Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
WIAA DIV. 4: Wautoma 20, Big Foot 0
 |
| Big Foot’s Nathan Nagel (86) and Matt Fogerty tackle Watuoma’s Jared Abbrederis for a loss Thursday in the WIAA Division 4 title game. Staff photo by Rob Lucas |
By Rob Lucas
Daily News staff writer
Sting of defeat: Chiefs' offense shut down by stingy Hornets' defense
MADISON - It's not often the Big Foot Chiefs have the second-best defense on the field, but that was exactly the case Thursday night.
Wautoma/Faith Christian, billed as an offensive powerhouse, used a stonewalling defense to win the WIAA Division 4 state championship over Big Foot, 20-0, at Camp Randall Stadium.
The Hornets' defense was so suffocating, at one point late in the third quarter Big Foot had just 26 yards of total offense - just three ticks more than the temperature on the field. Big Foot (13-1) finished the game with just 18 yards rushing on 38 attempts - the lowest in Division 4 title history.
“They really dominated us defensively,” head coach Rodney Wedig said. “It wasn't really an offensive showcase. Defensively, we played great, but we just didn't make plays offensively.”
The Hornets (13-1) were suppose to be an offense-first team centered around quarterback Jared Abbrederis. While the senior captain made a few nice plays on offense, he was shut down for most of the game. Big Foot's defense held the Hornets to 159 yards and just seven first downs, but the Chiefs couldn't do anything either.
“They were a lot quicker than we thought and they were confusing us up front,” Wedig said. “Once in awhile, our linemen were getting on level two to block a linebacker before they blocked on level one. Anytime you play a team with a quick front, it takes away our counters and we started pressing.”
Senior lineman Travis Frederick said the Hornets' ability to get penetration and shut down the Chiefs' run game was frustrating.
“It was real frustrating,” he said. “They had great scouting on us. They knew where it was coming and where to go. It seemed like there was a big hole there all night, but there really wasn't because the linebackers and safeties filled so well. They are a heck of a team.”
It was a bittersweet day for Wedig, who is proud of his players, but sad to see them go. The senior class of Frederick, Matt Fogerty, T.J. Schaid, Caleb Martin, Mike Crusan and others will be sorely missed and a class not easily replaced.
“I've always taught that when you work hard, good things happen and that's a tribute to these seniors,” Wedig said. “It always stinks to end a season with a loss, but that's a heck of a team we lost to. The seniors are going to be tough to replace.”
For Frederick, who will be attending UW-Madison next fall to play football for the Badgers, it wasn't much solace at the time to know his playing career wasn't over.
“It's really hard knowing I'll never play with these guys again,” he said. “Some of them are done now and they'll never play again and that stinks. I really feel for them.”
A 3-and-out by the Chiefs on the game's first possession set the tone early, but the Hornets' offense was just as stagnant. Neither team scored in the first quarter, but Big Foot had the first real chance with a first and 10 at the Hornets' 25. However, an incomplete pass, a loss of six yards and two incomplete passes stalled the drive.
An awful punt on Wautoma's next possession put the Chiefs in great field position, but the drive again stalled after a negative rushing play on first down. All day the Hornets seemed to know what the Chiefs were running and they were ready for it.
“They were quick and their linebacking core was a lot quicker than I thought they were,” Frederick said. “They were able to surprise us on that and they stunted a lot on the defensive line. Our line hadn't seen that much and that kind of baffled some of the younger guys. We tried to adjust for that, but it came a little too late.”
Wautoma drove near the Chiefs' 35 on the next possession, but opted to punt on a 4th and four, pinning Big Foot at the three. After a run that lost two yards, quarterback Steve Dowden threw a pass across the middle that was intercepted by Theo Maglio. Six plays later, the Hornets scored on a 9-yard run by Abbrederis.
“He's a great athlete and a great quarterback,” Frederick said. “We did our best to contain him and I think we did pretty well, but there's not stopping a quarterback of that caliber.”
