Menasha kept Superior’s potent offense from getting untracked for the first three quarters of Saturday’s Wisconsin Division 2 state tournament quarterfinal before holding on for a 28-14 victory over the Spartans at D.C. Everest High School in Schofield, Wis.
The top-seeded Bluejays (12-0) earned a berth in Friday’s semifinals against Homestead with the win. Superior’s season, its best since winning a Division 1 state title in 1990, ended 11-1.
Menasha quarterback Tyler Johnson rushed for 253 yards on 28 carries and scored two touchdowns, including a 44-yarder midway in the first quarter that gave the Bluejays a 7-0 lead. They built on that advantage as Branen Gordon ran in from 25 yards out just before halftime and Matt Rohde scored from the 7 late in the third quarter.
Superior didn’t score until Ross Kennelly’s 25-yard run came with 11:32 left in the fourth. Kennelly led the Spartans with 40 yards rushing on nine carries, but the defense couldn’t stop the Bluejays’ running game. Johnson added a 4-yard TD run midway through the fourth to render Nick Mehlum’s 3-yard TD pass to Jake Libal meaningless.
Mehlum, an All-State candidate, was 17-for-36 for 214 yards and three interceptions. Libal, his top threat during the season, had seven grabs for 81 yards. Grant Hanson added four catches for 63 yards and Mitch Anderson caught all four passes thrown to him for 48 yards.
Johnson only attempted eight passes, completing three, as the Bluejays kept the ball on the ground. Menasha totaled 477 yards rushing on 53 attempts for a 9.0 yard-per-carry average.
Superior 0-0-0-14-14
Menasha 7-7-7-7-28
M - Tyler Johnson 44 run (Taylor Conley kick)
M - Branen Godeon 25 run (Conley kick)
M - Matt Rohde 7 run (Conley kick)
S - Ross Kennelly 25 run (Mckenzie Schwarz kick)
M - Johnson 4 run (Conley kick)
S - Jake Libal 3 pass from Nick Mehlum (Schwarz kick)
