Wildcats fall short in bid for playoffs

• Wildcat football

Wildcat wide receiver Brad Freeborn fights for extra yardage after catching apass along the sideline in the Cats' 46-35 loss to Rice Lake Friday, Oct. 12. Steve Dzubay photo

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Rice Lake scored three fourth quarter touchdowns to beat River Falls, 46-35, and spoil the Wildcats’ opportunity to make the playoffs in the final game of the regular season Friday night, Oct. 12, in Rice Lake.

The Wildcats led 21-20 at halftime thanks to a pair of touchdown runs by Alex Call and a 17-yard touchdown pass from Call to Brad Freeborn.

Rice Lake scored the only touchdown of the third quarter and extended its lead to 39-21 with two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter. Eric Wunrow caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Call, and after a failed two-point conversion the Cats trailed 39-27.

Rice Lake went up 46-27 on its next drive before Call hit Freeborn for a 60-yard touchdown pass with just under three minutes remaining, then found Wunrow for the two-point conversion, to make the final 46-35.

River Falls finished the season with a record of 3-4 in Big Rivers Conference play, 4-4 overall, while Rice Lake clinched a playoff spot with a mark of 4-3 in the BRC, 5-3 overall.

See the Oct. 18 print edition of the River Falls Journal for more on the game.

Tags: sports, news, wildcats, football, prep