MADISON - Recent history suggested a grim reality.

A group of inspired kids only saw exciting possibilities.

And then they went out and made some history for themselves.

Ignoring a couple of humbling losses to its opponent and forgetting what happened the last time they played on the carpet of Camp Randall Stadium, the Catholic Central High School football brought home a gold football on a cold, gray, windy Thursday.

Behind a record-setting performance by B.J. Ritzman - a first-year starter at wide receiver as a senior - and a defense that forced four crucial fumbles, the Hilltoppers defeated Hilbert 37-14 in the WIAA Division 7 state championship game.

This is the same perennially powerful Hilbert program that outscored Catholic Central by a cumulative margin of 84-12 in two playoffs games this decade. And it was the same field on which the Hilltoppers lost to Shell Lake 35-0 in the 2004 Division 7 state championship game.

It was such a different story this time for a Catholic Central team that finished 14-0. Ritzman caught six passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns, establishing Division 7 records in all three categories. Max Vos pounded for 155 rushing yards, 109 in the second half, and two touchdowns. Reese Hartlage picked apart Hilbert's Cover 2 defense for a Division 7 record 219 yards and his three scoring passes to Ritzman. Undersized defensive tackle Andre Jacobson recovered a fumble and blocked a punt, both of which set up Catholic Central scores in the early going.

Even Catholic Central's kickers got into the act. Freshman T.J. Walkington kicked a 30-yard field goal. And Ben Wilde set Division 7 records for punting average (42.0) and longest punt (51 yards).

And just to put a cherry on this cake, the Hilltoppers' 37 points allowed them to finish with an even 600 this season.

"It's all so surreal right now that it obviously hasn't sunk in," Vos said.

But let's be honest here. Given the Hilltoppers' history against Hilbert (13-1), there had to be unspoken feelings of doubt among the players, didn't there?

"A team's a team," Hartlage insisted. "You have to play your game. At the end of it, it's whoever plays their game the best that's going to win the game."

And that was Catholic Central, which piled up 388 total yards. On the first play of game, Hilbert quarterback Luke Pattermann, the focal point of an overpowering Wing-T offense, burst for 7 yards, setting an uneasy tone. But Catholic Central's defense went on to make the first of its many statements, when Andy Meiszberg stopped Nick Sweere a yard short of a first down at the Hilltoppers' 47.

This was only the beginning. On the strength of a 37-yard run by Sweere on Hilbert's next possession, the Wolves drove to Catholic Central's 10. But Pattermann fumbled after a hit by Joe Spiegelhoff and Jacobson recovered.

Then Catholic Central's offense made a statement of its own. On second-and-16 from Catholic Central's 37, Hilbert bit on a play-action fake to Vos and Hartlage found Ritzman at the Wolves' 40. Ritzman spun away from safety Connor Nett for a 63-yard touchdown reception, setting a Division 7 record for longest pass play.

Vos wrapped up Pattermann for no gain on third-and-three at Hilbert's 49 on the Wolves' ensuing series and then Jacobson came through again. Blowing through the line unchecked, Jacobson blocked Pattermann's punt, giving Catholic Central possession at Hilbert's 29.

A 23-yard reception by Spiegelhoff set up Vos' 1-yard touchdown run as Catholic Central took a 14-0 lead with 1:18 left in the first quarter. And any pre-game doubts were starting to evaporate.

If there was a moment of concern for Catholic Central, it was just before halftime, when Hilbert tight end Skylar Stecker outreached Wilde for a 35-yard pass to the Hilltoppers' 2. Pattermann's 1-yard TD plunge not only pulled the Wolves within 14-7, it gave them a potential momentum boost for the second half.

But Hilbert never had a chance. On the opening drive of the second half, Hartlage's 12-yard pass to Spiegelhoff over the middle on fourth-and-5 at Hilbert's 39 kept alive a series that ended with Vos' 3-yard touchdown run.

"I thought that opening drive really made a difference," Catholic Central coach Tom Aldrich said. "They knew that they were going to be able to do what they wanted for the rest of the game offensively."

Two plays later, Meiszburg recovered Sweere's fumble at Hilbert's 37. Catholic Central responded with a drive that resulted in Walkington's field goal, giving the Hilltoppers a 24-7 lead with 5:32 left in the third quarter.

Pattermann's 80-yard touchdown run cut Catholic Central's lead to 24-14 just 14 seconds later, but it didn't matter on this day. Catholic Central answered with a drive that was capped by Hartlage's 11-yard touchdown pass to Ritzman to take a 30-14 lead with 9:16 to play.

When Billy Zarek recovered a fumble by Sweere on the ensuing kickoff, Hartlage responded with another 11-yard strike to Ritzman.

And the first Racine County football team to complete an undefeated season with a WIAA championship was all but in the books.

"We just played our game," Vos said. "It's what's been working for us all year."