Bluejays lose thriller in Hurley, still qualify for postseason

The Three Lakes-Phelps varsity football team played a first-place team, undefeated in the Northwoods-East Conference, on the road last week and lost… barely. In what was one of the most exciting games of the season, the Bluejays jumped to a first-quarter lead and gave the Hurley Northstars a serious run for their money, only to fall 26-22 as time simply ran out for a heroic win opportunity. The Bluejays held their heads high after the Friday game, and then again on Saturday when the WIAA included the team in its 2026 football tournament schedule, which starts later this week.

Unlike most high school sports in Wisconsin, football playoff spots are not automatic, and while the team had some sparkling moments this season, they also took a couple of difficult losses and their participation in the postseason was not guaranteed. In the end, the Jays ended up grabbing the eighth seed in a tournament bracket that puts them on the road against a number one-seeded Laona-Wabeno team this Saturday, Oct. 17.

The Rebels had a 9-1 overall regular season record, while the Bluejays were 5-4.

Head Coach Pat George said after the WIAA brackets were announced that the location and specific opponent are beyond his control, but says that he is glad that his team made the cut.

“It’s the postseason, and I like that we are still playing,” he said. “That’s what counts for this team. Our guys worked hard all season, and deserve this opportunity. There is a different feel to the playoffs, and we know that if properly prepared, we can be competitive with the better schools in the league.”

His team proved the point at Hurley, where the game last week started nicely for the visiting Bluejays. The Jays received the opening kickoff and ran a series of Jack Westfall runs and short pass attempts by quarterback Sam Koshuta. Then Owen Liebscher, on his first carry, ran the ball 15 yards to the Northstars 19-yard line for a first down. On the next play, Koshuta broke through several defenders and sprinted his way to a 19-yard touchdown run. After the score, Koshuta hit Garrett Mandli for a 2-point conversion giving the Bluejays an 8-0 lead just three minutes into the game.

A series of Bluejay turnovers and solid running by Hurley, however, led to the Northstars taking an 18-8 lead at halftime. The lead was extended to 26-8 when, during the first possession of the second half, the Northstars stuck with the ground game and used up a large chunk of minutes to score again. This left the Bluejays in a position of being down by 18 points with about 18 minutes left in the game.

The Jays would go on to score the next 14 points to bring the game within four points. During this time, Liebscher intercepted a Northstars pass and returned it 40 yards; Koshuta hit Westfall for a long 35-yard pass; and Koshuta scored the final two touchdowns on running plays. His last score occurred with 5:22 left on the clock. Unfortunately, the Bluejays never had a chance to touch the football again, as Hurley ran the clock out before taking a knee on the final play.

“This was a great game to watch,” Coach George said after the loss. “Even the officials said the Bluejays gave Hurley their biggest challenge of the season. We definitely put them in an uncomfortable position and made them earn every yard. I am proud of our boys and the fact that we always fight until the end. Rich (assistant coach Martin) did a great job calling the game and stats were pretty even across the board. While I always prefer a win, this was a really good team effort.”

George called out the fine defensive efforts of Bentley Bills, Zach Weavers, Westfall and Koshuta. Combined, the foursome had more than 60 tackles on the stat sheet, while Liebscher added six tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery. The coach said of Liebscher and the team, “We have a lot of skilled players who give it their all, but we wouldn’t be where we are without Owen. And now it’s time for all of us to watch some film and prepare to take the next step in the process.”

The Bluejays will travel to Wabeno this Saturday, October 17, to open the postseason. The game is set for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.