ASHWAUBENON – It wasn’t too hard to find Axzil Eggert amid all the celebration.
The talented Freedom junior running back was circled by media following his team’s 35-6 victory over Little Chute in a WIAA Division 4 state semifinal football game Nov. 13 at Goelz Field.
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Not that there’s anything wrong with being a media darling, especially after another powerful performance from the rugged Eggert.
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound Eggert scored four touchdowns and had an interception on defense in a stellar performance that helps catapult the Irish to the state title game for the first time in school history.
Freedom (13-0) plays Lake Mills (12-1) in the D4 championship game Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.
“It’s awesome. We didn’t want the season to end,” Eggert said. “We earned one more week and we’re going to come out at Camp Randall swinging and bring home that gold ball.
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“It’s surreal. You see everybody rushing the field … it means the most to us.”
Eggert totaled 116 yards rushing and scored on runs of 2, 1 and 3 yards. His 30-yard touchdown reception off a screen pass early in the fourth quarter with the score 21-6 shut the door on any comeback attempt by Little Chute (11-2) as Eggert totaled 184 all-purpose yards.
More: Freedom keeps rolling, topples rival Little Chute to earn first state trip
Henry Van Asten also scored on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Owen Henkel, who finished with 137 yards passing and two scores.
The Freedom defense was superb, holding the Mustangs to 144 yards of total offense and forcing four turnovers.
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Freedom coach Charlie Jadin, an Irish alum and former quarterback, said the Irish are playing at a high level at the right time in the season.
“We talk about it, that we want to be peaking at the right time,” Jadin said. “It feels like we’re in that spot where we continue to get better. But we know when we turn the tape on, there’s going to be plenty more to work on.”
Freedom senior lineman Cody Scheibe agreed.
“I say every single week that we got to improve and we have to be at our absolute best for the next week,” Scheibe said. “That’s our ultimate goal all season.”
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Hilbert had five turnovers and missed a field goal as Iowa-Grant rolled to a 36-0 semifinal victory in Oconomowoc and a spot in the Division 7 state championship game.
Iowa-Grant improves to 11-2 overall and will play River Ridge (12-1) in the title game Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. at Camp Randall Stadium. Hilbert finishes the season with a 9-4 record.
The Panthers scored the game’s first touchdown in the opening quarter when Hayden Aultman picked up a fumble and returned it 11 yards for a score. Hilbert trailed 12-0 at halftime and then fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, with Iowa-Grant recovering at the 27-yard line. That led to a 2-yard touchdown run by quarterback Brock Hinderman to make it 18-0.
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After Hilbert threw an interception later in the third quarter, Hinderman threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ty Cutts to make it 24-0 after three quarters. Another interception led to a 10-yard touchdown pass from Hinderman to Cutts and the third interception of the game led to the final touchdown of the game for Iowa-Grant.
At Camp Randall Stadium, Madison
Thursday, Nov. 19
Division 7 – River Ridge (12-1) vs. Iowa-Grant (11-2), 10 a.m.
Division 6 – Mondovi (12-1) vs. Lomira (13-0), 1 p.m.
Division 5 – Darlington (13-0) vs. New Glarus (12-1), 4 p.m.
Division 4 – Freedom (13-0) vs. Lake Mills (12-1), 7 p.m.
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Friday, Nov. 20
Division 3 – Pewaukee (13-0) vs. Port Washington (13-0), 10 a.m.
Division 2 – Green Bay Notre Dame (13-0) vs. Monona Grove (12-1), 1 p.m.
Division 1 – Sussex Hamilton (13-0) vs. West De Pere (13-0), 4 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Eggert’s four touchdowns power Freedom to first WIAA state football berth
