Polar Bears home opener against Pulaski

HORTONVILLE- The Hortonville Polar Bears (1-1) took on the Pulaski Red Raiders (2-0) in the home opener at Akin Field on Aug. 28.

Pulaski took the lead in the second quarter, as running back Anthony Ficarri pushed his way across the goal line to give the Red Raiders a 7-0 lead.

The Polar Bears cut into the Pulaski lead on the ensuing drive when quarterback AJ Pheifer threw a pass over the middle of the field to Grayson Rankin for a 31-yard touchdown, making the deficit 7-6.

On Hortonville’s next drive, Pheifer found Rankin deep for a 49-yard pass, setting the Polar Bears up at the Pulaski three-yard line. An offensive pass interference penalty pushed the Polar Bears back, but they still put points on the board with a 33-yard field goal by Solomon Behnke to take a 9-7 lead at halftime.

Pulaski regained the lead in the second half after forcing the Polar Bears to turn the ball over on downs and drove to the Hortonville 24-yard line as Ficarri scampered to the end zone for his second touchdown run of the game, putting the Red Raiders up 14-9.

With a little over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Hortonville tried to put a drive together, but an interception put an end to a potential game-winning drive.

Pulaski went up 21-9 with a 12-yard touchdown run that gave them a commanding lead with a minute and a half remaining.

The Polar Bears would score a touchdown with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Pheifer to Evan Hooks to make the deficit 21-16 with only 12 seconds remaining.

An onside kick did not bounce Hortonville’s way as Pulaski recovered the ball and iced the game.

Pheifer passed for 288 yards and two touchdowns as Hortonville went to 1-1 on the season.