FREEDOM — Like the 10 teams before them, the Warriors had few answers for the top-ranked Irish.

Lakeside Lutheran's fourth-seeded football team lost to top-seeded Freedom 42-0 in a WIAA Division 4 Level 2 game on Friday.

"After the game, I shared how proud I am first and foremost of the way this team turned around its record (2-7) from last year," Lakeside Lutheran football coach Dennis Leckwee said. "Our senior leadership has been phenomenal. Guys have boughten into the culture of playing fast and physical.

"This loss is obviously heartbreaking, but our kids played tough. Freedom played faster and more physically than we did. You just have to tip your hat to them and acknowledge it's a better team."

The shorthanded Warriors, down senior wide receiver and defensive back Jack Thiele after a week nine injury and junior running back and linebacker Kiptyn Smillie who was suspended because of a targeting penalty in Level 1, knew they were the underdog against a Freedom team whose average margin of victory is 40 points. That included a 40-0 drubbing of Lake Mills in week one.

"I'm super proud of the way Henry Behl came in and played really well at middle linebacker," Leckwee said. "Joel Nass stepped in at outside linebacker and held his own too."

Lakeside (7-4) pieced together a nice drive on its first offensive series of the game, reaching the red zone where a non call on potential pass interference on a throw intended for junior Tyler Gerth stalled the possession.

Freedom (11-0), which ran for 133 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 181 yards and one touchdown, scored 22 points in the second quarter and added 20 points in the third quarter.

Irish junior quarterback Owen Henkel went 8-of-18 passing for 181 yards, throwing a touchdown to senior Aidan Aerts who made three grabs for 70 yards. Junior running back Axzil Eggert ran it 11 times for 124 yards, scoring three times and helping his team average 7.8 yards per carry. Junior Charlie Micke had an 85-yard kick return touchdown.

"We knew they wanted to run on the outside, but we had good adjustments," Leckwee said. "There were a few quick pitches we didn't have adjustments for. We relied on our safeties to come down and make plays. Freedom's wide receivers did a good job blocking and we couldn't make tackles on it.

"We were asking our defensive backs to step up and play man coverage so we could hold down the run. With the exception of a few throws, we did that well. Missed tackles hurt us, leading to big yardage, and their line caused our line fits in terms of getting movement."

Lakeside had several chances offensively but could not capitalize.

"Freedom has big dudes up front who we struggled with getting bodies on and moving them out of there," Leckwee said. "We had a few passing opportunities and playing a good team, you can't have dropped passes.

"Oliver Povich had a couple he overthrew, including throws where Will Bode and Gerth had a step on their defenders. We knew Freedom would be aggressive and play heavy up front. In the first half we struggled with protection, but we cleaned that up in the second half."

Leckwee will miss the team's 11-player senior class, which he credited for its leadership and character.

"What an amazing group of kids who were truly an honor for me to coach," Leckwee said. "The seniors weren't the most vocal all the time on the field, but they led by example. They are an amazing example of young Christian men.

"The seniors knew how to have fun, but they were always all business on the football field. They set a great example for our younger kids to see the seniors' phenomenal work ethic, attitude and that they can have fun yet still play football at a high level. Collectively this team, not just the seniors, were a great group that set the standard of 'this is what we can do.'"

The Warriors hope these two playoff games, competing in that atmosphere, light a fire in the returnees to come back next season and push the envelope forward.

"Billy Gibson was the only guy with playoff experience before this year," Leckwee said. "We're hoping these two games give those younger guys an idea of what postseason football is about. We have a lot of rebuilding to do for next year, losing a lot of leadership and skill.

"It's a matter of having these guys prepared to get used to varsity speed. That was kind of the deal this year early on. We had some sophomores who got quality playing time this year whom we'll rely heavily on next year. We're excited about a lot of really good players coming up and hopeful this year's experiences bode well for next season."

Freedom hosts second-seeded Northwestern next week in Level 3.