Taft downs Prosser to get into playoffs

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:18PM

Shortly after Taft arrived at Lane Stadium, Paul Masnica heard the news that

Schurz upset Clemente earlier in the day at Hanson Stadium.

All the Eagles needed to do to make the state playoffs for the second

consecutive season for the first time in program history was beat Prosser.

That proved to be difficult, but the Eagles earned a 27-12 victory to finish

the regular season alone in second place in the Big Shoulders. Senn captured

the conference championship. Only top two teams in the league advance to the

state playoffs.

"Feels great to make a little history," said Masnica, a junior linebacker.

"We are going to have fun with it."

Masnica's first career interception helped the Eagles (7-2, 5-2) secure the

win.

Ahead 13-12, Taft watched as Prosser marched down the field from its own

1-yard line. The Falcons got as close as the 6, but a holding penalty and a

sack by Eric Zalewski pushed them back to the 25. Masnica then stepped in

front of Darryl Porter's pass and ran the ball to Taft's own 46.

On the fifth play of the series and on third-and-10, Mike Shewchuk found

Michael Calabrese alone for a 15-yard touchdown pass to put Taft up 20-12

with 4:58 to go in the game.

"That play really turned the momentum," Masnica said of his interception.

"It got us back on our way."

The Eagles then forced their fifth turnover of the game, and Shewchuk later

threw an 11-yard scoring pass to Doug Manis for the final difference.

DeMichael Brown ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter to stake the

Falcons (3-6, 3-4) to a 12-0 advantage. Both two-point tries failed.

Shewchuk ran for two touchdowns in the second quarter and one Piotr Lagowski

kick gave Taft a 13-12 edge going into the half.

Taft finished 8-2 last season, losing 46-0 to Proviso West in the first

round of the Class 8A playoffs.

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