BERLIN — The West Salem High School football team had an impressive season, but impressive victories were hard to find.
That’s how the Panthers became a sixth seed in the WIAA Division 4 bracket and had to travel more than two hours despite losing just two regular-season games.
Well, West Salem doesn’t lack that quality victory anymore after beating third-seeded Berlin 48-20 in a WIAA first-round playoff game on Friday.
The Panthers (8-2) earned the chance to play at second-seeded Little Chute (9-1) on Oct. 31 after holding the Indians (8-2) to less than half of their scoring average (47.6 points per game) and one second-half touchdown.
Junior quarterback Drew McConkey completed 6 of 10 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns and rushed six times for 67 yards and another score as Panthers ran its streak of first-round wins to five years in a row.
The Panthers stopped Berlin’s winning streak at eight games and denied it a second straight season with a postseason win.
Junior Lucas Fry carried 14 times for a team-high 95 yards and scored two touchdowns, while sophomore Kaden Langrehr added 117 yards and two touchdowns on just nine attempts.
Junior Jameson Skifton caught both of McConkey’s scoring passes and finished with four receptions for 74 yards. He has caught six touchdown passes this season.
The Panthers finished with 409 total yards, and Fry and senior Bennett Fennigkoh each had an interception.