Big Foot had three golden opportunities to tie the game in the third quarter by starting three drives in Hornets' territory. Each time, the Hornets came up with a big play and shut the Chiefs down, preserving the lead.
With eight minutes left, Wautoma put it out of reach when it drove to the five. Abbrederis dropped back to pass, avoided all kinds of pressure and eventually found Brett Brown in the end zone.
They added a 1-yard score with three minutes left for the final tally.
The Chiefs were obviously disappointed after the game, but what they accomplished is a rare feat and soon enough they will realize that.
“We had a great season and the guys really came together,” Frederick said. “I don't think I've ever played on a team where everyone was so close.”
Colby captures Div. 5 crown
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Ten years ago, Adam Esselman was a first-grader watching his big brother Joseph help bring home a WIAA state football championship to Colby.
Now, Adam has something to brag about at the family dinner table.
Esselman ran for three touchdowns and made an interception that set up another score, as the Hornets beat Cedar Grove-Belgium 42-13 in the Division 5 title game Thursday.
Esselman rushed for 157 yards, scoring on runs of 3, 2 and 11 yards.
DIV. 6: Stratford 7, Edgar 3 - Stratford may have been guests at Camp Randall Stadium on Thursday, but Tigers senior Ryan Schalow took ownership of a small piece of turf.
The running back/defensive back made the two crucial plays in the end zone that allowed Stratford to defeat Edgar and win its unprecedented sixth consecutive WIAA Division 6 championship.
Schalow caught a pass from quarterback Mason Nesbitt for the game's only touchdown in the first half, then secured the win with an interception at almost the exact same spot with 53 seconds to go.
DIV. 7: Burlington Catholic Central 34, Hilbert 17 - Burlington Catholic Central quarterback Reese Hartlage found receiver after receiver in Thursday's WIAA Division 7 state football championship game.
The end result was a slew of broken records and a state title for the Hilltoppers, who rolled over Hilbert.
Hartlage, wide receiver B.J. Ritzman and even punter Ben Wilde all set records as Catholic Central earned its first WIAA championship after winning five private-school titles.
Ritzman caught six passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns, matching or establishing Division 7 marks in all three categories.
MADISON - It's not often the Big Foot Chiefs have the second-best defense on the field, but that was exactly the case Thursday night.
Wautoma/Faith Christian, billed as an offensive powerhouse, used a stonewalling defense to win the WIAA Division 4 state championship over Big Foot, 20-0, at Camp Randall Stadium.
The Hornets' defense was so suffocating, at one point late in the third quarter Big Foot had just 26 yards of total offense - just three ticks more than the temperature on the field. Big Foot (13-1) finished the game with just 18 yards rushing on 38 attempts - the lowest in Division 4 title history.
“They really dominated us defensively,” head coach Rodney Wedig said. “It wasn't really an offensive showcase. Defensively, we played great, but we just didn't make plays offensively.”
The Hornets (13-1) were suppose to be an offense-first team centered around quarterback Jared Abbrederis. While the senior captain made a few nice plays on offense, he was shut down for most of the game. Big Foot's defense held the Hornets to 159 yards and just seven first downs, but the Chiefs couldn't do anything either.
“They were a lot quicker than we thought and they were confusing us up front,” Wedig said. “Once in awhile, our linemen were getting on level two to block a linebacker before they blocked on level one. Anytime you play a team with a quick front, it takes away our counters and we started pressing.”
Senior lineman Travis Frederick said the Hornets' ability to get penetration and shut down the Chiefs' run game was frustrating.
“It was real frustrating,” he said. “They had great scouting on us. They knew where it was coming and where to go. It seemed like there was a big hole there all night, but there really wasn't because the linebackers and safeties filled so well. They are a heck of a team.”
It was a bittersweet day for Wedig, who is proud of his players, but sad to see them go. The senior class of Frederick, Matt Fogerty, T.J. Schaid, Caleb Martin, Mike Crusan and others will be sorely missed and a class not easily replaced.
