Holmen, WI The No. 3 Rangers rally past the No. 8 Vikings in a dramatic regular-season finale, claiming the Mississippi Valley Conference title outright and heading into the postseason unbeaten. The La Crosse Logan Rangers and Holmen Vikings delivered a memorable finish to the regular season Frida y night, with Logan escaping Empire Stadium with a 37-31 overtime victory over Holmen. The Rangers, ranked No. 3 in Division 3, improved to 9-0 overall and completed an unbeaten regular season. Holmen, ranked No. 8 in Division 2, fell to 7-2 after pushing one of the state’s top teams to the limit in a game that required extra time to decide. The result also settled the Mississippi Valley Conference championship race. Logan entered the contest with a chance to secure the outright title, while Holmen was looking to earn a share of the championship. The Rangers left no doubt about their place atop the conference, finishing league play undefeated. Holmen jumps out early Holmen set the tone in the opening quarter with a strong ground attack and a defense that made life difficult for Logan quarterback Thomas Check. The Vikings opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal from Brock Needham before Bennett Schild connected with Tay Parcher for a 27-yard touchdown. Holmen added another touchdown in the second quarter when John Faherty powered into the end zone from five yards out, giving the Vikings a 17-0 advantage. Logan answered late in the first half as Check found Bubba Leaver for a 12-yard touchdown. The Rangers attempted a two-point conversion but came up short, leaving Holmen with a 17-6 lead at halftime. Rangers rally as Vikings refuse to back down Logan began chipping away at the deficit in the third quarter. Jameson Degenhardt scored on a six-yard run, and the Rangers converted a two-point attempt to pull within 17-14. Holmen responded with a spectacular play of its own. Mason Mumaw-Flury broke free for a 36-yard touchdown run, extending the Vikings’ lead to 24-14. The back-and-forth battle continued into the fourth quarter. Logan running back Sam King scored on a three-yard touchdown run, and Check connected with Viktor Kravanja for a 29-yard touchdown to put the Rangers in front, 28-24. Holmen answered with a determined drive of its own. Schild finished the possession with a one-yard touchdown run, and Needham’s extra point restored the Vikings’ lead at 31-28. With time running out, Logan put together one final drive. After moving into scoring position, the Rangers faced fourth-and-goal from the Holmen 10-yard line. Nathaniel May calmly converted a 27-yard field goal to tie the game at 31-31 and force overtime. Check delivers the decisive strike in overtime With the game on the line, Logan won the overtime coin toss and elected to receive. The Rangers wasted little time taking advantage of the opportunity. Check connected with Charlie Zellner for a 21-yard touchdown, delivering the decisive score and completing Logan’s comeback from an early 17-point deficit. The Rangers secured the 37-31 victory and preserved their perfect record in a dramatic finish to the regular season   By the numbers Logan Rangers 37 9-0 overall Holmen Vikings 31 7-2 overall Team statistic Logan Holmen Total rushing yards 240 233 Passing yards 153 75 Total offensive yards 393 308 Passing touchdowns 3 1 Rushing touchdowns 2 3   Degenhardt led Logan’s rushing attack with 120 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Check contributed 104 rushing yards on 16 attempts while completing 11 of 18 passes for 153 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Kravanja led the Rangers with 73 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Zellner delivered the game-winning score in overtime. Holmen also produced an impressive rushing performance, finishing with 233 yards on the ground. Faherty led the Vikings with 86 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Mumaw-Flury added 73 rushing yards and a touchdown. Schild contributed a rushing score and threw for 75 yards, including the first-quarter touchdown to Parcher. Playoff picture comes into focus The victory caps a perfect regular season for Logan, which claims the Mississippi Valley Conference championship outright and heads into the postseason with considerable momentum. Holmen finishes the regular season at 7-2 after a hard-fought performance against one of the state’s highest-ranked Division 3 teams. Both teams now turn their attention to the WIAA football playoffs, where the stakes will rise and every game becomes a win-or-go-home test. The Level 1 playoff matchups for both Holmen and Logan will be announced Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 10 a.m. The Vikings and Rangers will learn their opening-round opponents as the postseason brackets are released, setting the stage for the next chapter of their respective seasons.   Top Photo Credit: Sarah Mumaw-Flury ...read more read less