The Luxemburg-Casco Spartans kept their playoff hopes alive by hanging on to a 16-14 home win over Fox Valley Lutheran in North Eastern Conference football action on 96.7 WBDK. 

 

The Spartans scored two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter to take a 16-0 lead before a desperate comeback by the Foxes fell short in the final minute.

 

After a scoreless first half that saw L-C unable to take advantage of three red zone possessions, George Herlache connected on a 20-yard field goal with 2:40 left in the third quarter to give the Spartans a 3-0 lead.

 

Linebacker Braden Schley came up huge in the fourth quarter with two interceptions within :15 seconds of each other.  First, Schley returned an interception 40 yards on a pick-six with 10:58 left in the game.  He then set up a six-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Brayden Loritz on a similar interception near midfield and returned it to the 40-yard line of Fox Valley Lutheran. 

 

The Spartans missed the extra point after the second score, leaving it a two-possession game with 6:29 left in the game.  Fox Valley Lutheran got back into the game quickly with a six-yard touchdown pass and a 39-yard strike from Lucas Papendorf to Zach Johnson with 1:41 left in the game. 

 

The Foxes converted on the first two-point conversion on a deflected pass to make it 16-8, but the second attempt failed after a pass into the end zone was battled around before falling incomplete. 

 

With the score 16-14, the Spartans would recover the ensuing onside kick and run the clock down to just :26 seconds before punting the ball back to the Foxes on their own 28-yard line.

 

Chris VanderWielen then sealed the game for L-C with a forced fumble when he sacked Papendorf, and Ezra Waege recovered the ball. 

 

Luxemburg-Casco (3-3, 5-3 overall) can secure a WIAA playoff berth with a win over Wrightstown next Friday on Senior Night in Luxemburg.  The game will be broadcast on 96.7 WBDK and streamed on NewRadioSportsNetwork.com. 

(photo courtesy of Ron LeCloux)