WISCONSIN DELLS - Before the start of the season, Westfield varsity football head coach Andy Kohn boldly stated his team was playing for a playoff spot this season.

He's not the only one talking playoffs now.

The South Central Conference opener couldn't have gone much better for the now 4-1 Pioneers who spoiled homecoming in Wisconsin Dells for the defending co-conference champion Chiefs with a 29-20 victory at Wisconsin Dells High School on Friday night.

The Pioneers dominated the opening half but while they carried a 14-0 cushion into the break, they also came away short on two other trips into the red zone.

The Chiefs, who entered the game, coming off of a perfect 4-0 non-conference schedule, including a win at home against Division 1 Milwaukee Bradley a week ago, knew what they had to do in the second half and wrestled the momentum away from their guests early in the third quarter.

The first missed conversion of the night following an early fourth quarter score stood up as the difference as the Pioneers clung to a 21-20 lead.

But a safety, about five minutes later, followed by a 16-yard run to the end zone for Nick Grant, the third score of the night for the rugged junior running back, gave the Pioneers all of the breathing room they would need in an emotional win.

Kohn praised the effort of his team which bent, but never broke when the Chiefs scrapped their way back into the game in the second half.

"Our kids were relentless tonight so, that's the bottom line. They just didn't give up. We tried to stay level headed, stay focused, didn't want to get up too high or down too low," Kohn said.

The combination of Grant, and senior Kyle Szyperek, who has enjoyed some of the biggest games of his career against the Chiefs, seemed unstoppable on the night and their success opened up the passing game as well, which was the game plan going in, said Kohn.

"Offensively, we felt that if we could penetrate up inside, it would loosen some things up outside," Kohn said. "You know, we were able to keep them off balance a little bit and when it came down to crunch time I guess we just kind of lowered our heads."

Defensively, the Pioneers had nothing but respect for Dells' senior Kyle Theiler.

"We knew that quarterback was really tough, so the message was, ‘keep coming and stay on those receivers until the very end.' You just got to stay with them and stay with them and keep coming and they did a great job."

The Pioneers came away empty on its first offensive chance, unable to convert a fourth-and-one on the Dells 3-yard line in the game's fourth minute, but Grant finally got the guests on the board 25 seconds from the end of the opening period, carrying the ball the final two yards at the end of a nice drive.

It seemed the 7-0 lead would go into the locker room with the Pioneers who missed on another fourth-down attempt, this time fourth-and-seven at the Dells' 12 with 1:22 to play in the half.

But Aaron Strauss gave them yet another chance when he picked off a Theiler pass near midfield and ran it back to the Dells' 22-yard line with 37 seconds to go. Grant scored his second, from 1-yard out with seven ticks on the clock.

The Chiefs got a couple of breaks early in the second half, including a run from near midfield to the Pioneer 1-yard line, which one play later turned into the first Dells score of the game.

The Pioneers appeared to have responded, scoring on its next drive, Szyperek carrying it the final yard, but that 14 point cushion lasted just 12 seconds.

That's how long it took Theiler to run the ensuing kickoff back 85 yards for a touchdown.

Another Dells score in the first minute of the final period - a pass from 17 yards out to Matt Snyder - had the Chiefs within a point when the extra point failed.

That gap was widened to three when Theiler was called for intentionally grounding the ball while in the end zone and the Pioneers awarded a safety with just under seven minutes to go.

WESTFIELD 29, WISCONSIN DELLS 20

Westfield 7 7 7 8 - 29

Wisconsin Dells 0 0 14 6 - 20

Westfield- Grant 2 run 8 run (Mills kick)

Westfield- Grant 1 run (Mills kick)

Wisconsin Dells - Batchelor 1 run (Navarro kick)

Westfield - Szyperek 1 run (Mills kick)

Wisconsin Dells - Theiler 85 kick return (Navarro kick)

Wisconsin Dells -Theiler 17 pass to Snyder (kick failed)

Westfield - Safety - Intentional grounding

Westfield - Grant 16 run (kick failed)

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs - W 11, WD 4. Rushes-Yards - W 52-286, WD 17-74. Passing yards - W 75, WD 63. Passes (Att-Comp-Int) - W 11-6-0, WD 20-7-1. Fumbles-lost - W 0-0, WD 0-0. Penalties-yards - W 5-40, WD 5-40.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Rushing: W - Szyperek 24-199; WD - Batchelor 10-32. Receiving: W - Schrank 1-30; WD - Snyder 2-42.