LAKE MILLS — The L-Cats meant business from the jump, producing a dominant victory en route to the state quarterfinals.

Lake Mills' top-seeded football team extended its win streak to 10 games with a 42-7 victory over fifth-seeded Evansville in a WIAA Division 4 Level 2 game at L-Cat Stadium on Friday.

"We're feeling excited," senior wide receiver and free safety Jackson Roberts said. "I feel like in the last couple games, we came out slow. To come out really fast and hit them hard was good. We're hoping to keep the momentum going into next week.

"I'm excited to keep playing with the guys. I don't want this to come to an end ever really. Every week is a blessing that we are grateful for."

The L-Cats, a No. 1 seed for the first time in program history, earn the right to host a Level 3 game for the first time. That will come next Friday at 7 p.m. against third-seeded Delavan-Darien (9-2), which ousted second-seeded Edgewood 42-35.

"I'm excited to get to spend one more week with our guys and then hopefully get to spend another week after that," Lake Mills football coach Tyler Huber said. "We get to come back this weekend and watch film and prepare again. This is a special group with tremendous seniors. I love the heck out of them."

One of those seniors electrified on the opening kickoff. Blake Bohlman fielded the ball at the 18-yard line and got briefly bottled up at the 35 only to shed a pair of tackles, breaking free down the visiting sideline for a 76-yard return to the Evansville 16 that ended with a stiff arm after at least five defenders contacted him on the play.

"That was wonderful," Roberts said of a play that lasted 16 seconds. "That helped to bring the energy up right away and get us rolling. Blake refuses to go down, he's a beast."

Senior running back Kamden Tande-Habich had a two-yard run on fourth-and-1 before senior wide receiver Dylan Brinkmann made a two-yard touchdown grab on third-and-goal. The L-Cats went into their bag of tricks on the conversion attempt, as senior wide receiver Collin Christian dumped a pass over top of the defense to senior tight end JP Brzowski.

Evansville, down the services of senior quarterback Matthew Wickersham who sustained a collarbone injury in the team's Level 1 win over Platteville, returned the ensuing kick near midfield but then went three-and-out.

Lake Mills, operating from its own 11, got the wheels turning offensively after an 18-yard Christian grab that was immediately followed by sophomore running back Jayden McFarlane getting the edge and bouncing out for a 45-yard scamper.

Two plays later, senior quarterback Tyler Wollin launched a 24-yard TD strike to Bohlman, who made an impressive over-the-shoulder grab in the back corner of the end zone for his ninth scoring catch this season.

"As impressive as the pass was, it was an even more remarkable catch," Huber said. "Blake has tremendous ball skills to be able to locate and track that in. Blake is a really good football player and so is Ty. That's just two remarkable players making that play."

After moving the chains once, the Blue Devils lined up to punt but dialed up a fake that saw senior Harker Larsen shoved out just short of the line to gain on what was fourth-and-15.

The L-Cats, set up at the plus 38, needed only four plays to build a three-score lead. Christian, running a post, made a 24-yard TD grab with 9 minutes, 11 seconds left in the second quarter. Senior Luis Lopez added the extra point on a night he went 4-for-4 on PATs, making it 22-0.

A block-in-the-back penalty on the ensuing kick forced Evansville to start at its own 8. The Blue Devils, who rotated Larsen and junior Colton Brown under center, punted four plays later.

Lake Mills used five plays to travel 63 yards and find paydirt again. Senior wideout Dylan Brinkmann picked up 19 on a slant, Bohlman rumbled through several tacklers on a 20-yard catch and Brinkmann added a first-down grab to the Evansville 10. There, McFarlane hauled in a screen and bolted in, pushing the lead to 28-0 with 3:25 left in the first half.

"Formationally, whether you're running zone or man, Lake Mills puts you in a position where you have to cover the whole field," Evansville football coach Garth Coats said.

"They gave us trouble with stuff underneath and do a good job of running interference with linebackers. When you're running man, they get your eyes going one way with the back and then the H-back comes underneath. Lake Mills has good enough skill players where they are going to take the top off, so it kind of clears up that underneath and intermediate stuff. They are efficient with what they do and when you're able to run it with success too, that really opens up your playbook."

The L-Cats (10-1) took over again in the final minute, but the series ended when Tande-Habich fumbled. Larsen connected with senior receiver Karder Tway on a 50-yard big ball over the top, which took the Blue Devils (9-2) down to the Lake Mills 6 with 27 seconds left before the break.

Two incompletions where the ball glanced off receivers' hands in or near the end zone, followed by a five-yard Larsen run, set up fourth-and-goal from the 2. Larsen, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound player with offers from Air Force and Army, was stymied by a host of defenders on a keeper up the middle.

"We did a really good job shutting down the run tonight," Roberts said. "They didn't have very many long drives. We forced a few three-and-outs, which was good too."

To the start the third quarter, Brown was intercepted by linebacker Tande-Habich on a fourth-and-15 play, returning it 35 yards to the Evansville 12.

Two plays later, McFarlane scooted around the left edge on a 12-yard TD run. Lopez's extra point enacted the running clock.

In the fourth, L-Cats senior Mason Wyman made his first TD catch of the season with a three-yard reception that sent the team's sideline into a frenzy. Evansville answered with a 74-yard Larsen TD run down the sideline for the final margin.

Wollin, who entered the night third statewide with 33 TD passes this season, added five scoring throws to his all-time state-record tally. The Winona State recruit went 13-of-16 passing for 153 yards and was not intercepted.

The L-Cats ran it 21 times for 151 yards, led by Tande-Habich who had 12 totes for 72 yards. McFarlane had five carries for 67 yards. Bohlman (four catches for 58 yards) and Christian (two catches for 42 yards) led a balanced pass-catching attack.

"We played great on offense, blocking well and Ty threw the ball well too," Huber said. "We had some really big catches by all our receivers and our backs were running hard. Overall, it was good complementary football."

Lake Mills' defense made seven tackles for loss, including two by senior defensive lineman Aiden Garman, and defended three passes.

"There's only so much you can do when your starting quarterback is down," Huber said. "We expected some Wildcat stuff with Larsen, who is a really good football player. We also expected Brown to play too, so we were prepared. Our kids executed really well."

The L-Cats have never been to state semifinals in the current playoff format (the 1985 team reached that stage when the playoffs lasted four weeks), having gone 0-4 in their Level 3 appearances with the most recent being a 19-14 loss to Racine St. Catherine's in 2024.

"We have such a great bond," Roberts said of what makes this team click. "We hold each other accountable in the weight room, on the field and everywhere. That helps to build everyone up and that bond has helped create a strong team.

"Never getting bored with the process is something coach Huber always says. Cherish the process, which may be boring at times. You need to think about the result and what outcome you want to happen so you keep practicing hard. It's about six seconds of straight metal at a time."

LAKE MILLS 42, EVANSVILLE 7

Evansville 0 0 0 7 -- 7

Lake Mills 15 13 7 7 -- 42

First Quarter

LM -- Brinkmann 2 pass from Wollin (Brzowski pass from Christian), 7:53

LM -- Bohlman 24 pass from Wollin (Lopez kick), 2:11

Second Quarter

LM -- Christian 24 pass from Wollin (Lopez kick), 9:11

LM -- McFarlane 10 pass from Wollin (conversion failed), 3:25

Third Quarter

LM -- McFarlane 12 run (Lopez kick), 9:07

Fourth Quarter

LM -- Wyman 3 pass from Wollin (Lopez kick), 6:48

E -- Larsen 74 run (Wealti kick), 3:35