(Matt McCarthy/Daily News photo) Florence quarterback William Kelley (7) hands off to running back Logan Schuls (23) as linemen Dominic Axley (56) and Bryce Leffler (71) block in a MONLPC 8 West Division game versus White Lake-Elcho, Friday night at Robert Landry Field in Florence, Wis.

FLORENCE, Wis. — A strong start can go along away, especially when your opponent claws its way back late in the contest. Taking a 22-6 lead into the final stanza, Florence held on for a 28-20 win over Elcho-White Lake in a Marinette-Oconto Northern Lakes Packerland 8 Conference West Division game Friday night at Robert Landry Field in Florence, Wis.

The contest which was the final game of the regular season for both teams, would be considered a mismatch on paper with the Wolverines coming in with a losing record, while the Bobcats came in at 4-3, with WIAA 8-player playoffs possibly on the horizon next Friday night.

“I am proud of the boys’ effort tonight, we came in short-handed to begin with and then had a couple more injuries tonight,” said Bobcats head coach Kent Walstrom. “We had kids step in and play positions that they hadn’t played all season, tonight.”

The game remained scoreless after the opening stanza, with the host Bobcats reaching paydirt first.

After a spectacular defensive play, literally on the Wolverines sidelines, Florence sophomore William Kelley pulled in a deflected pass for an interception on the Wolverines 32 late in the first quarter. Kelley plunged into the end zone from a yard out 2:05 into the second quarter, with Logan Schuls adding a successful 2-point conversion run to give the Bobcats an 8-0 lead.

On Elcho-White Lake’s ensuing drive, senior quarterback Chase Novak launched a 79-yard touchdown pass to Sethaniel Schuett down the visitors sideline to trim the Bobcats lead to 8-6.

Late in the first half, a 45-yard pass from Kelley to Schuls set up a 7-yard TD strike from the same duo, three plays later. After a failed conversion attempt, Florence led 14-6 and took the eight-point margin into the intermission.

Less than five minuets into the third quarter, the Bobcats took a 22-6 lead on a 17-yard touchdown run by sophomore Dustin Williams and a 2-point conversion run by team captain Kyle Leffler.

With 9:24 to go in the contest, the Wolverines scored to trim Florence’s lead to 22-14. E-WL lined up for an onside kick, and ended up recovering it. Despite the recovery, the Bobcats defense held.

On the Bobcats ensuing drive, Kelley converted a 41-yard pass to sophomore Joey Holmstrom to set up a first and goal from the 6. That play set up a 6-yard TD run by Kelley to make the score 28-14 with 6:18 remaining in the game.

A tad over two minuets later, Novak connected with Keegan Klingler on an 11-yard TD pass to make the score 28-20. Once again the Wolverines lined up to kick an onside kick — and recovered it, again.

“Novak is a heck of a player and a very big and athletic kid. Our boys did the best we could trying to contain him tonight,” Walstrom added. “However, I think I am going to have nightmares about kickoff coverage tonight.”

The Bobcats defense held the Wolverines again, while the Wolverines defense held the Bobcats to a 3 and out. After recovering the Cole Sweig punt, Elcho-White Lake, who was out of timeouts, had their attempt at a game-winning drive foiled by a Kyle and Bryce Leffler sack.

Sweig also intercepted a pass late in the second quarter for the Bobcats.

“We’re going to be a No. 7 or No. 8 seed playing against a really good team, if we get in at all,” Walstrom added. “No matter how depleted our roster is or who can or can’t play if we make it in, we’ll show up and play and fight our hardest.”

The WIAA released the 8-player playoff bracket and pairings after midnight this morning, and the Bobcats at No. 4 seed, will face a familiar foe in Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas Academy (No. 1 seed), Friday night at Lena at 7 p.m.

E-W Lake 0 6 0 14 — 20

Florence 0 14 8 6 — 28

2nd Quarter

F – William Kelley 1-yard Run, (Logan Schuls run), 9:55

E-WL – Chase Novak 79 yard Pass to Sethaniel Schuett, (Run failed), 8:48

F – Kelley 7-yard Pass to Schuls, (Run failed), 1:11

3rd Quarter

F – Dustin Williams 17 yard Run, (Kyle Leffler run), 7:06

4th Quarter

E-WL – Keegan Klingler 5-yard Run, (Novak to Jacob Jarmuz), 9:24

F – Kelley 6-yard Run, (Run failed), 6:18

E-WL – Novak 11 yard Pass to Klingler, (Run failed), 4:07