By Josh Staloch
Sports Editor
MADISON – A historic trip to the WIAA Division 4 State Championship round for the Luxemburg-Casco High football ended with a 38-14 loss to Lodi on Thursday at Camp Randall.
The Spartans, playing for a state title for the first time in school history, ran up against a high-powered Lodi offense that would post 488 yards of total offense for the evening, including a reception on the game's first play from scrimmage that went for more than 60 yards and a touchdown.
And, while the Spartans were able to shine at times throughout the game, they were unable to overcome Lodi’s big plays on offense coupled with a harassing brand of defense.
Still, the experience, according to L-C Head Coach Neil Seering, was an invaluable one, one that no team in the history of the Luxemburg-Casco High football program has achieved.
“Towards the end of the game, I had them look out at the crowd and I told them, ‘This is what you guys did. This is an amazing feeling you guys have brought to our communities’. The support…the parents, the grandparents. I’m just blessed that my parents are alive to see this, my coach from high school, my family. I never thought I’d see that day.”
After falling behind 14-0 after the first quarter, the Spartans began the second with a methodical drive down the field.
On a fourth-and-two play in Blue Devils’ territory, quarterback Max Ronsman ran for a nice 15-yard gain to move the chains, setting up a run into the end zone from two yards out by Andrew Klass to make it 14-7 following the Trace Schoenebeck extra point.
Lodi would score again on its next possession and set L-C up on its own 26 for its next drive.
On second-and-10, Ronsman made a tremendous play under pressure to deliver a pass to Schoenebeck for a 16-yard gain.
On the next play, Klass took a direct snap and clobbered his way upfield 58 yards to dramatically score what would be L-C’s final touchdown of a very special 2023 campaign.
“Lodi’s a great team. They were the best team tonight and they deserved to win,” coach Seering said after the game. “But these guys made history. I wouldn’t want to coach anyone else. I’m proud of our community here for supporting us. It’s been a crazy, chaotic week but I love these guys and that will never change, no matter if we had won or lost."
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