The Madison Bulldog defense has statistically been one of the best in 8-Man football this season. The Bulldogs had allowed just nine points per game and had pitched six shutouts through their first 12 games this season. But while clinging to an 8-point lead late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s state championship game, the Bulldogs were faced with the difficult task of trying to keep Hill City quarterback Reggie Jordan from scoring his seventh touchdown of the day.
With just under a minute to go and Hill City facing a third-and-two from the Madison 10-yard line, Ringneck Coach Chris Shank called his star player’s number twice, and the Bulldog defense stopped him for no gain on third and fourth down to preserve a 52-44 victory and the school’s first state championship since 1984.
It was an exciting finish to a game that seemed like it was going to be anything but exciting early on.
Madison took the opening kickoff and methodically drove 67 yards in 13 plays taking a 6-0 lead on a Collin Kile 1-yard touchdown run at the 5:49 mark.
The Bulldogs quickly had the ball back after Jordan fumbled on Hill City’s second play from scrimmage. This time it took only 2:40 as Kile scored from 10 yards out to give Madison a 12-0 lead.
Hill City got on the board with an 8-play, 49-yard drive resulting in a 1-yard Jordan touchdown run to cut the lead to 12-6.
That’s when Madison got rolling.
Kile scored his third touchdown on a 1-yard score with 8:57 in the second quarter after another time consuming 9-play drive. After a Hill City three-and-out, the Bulldogs began to break big plays. The first was a 50-yard touchdown run by junior Kole Schankie, followed by Kile’s fourth touchdown, a 45-yarder, one play after the Bulldogs intercepted a Jordan pass. Madison finally was successful on a two-point conversion and led 32-6 at the 4:19 mark of the first half.
Hill City would cut the lead to 32-14 two plays later after Jordan broke free for a 48-yard score, but Schankie answered with a 36-yard touchdown of his own to make it 38-14.
Hill City would then recover a Madison onside kick and score right before halftime on Jordan’s third touchdown run to cut the lead to 38-22.
The Ringnecks opened the second half by driving to the 11-yard line, but Jordan was stopped on a fourth down carry. Madison would give the ball right back as Schankie fumbled on the first play, and Hill City converted on a 13-yard touchdown run at the 7:13 mark of the third quarter.
Despite still trailing by 10, Shank’s team seemed to seize the momentum, and the Ringneck defense came up with their only stop of the Bulldog offense in the game. Madison punter Kale Schankie had the snap sail over his head, but he regrouped and got the punt away to the Hill City 18 yard line.
The Ringnecks drove to the Madison 22-yard line, but Jordan was stopped on fourth down again and Madison took over to begin the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs drove 60 yards in six plays and scored on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Kile to Bubba Smith to take a 44-28 lead.
Jordan would bring Hill City back within eight; scoring his fifth touchdown of the game on a 17-yard run with 7:56 to play.
Madison took over on its own 15-yard line and Hill City’s Tyler Bess, quiet for much of the game on defense, threw Kile for a 5-yard loss on first down. Finally it appeared as if the Ringnecks were going to get the stop they needed. But on the very next play, Kile hit Kole Schankie on a 70-yard touchdown pass out of the backfield to give Madison a 52-36 lead after the two-point conversion.
Hill City would come back with Jordan’s sixth and final touchdown coming at the five minute mark to pull within 52-44.
The Ringnecks would then successfully recover an onside kick, convert a fourth down, and drive to the Madison 10-yard line before the Bulldogs stuffed Jordan on third and fourth down to preserve the victory.
Schankie led the Madison ground attack with 266 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, including 204 yards in the first half. He also had the key 70-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter from Collin Kile.
Kile finished with 93 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 12 attempts, while completing 2 of 3 passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bulldogs rushed for 387 yards on the day.
Jordan finished his stellar senior campaign with a 286-yard, 6-touchdown performance on 44 carries. For the season, Jordan rushed for 2,531 yards and 45 touchdowns giving him more than 5,000 rushing yards for his career. More importantly, he helped put Hill City football on the map by leading them to their first ever playoff appearance a year ago, and in this their 100th year of football, they finished just short of a state title.
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