Big pass plays carried the Tomah High School junior varsity football team a long way Monday.

Tomah averaged 24 yards per completed pass, and the big plays were a huge part of the Timberwolves’ 30-14 victory over Sparta at E.J.. McKean Field.

The Timberwolves finished the season with a 5-3 overall record and 4-2 mark in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

The coaching staff promoted several freshmen to replace the jayvee players that were summoned by the varsity.

Tomah ran 48 plays, but the six pass completions accounted for over half the Timberwolves’ total yardage.

The Timberwolves hit for two big plays on their first drive. Fullback Kyle Gerke broke off a 27-yard run to push the Timberwolves deep into Sparta territory. Two plays later, quarterback Mitch Weiland hit wide receiver Cole Franklin with a 20-yard touchdown pass. Weiland passed to tight end Alex Thompson for the two-point conversion that gave Tomah an 8-0 lead with 5:23 left in the first period.

Long pass plays keyed Tomah’s second touchdown drive. Weiland hit Franklin on a 27-yard pass play into the Sparta 27. After two running plays went nowhere, Tomah faked a reverse to Franklin, who threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to fellow wide receiver Trenton McCaskey. The conversion pass failed, but Tomah led, 14-0, with 5:10 left in the first half.

On Tomah’s opening drive of the second half, an 18-yard pass from Weiland to Thompson took Tomah into Sparta territory. On the next play, tailback Nick Markin broke loose on a 38-yard touchdown run. Thompson caught a pass from Weiland for the two-point conversion, and Tomah led, 22-0, with 10:04 left in the third quarter.

The Timberwolves got help on their final scoring drive. Alex Leis returned a Sparta punt 12 yards into Sparta territory, and a 15-yard facemask penalty took the ball to the Spartans’ 25.

A pass interference penalty advanced the ball to the 13, and four plays later, Kyle Whaley scored on a one-yard touchdown run. Weiland ran for the two-point conversion to give Tomah a 30-6 lead with 6:36 left in the fourth quarter.

Sparta scored a touchdown with 3:13 left in the fourth quarter to account for the final margin.

Tomah’s big plays undermined an otherwise good showing by the Sparta defense. The Spartans sacked Weiland four times and dropped five other Tomah running plays for lost yardage.

Leis led the Tomah defense with two interceptions. Carson Helmke had Tomah’s only quarterback sack.

Sparta generated just two first downs in the first half, but once Sparta began moving the ball in the second half Spartans’ quarterback Isaac Schauf had a string of straight pass completions.