In a Mississippi Valley Conference football season where anything can happen at any time, Friday’s game between Tomah and Onalaska fit the pattern.

Right up until the improbable final 11 seconds.

Onalaska survived a missed field goal attempt on the final play and emerged with a wild 30-28 victory over the Timberwolves at Onalaska High School.

The loss dropped Tomah’s MVC record to 2-2 and made the Timberwolves’ path to the WIAA playoffs considerably more difficult. Tomah faces a La Crosse Aquinas team Friday that has smoked its last two opponents by a combined 92-7 score.

The Hilltoppers appeared to ready to put the game away after stuffing a Tomah 4th-and-1 attempt at the Onalaska 26-yard line with three minutes left. Onalaska pushed the ball to midfield and faced a 4th-and-2 at midfield with 11 seconds remaining.

Onalaska elected to punt, a decision that nearly proved disastrous when Amadeus Gandy burst through and blocked the kick. Willy Nicksic was almost able to scoop up the loose ball, but he was hit from behind, and the ball rolled out of bounds at the 25 with three seconds left.

Tomah coach Brad Plueger elected to try a game-winning field goal from 42 yards, but the snap was high, and Clayton Barrix’s low, rushed kick was partially blocked to end the game.

The Timberwolves led, 21-17, at halftime and appeared to be in control early in the second half. T.J. Hove returned the opening kickoff of the second half 60 yards to the Onalaska 36, and Tomah launched a 6-play drive capped by tailback Joel Sweeney’s 11-yard sweep around the left end. Barrix added the extra point to give Tomah a 28-17 lead with 9:22 left in the third quarter.

Key turnover

Onalaska’s next possession was a three-and-out, but the Hilltoppers got a huge break when they recovered a muffed punt. It took just two plays for Onalaska to drive 20 yards and get right back into the contest.

Tomah’s offense still generated six first downs over the final 18 minutes, but the Hilltoppers did an effective job of keeping the Timberwolves from busting any big plays. During that span, Tomah’s longest play from scrimmage was 14 yards.

Turnovers led to scores for both teams in the first half. A fumble on Tomah’s first possession set up Onalaska’s first touchdown, but Tomah came right back with an 11-yard touchdown run by fullback Ross Lynch to tie the game at 7-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, Josh Von Haden levelled Onalaska returner Drew Markworth, and Dustin Burkwalt fell on the loose ball at the Onalaska 20. Four plays later, Tomah quarterback Tyler Von Haden threw his first touchdown pass as a varsity quarterback to wide receiver Rhett Monroe on a 21-yard strike.