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Winona Cotter (4-2) hosted Plainview-Elgin-Millville (2-4) for their final section matchup of the season. The Ramblers also honored their seniors before their matchup against the Bulldogs. The Ramblers wanted to all but secure their chances at a home playoff game before their final week of regular season play. They would need to start off fast against PEM.
The Bulldogs won the toss and deferred to the second half. Cotter traveled 60-yards in seven plays on the opening drive, capitalized by a one-yard push from Wesley Troke for a 7-0 lead. A quick three-and-out gave the Ramblers the ball back at the 43-yard. Some ground and pound gave Macalister Nisbit an opportunity to find Rawson Sullivan on a 4-yard flat to extend the lead 13-0 to end the first period.
Nisbit found Owen Sauer on a 36-yard strike to get back into the redzone at the start of the quarter. The Bulldogs forced the Ramblers to go for it on fourth and goal at the two-yard line. Rawson Sullivan punched paydirt for another score. Nisbit connected on a pair of catches for Lewis Shira for 36-yards on the next drive. One of those catches was a 13-yard laser to extend the Ramblers lead 26-0 over the Bulldogs. Shira finished the half with an interception at the one-yard line to prevent the Bulldogs from scoring at the half.
The second half was a head scratcher for Cotter. The Bulldogs delivered a 73-yard drive on the opening possession, which included multiple fourth down conversions to put a touchdown on the board for the Bulldogs. Tucker Binner leaker to the outside for a 5-yard receiving touchdown. Sullivan fumbled on the next offensive possession for Cotter, giving the Bulldogs a short field to cut the deficit to 12. They would accomplish that feat with a 7-yard quarterback run from Kayden Kasten.
Heading into the fourth, the Ramblers need the momentum to swing back. With a 26-14 lead, the defense challenged the Bulldogs offense on their next drive, but they continued to drive. On third and seven at the Rambler 29-yard line, Sullivan rushed the edge for a nine-yard sack to set up a fourth and 18. The very next play, Sullivan picked off Jack Nielsen for 67-yard house call to finish off the Bulldogs 33-14.
The Ramblers will finish section play with a 4-2 record, but they are not done with the regular season yet. They will travel to St. Charles (1-6) on Tuesday, Oct. 20. They will look to finish the season on a high note, with a chance for home playoff game growing by the week.
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