SPRING VALLEY — There were no lack of factors making it a big game, as Head Coach Ryan Kapping was celebrating the 100th win milestone, Spring Valley was playing its Homecoming game, it was Senior Night and the team was taking on local rival Elmwood/Plum City. The Cardinals came out of the gates amped up to win 24-0 and move to 7-0 Friday.

“We didn’t play our best, I didn’t think, at times, we didn’t execute well at times, but we found ways to make plays when we had to,” Kapping said.

Finding the end zone was Asher Turner twice, Trevor Forster and Caleb Bartko (on a pass from Cade Stasiek), but the story of the game was the defense. The shutout was the third produced by the Cardinal defense this year, as the defensive line blew up countless plays before they could get started.

“Just trying to play consistent, not give up big plays,” Kapping said. “So far we’ve minimized that. It’s going to be a real challenge next week with Boyceville, going up there. They have such big-play capability.”

Spring Valley also saw contributions in the secondary, with Stasiek and Elijah Haug snatching interceptions. Bartko tacked on a blocked punt that set Spring Valley up near the goal line.

The shutout was not just a credit to the defense, as the offense’s control of the ball allowed the defense to stay off the field for much of the game. In return, when the defense did take the field, they refused to let the momentum budge in EPC’s favor.

“Possessive football, sustained drives, it always makes it easier on the defensive side,” Kapping said. “It sort of wears the other team down if you can control the ball a little bit.”

After the game, it was announced Kapping won his 100th game as head coach for Spring Valley the previous week against Cadott, and he was greeted with a healthy dose of water dumped on his head.

“It just means that we’ve got a lot of great players, lot of great coaches that are part of this staff, great community support,” Kapping said. “It’s not just me, it’s all these people.”

With the game being Homecoming, Senior Night and a rivalry game all wrapped into one, Kapping knew EPC was going to play hard. Kapping said it was not his squad’s perfect performance, but they grinded it out when it mattered.

“You pick a Homecoming opponent, it’s a traditional rival, it’s seven miles down the road, that’s sort of what you want to have,” Kapping said. “We knew they were going to play hard… tough, gritty win.

At 7-0, Kapping said it’s a credit to the hard work the team has put in. With a dedicated senior class leading the way, the Cardinals have found themselves as one of Division 7’s best.

“We’re just trying to get better every week,” Kapping said. “They come to work every day.”

In the penultimate game of the season Friday against 7-0 Boyceville, the two will battle to clinch at least a share of the conference championship, but in all likelihood, the outright title. Kapping said it is going to take everything they have to get the road win, and they will need to improve every day all the way up to gameday.

“We gotta get better. We gotta get a lot better,” Kapping said. “Boyceville is the defending conference champion for a reason.”

For EPC, Head Coach Mike Birtzer liked the effort he saw from the team despite the loss.

“Just a lot of effort,” Birtzer said. “We were down, I believe at the start of the game, six kids that played on Friday night last week against Turtle Lake. So, we came into the game very short-handed, our kids gave an unbelievable effort and I wish our execution would have been a little bit better. We missed a couple of tackles that got them touchdowns, otherwise this would have been a two-score game.”

Now at 1-6, Birtzer is looking for the team to find a way to close out with some wins.

“Effort, I want to see them keep working,” Birtzer said. “They’re an unbelievable group of kids that I enjoy being around, and I’d like to see them have some success toward the end of the year.”