dan Roberts to a shoulder injury late in the game.
With the Rage locked in as either the first or second seed in the Ironman Football League AFC playoffs, and the Blue Devils locked in as at least No. 2, Saturday’s game could have long-reaching implications.
The Blue Devils head to Elgin, Ill., to play the 4-4 Fox Valley Eagles Saturday at 7 p.m. If the Blue Devils win and the Rage lose, then points for and against start factoring into the equation, and the Blue Devils might have a shot at topping the AFC regular-season standings.
“It’s huge,” said coach Tom Hawkins. “It’s instrumental. Because they beat us earlier on in the season, and they’ve been undefeated since then, and they’ve been blowing everyone by 50 points.
“The fact we kept them to 14 points, and scored 27 on them, speaks volumes.”
The Blue Devils aren’t overlooking the Eagles, a team that beat the Jefferson Scorpions Saturday 24-0. But at the same time, Hawkins is working to get the first-round playoff home game scheduled for a site in Burlington, or worst-case scenario, at the team’s “home” site of Westosha.
Against the Rage Saturday, the scoring went back and forth through three quarters. Chris Horst kicked a 32-yard field goal to put the Blue Devils ahead 3-0, but the Rage responded with a touchdown.
The Blue Devils went ahead 10-7 at the half when quarterback Chris Calhoun connected with Ryan Oleson for a 40-yard touchdown pass.
On their second drive of the third quarter, the Rage scored again to go ahead 14-10, but the Blue Devils then reeled off the final 17 points of the game.
Horst kicked another field goal, this time 36 yards, and then Calhoun connected with Oleson for a 55-yard catch and run.
The final touchdown came from Joe Brooks on a 65-yard run.
The final weekend of IFL regular-season play is this weekend. In addition to the Blue Devils playing the Eagles, the Rage will host the Dane County Hawks (1-7).
The leaders in the NFC, the Milwaukee Hurricanes (7-1), will travel to the Rockford Raptors (0-9) to play at Harlem High School in Machesney Park, Ill.
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