DEERFIELD - Battling a downpour that severely limited its play calling and a Deerfield team looking to grab a share of the Trailways Large Conference title, Pardeeville's football team had its hands full.

Demons quarterback Michael Hommen found Tyler Brown for a pair of touchdowns that helped Deerfield take an early third-quarter lead, but Bulldogs running backs Pat Banks and Michael Knutson combined for four touchdowns to deliver Pardeeville its fourth consecutive conference championship with a 26-13 win Thursday night, in Deerfield.

"It feels amazing. I was part of one last year but I didn't really do much. But this year I'm glad I did a lot," Knutson said.

That's an understatement.

Knutson broke touchdown runs of 56 and 65 yards and finished with a game-high 126 yards on just three carries. His 65-yard score late in the fourth quarter sealed the game for the Bulldogs.

Knutson's effort complimented a 25 carry, 123-yard game for Banks - one of the area's leading rushers - who scored the go-ahead touchdown with 7 minutes, 12 seconds to go in the game to put Pardeeville (8-1, 7-0) on top for good.

"I've got to give it to the line, they blocked so wonderfully," Knutson said. "It just was them all the way.

As Mother Nature would have it, the game's pivotal play was a result of a fumble. Deerfield (6-3, 5-2) scored on its first drive of the second half and took a 13-6 lead when Hommen found Brown for an 18-yard scoring strike. The Demons looked to garner even more momentum when they forced Pardeeville to go three-and-out on its ensuing drive.

On the punt, however, Deerfield's returner fumbled the ball and Pardeeville recovered on the Demons' 40-yard line. Banks plunged into the end zone six plays later as the Bulldogs went on to score 20 unanswered points.

Pardeeville now waits to find out which team it will play in the WIAA playoffs, which begin Tuesday. The postseason brackets are expected to be released around noon today. Check portagedailyregister.com for the brackets once they are released.

The important part now for the Bulldogs is not letting history repeat itself. Pardeeville earned a No. 1 playoff seed last season but fell in its postseason opener.

Haynes said he believes this group will be up to the challenge.

"These kids have been a dream," said Pardeeville coach Mike Haynes, who was drenched with Gatorade after the win. "These guys have been unbelievable, they really have. It's been a lot of fun."

PARDEEVILLE 26, DEERFIELD 13

Pardeeville ............0 6 6 14 - 26

Deerfield ...............0 6 7 0 - 13

P  - Knutson 56 run (kick failed)

D - Brown 54 pass from Hommen (kick failed)

D - Brown 18 pass from Hommen (Maier kick)

P - Banks 5 run (kick failed)

P - Banks 6 run (Banks run)

P - Knutson 65 run (run failed)

TEAM STATS                   PA                   DE

First downs ...............14               7

Total Net Yards .........354             256

Rushes-yards ...........44-294        27-70

Passing ...................60              186

Comp-Att-Int ............6-9-1         8-16-0

Penalties-Yards .........1-5            5-65

Fumbles-Lost ............3-2            4-1

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: P - Knutson 3-126, Banks 25-123; D - Zickert 5-32. PASSING: P - Kath 6-9-1, 60. D - Hommen 8-15-0, 185. RECEIVING: P - Banks 2-30; D - T. Shaw 5-113.

kmorales@capitalnewspapers.com

745-3512