RLO football is on the verge of a playoff berth

Qualifying for the playoffs was one of the goals for the Random Lake/Ozaukee co-op football team this season, and that objective is within reach after a defensive battle at Howards Grove last Thursday.

The RLO Bison beat the Tigers, 14-8, to go to 4-3 on the season with their remaining games against winless Mishicot and 4-3 Hilbert.

The Bison’s defense shut out the Tigers, with Howards Grove’s only touchdown coming on a kickoff return. They held them to minus-eight yards rushing and 57 yards passing.

“I don’t think they had positive yardage in the second half,” coach Cole Large said.

Linebacker Cooper Arndt had 10 tackles, including one of eight by eight different players for a loss of yards, along with one of four sacks by four different players. He also made an interception.

“Cooper had his best game at linebacker for sure,” Large said.

Jeffrey Stefanich and Murphy Brown each forced a fumble, and Otto Schmitz recovered one. Stefanich had nine tackles, including seven solo, and Dybul had eight.

Large also praised defensive backs Owen Uselding, Jake Delleree and Jaxon Crawford for their work in coverage and moving up to help with run defense.

Stefanich, after being held to no completions against Cedar Grove-Belgium on Sept. 25, went 9-for-17 passing for 93 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran 18 times for 90 yards.

Dybul ran 22 times for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Arndt caught five passes for 44 yards and a touchdown, and Crawford caught four for 49 yards.

Large would have liked to have seen more points.

“When we’re able to play that well on defense, we should be able to play better on offense,” he said.

The Bison scored on the game’s opening drive, then gave up their only touchdown on the ensuing kickoff. The game was tied at 8 at halftime.

“It took us a while to get going. They were bringing some pressures and we weren’t picking them up well. We made a lot of sloppy mistakes in the first half,” Large said.

Late in the game, the Tigers held the Bison to a two-yard gain on fourth and goal from the 3-yard line. They only had seconds to go 99 yards to tie or win, and the Bison didn’t let it happen.

While rains soaked the Ozaukee County area on Thursday, Large said the field at Howards Grove was slick but the sky was dry.

The Bison, 2-3 in the Big East, return to Friday games by hosting Mishicot in their final home game of the season on Oct. 9.