ONALASKA, Wis. — Holmen turned a close Mississippi Valley Conference matchup into a fourth-quarter victory Friday night, defeating the Onalaska Hilltoppers 30-20 at Onalaska High School. The win moved the Vikings to 3-0, while Onalaska fell to 1-2. The Vikings built their lead with a balanced r ushing attack and timely big plays, while the Hilltoppers continued to fight back throughout the night. Holmen’s final touchdown came on a 40-yard run by Landon Barg, and Onalaska answered with a late scoring drive before Holmen closed out the victory. Big plays lift Vikings Holmen struck first when Bennett Schild connected with Tay Parcher for a 7-yard touchdown. Onalaska answered with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Wylder Burch to Tyler Kowal, but the Vikings regained the lead when Grayson Andel scored on a 2-yard run. Schild then added a 4-yard touchdown run, giving Holmen a 16-13 halftime advantage. The Vikings extended their lead in the third quarter when Parcher broke free for a 48-yard touchdown run. Barg added a 40-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and Holmen’s defense held Onalaska to a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery. Barg, Parcher lead Holmen ground game Barg led the Vikings with 73 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. Parcher added 68 yards and a touchdown on five carries, while Schild finished with 56 yards and a touchdown on 20 attempts. John Faherty contributed 54 rushing yards on nine carries. Schild also completed his only pass attempt for 7 yards and a touchdown. Parcher was the recipient of that score. Onalaska’s offense was led by Burch, who completed 12 of 26 passes for 160 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Kowal caught two passes for 69 yards and a touchdown, while Kaeson Stettler rushed for 84 yards on 12 carries. Fourth-quarter finish Onalaska’s final touchdown came when Burch scored on a 2-yard run, but the Hilltoppers could not complete the comeback. Holmen’s defense forced a turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter, and the Vikings ran out the clock to secure the victory. Final score Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final Holmen Vikings 8 8 7 7 30 Onalaska Hilltoppers 6 7 0 7 20 Next up — Sept. 11 Holmen Vikings: The Vikings travel to Sparta for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Spartans. Onalaska Hilltoppers: The Hilltoppers travel to Reedsburg for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Beavers. ...read more read less