After every Wednesday practice this fall, Southview spent extra time preparing for rival Northview.
The preparation paid off Friday night with a 33-16 road win over the Wildcats in the battle of Sylvania.
Southview put together decisive drives of 67, 93, and 80 yards to break Northview's three-year winning streak in the series.
The Cougars improved to 8-2 overall and finished 5-2 in the Northern Lakes League with their fourth victory in a row.
“This is a great moment for this team,” Southview coach Steve Hardy said. “For these seniors, it was their first chance to get a win and we're happy to win the battle of Sylvania. We took five minutes every Wednesday after practice and focused on Northview. We think about it every day. It's part of our program. It's great to have a rivalry like that.”
Northview (4-6, 2-5 NLL) saw its playoff hopes all but disappear in front of a rollicking crowd of 5,500 as both stands were filled to the brim.
Southview marched 67 yards on 15 plays on its opening possession and grabbed the lead on a one-yard QB sneak by Will Mayzes. The Cougars then went for two and converted on a pass to take an 8-0 lead with 3:02 left in the first quarter.
The Cougars then executed an onside kick, and Ben Tucker recovered. It took the Cougars just four plays to score again, as Mayzes reached the end zone on a 27-yard QB draw up the middle to give Southview a 15-0 lead with 1:30 to go in the first quarter.
“We worked hard in the summer just so we could do things just like that,” said Mayzes, a sophomore who rushed for 76 yards and two TDs. “We've wanted it so bad from the beginning of two-a-days. It means everything. Growing up watching this game, it's really important to get a win for Southview and the seniors.”
Northview punter Alex Kasee boomed a 76-yard punt on the first play of the second quarter. Southview, however, put together an impressive 16-play, 93-yard drive to take a 23-0 lead. Isaac Sexton, who finished with 154 yards and two TDs, capped it with a four-yard run.
“We've lost three years in a row, so we knew it was going to be a challenge,” Sexton said. “We wanted to get the monkey off our backs. It feels great. We've worked all season for this game in particular.”
Northview got on the board after a 12-play, 63-yard drive. Quarterback Jacob Weimer connected with Jackson Clausius on a 12-yard pass play as Northview made it 23-6 with 36 seconds left in the second quarter.
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Northview's Connor Cody recovered a Southview fumble. The Wildcats settled for a 27-yard field goal by Kasee that pulled Northview within 14 points at 23-9.
Northview then forced a punt and nearly hit a big pass play on offense.
“It's tough,” Northview coach Greg Silm said. “We had too many missed opportunities and penalties. But Southview played a heck of a game. They did their thing. I know they were hungry.”
Southview put together yet another lengthy drive (80 yards on 15 plays) that ended in a 24-yard field goal by Logan Howe that gave the Cougars a 26-9 lead with 6:48 left.
“We moved the ball, and our focus was the offensive line in the run game and trying to move the ball methodically down the field,” Hardy said.
Northview responded with a 19-yard scoring pass from Weimer to Clasius to make it 26-16 with 2:48 left in regulation. But Sexton then broke off a 44-yard TD run to seal it as the Cougars took a 33-16 lead with 1:54 to go.
First Published October 22, 2022, 3:08 a.m.