Mondovi challenges top-seeded Abbotsford, but comes up short to end 2015 season
by Beth Kraft
The Mondovi football team battled back from a 23-8 deficit going into the fourth quarter to nearly unseat top-ranked Abbotsford in their Level 1 playoff game on Friday night, Oct. 23, but the No. 8 Buffaloes’ comeback bid fell short, 30-28.
Mondovi claimed an 8-0 lead in the first quarter on a one-yard run by senior Sawyer Hayes followed by a successful two-point conversion play on a toss from senior Blake Purdy to Garrett Kees. But Abbotsford responded with two touchdowns in the second quarter, carrying a 13-8 lead into halftime, following by a third-quarter score and another touchdown early in the fourth for what seemed like a comfortable 23-8 lead.
But the Buffaloes had other plans and came thundering back to tally three touchdowns in the final period, giving host Abbotsford a scare.
The scoring started at the 9:11 mark on a long pass from Purdy to Boe Olson for the 66-yard score followed by the extra two points on a pass from Dustin Dziekan to Purdy.
Abbotsford interrupted Mondovi’s scoring drive with its second touchdown of the final period at the 1:44 mark to push their lead to 30-16, but Mondovi made the most of the waning seconds.
First Purdy hit Austin Fedie for a 60-yard score with 1:28 remaining, then Hayes caught a 30-yard pass from Purdy for another Mondovi touchdown exactly one minute later. The Buffaloes couldn’t get their extra point tries to go on those final two scores, and those lost points proved costly.
Mondovi also struggled to contain Abbotsford’s offensive drive on the ground, giving up a total of 304 yards rushing with two players running for 100+ yards. However, the Buffaloes countered with 325 yards of total offense, including 186 passing yards on five completions between Purdy and Dziekan.
Fedie led Mondovi on the ground with 44 yards on 12 carries and also caught two passes for 69 yards. Hayes ran for 43 yards and a touchdown and recorded the Buffaloes’ final points of the season on a catch.
The Buffaloes close out their 2015 season at 4-6 overall and finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Dunn-St Croix Conference with a 4-2 record.