“I've always taught that when you work hard, good things happen and that's a tribute to these seniors,” Wedig said. “It always stinks to end a season with a loss, but that's a heck of a team we lost to. The seniors are going to be tough to replace.”
For Frederick, who will be attending UW-Madison next fall to play football for the Badgers, it wasn't much solace at the time to know his playing career wasn't over.
“It's really hard knowing I'll never play with these guys again,” he said. “Some of them are done now and they'll never play again and that stinks. I really feel for them.”
A 3-and-out by the Chiefs on the game's first possession set the tone early, but the Hornets' offense was just as stagnant. Neither team scored in the first quarter, but Big Foot had the first real chance with a first and 10 at the Hornets' 25. However, an incomplete pass, a loss of six yards and two incomplete passes stalled the drive.
An awful punt on Wautoma's next possession put the Chiefs in great field position, but the drive again stalled after a negative rushing play on first down. All day the Hornets seemed to know what the Chiefs were running and they were ready for it.
“They were quick and their linebacking core was a lot quicker than I thought they were,” Frederick said. “They were able to surprise us on that and they stunted a lot on the defensive line. Our line hadn't seen that much and that kind of baffled some of the younger guys. We tried to adjust for that, but it came a little too late.”
Wautoma drove near the Chiefs' 35 on the next possession, but opted to punt on a 4th and four, pinning Big Foot at the three. After a run that lost two yards, quarterback Steve Dowden threw a pass across the middle that was intercepted by Theo Maglio. Six plays later, the Hornets scored on a 9-yard run by Abbrederis.
“He's a great athlete and a great quarterback,” Frederick said. “We did our best to contain him and I think we did pretty well, but there's not stopping a quarterback of that caliber.”
Big Foot had three golden opportunities to tie the game in the third quarter by starting three drives in Hornets' territory. Each time, the Hornets came up with a big play and shut the Chiefs down, preserving the lead.
With eight minutes left, Wautoma put it out of reach when it drove to the five. Abbrederis dropped back to pass, avoided all kinds of pressure and eventually found Brett Brown in the end zone.
They added a 1-yard score with three minutes left for the final tally.
The Chiefs were obviously disappointed after the game, but what they accomplished is a rare feat and soon enough they will realize that.
“We had a great season and the guys really came together,” Frederick said. “I don't think I've ever played on a team where everyone was so close.”
Colby captures Div. 5 crown
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Ten years ago, Adam Esselman was a first-grader watching his big brother Joseph help bring home a WIAA state football championship to Colby.
Now, Adam has something to brag about at the family dinner table.
Esselman ran for three touchdowns and made an interception that set up another score, as the Hornets beat Cedar Grove-Belgium 42-13 in the Division 5 title game Thursday.
Esselman rushed for 157 yards, scoring on runs of 3, 2 and 11 yards.
DIV. 6: Stratford 7, Edgar 3 - Stratford may have been guests at Camp Randall Stadium on Thursday, but Tigers senior Ryan Schalow took ownership of a small piece of turf.
The running back/defensive back made the two crucial plays in the end zone that allowed Stratford to defeat Edgar and win its unprecedented sixth consecutive WIAA Division 6 championship.
Schalow caught a pass from quarterback Mason Nesbitt for the game's only touchdown in the first half, then secured the win with an interception at almost the exact same spot with 53 seconds to go.
DIV. 7: Burlington Catholic Central 34, Hilbert 17 - Burlington Catholic Central quarterback Reese Hartlage found receiver after receiver in Thursday's WIAA Division 7 state football championship game.
The end result was a slew of broken records and a state title for the Hilltoppers, who rolled over Hilbert.
Hartlage, wide receiver B.J. Ritzman and even punter Ben Wilde all set records as Catholic Central earned its first WIAA championship after winning five private-school titles.
Ritzman caught six passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns, matching or establishing Division 7 marks in all three categories.
 |
||
| Wolves, coyotes often confused |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of beloitdailynews.com.
Submit a Comment
Login below to post your comment. |
Not yet a member? Use the form below to register. |
