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WSN15: Football Top Moments #7 - Highest-scoring game in state history ends 84-82

12/05/2017, 8:23am CST
By Travis Wilson

The WSN15 series will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of WisSports.net by looking back at the top players, teams, and moments of the past 15 years (2003-2017). 

We begin our WSN15 series with the Top 15 Moments of the WSN Era.

Top 15 Moments: #7 - Highest-scoring game in state history ends 84-82

Wisconsin Lutheran traveled to Oconomowoc on Friday, September 27th, 2013 with first place in the Wisconsin LittleTen Conference on the line. It was a big game, with Oconomowoc unbeaten at the time while Wisconsin Lutheran had lost a pair of early non-league contests, but no one could have predicted what happened on that Autumn evening.

It began slowly, with the teams feeling each other out for most of the first quarter, before Oconomowoc got on the board with 2:12 left, followed by a Wisconsin Lutheran touchdown a minute later. The opening quarter ended with Wisco holding an 8-7 lead. It was just the beginning.

The teams combined for 56 points in the second quarter, as Wisconsin Lutheran led 36-35 at halftime.

The action did not slow down in the third quarter either. Both teams moved into the 50's in the third period, as the Twitterverse started to take notice around the state. Suddenly, what was a high-scoring game became something more.

With a combined 45 points in the fourth quarter, the 84-82 win for Oconomowoc shattered the previous state record for total points in a game. D.C. Everest's 70-63 win over Wisconsin Rapids in 1998 was the old mark, but the combined 166 points in this game exceeded it by five touchdowns.

Oconomowoc quarterback Canton Larson had a huge night, throwing for 295 yards and four touchdowns, rushing for 198 yards and four scores on the ground.

So, did his team's 84 points surprise Raccoons head coach Ryan McMillen?

"Honestly, we knew we could score more than what we had up to that point in the season," he said. "I don't know that I would ever have expected 84 to be on the scoreboard though."

The score was just 8-7 in favor of Wisconsin Lutheran after the first quarter, but it quickly became clear the final would be much higher.

"After the second quarter, as we answered with two big scores and went in to the half down by 1 and both teams were already in the 30's, I realized it could be a shootout."

So, how did Oconomowoc gain the upper hand?

"Nick Gomez's Pick-6 really put us in control in the second half," McMillen said. "It swung the possession count back in our favor. Our defense also got a stop late in the third and we were then up two possessions, and we just had to outlast them.

"We felt even if we traded 7's for 8's, we would win the game."

Not exactly the most common strategy you see at the end of football games, but it ended up working out for Oconomowoc as their onside-kick recovery with less than 30 seconds left sealed the deal.

So, despite allowing 82 points, 528 rushing yards, 9 rushing touchdowns, and 180 passing yards, Oconomowoc got the hard-earned "W" to stay unbeaten and in control of the Little Ten.

Along the way they made headlines in Wisconsin and nationally, rewrote the record book, and gave us a show we may not see again for years to come.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.

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