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More 3rd quarter heroics, Boettcher's big run lifts Indians
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By Judy Harlow
11/5/07 KEWASKUM- Visiting Madison Edgewood learned Saturday what 11 other football teams that played Kewaskum High School this season already know.
Number one, the Indians have the ability to strike offensively at any time; NUmber two, they are opportunistic; Number three, they have a defense that’s pretty difficult to score on; and Number four, they usually make big things happen in the third quarter of play.
It was like de ja vu again Saturday in the Division 3, Level 4 game played in Kewaskum. The third quarter turned the tide in the Indians’ favor.
Capping a beautiful drive with a 27-yard pass from Nick Olla to John Holt, then getting an outstanding interception by Eric Turowski, which resulted in another quick score, and the game was pretty well over.
After one more quarter, the final scoreboard read Kewaskum 21, Edgewood 0, and now the Indians, a perfect 12-0, are back in the semifinals of the state series as they have been for the two previous seasons.
The only team standing between them and a trip to Madison’s Camp Randall Stadium ... and perhaps a state title, is Wisconsin Lutheran (11-1), which advanced with an also convincing victory on Saturday, a 40-26 decision over Brown Deer.
“It’s been very good for us,” KHS coach Jason Piittmann said about the third quarter surges the Indians have become noted for.
Kewaskum received the second-half kickoff and an reserve senior turned in a key play to help the Indians get great field position.
Piittmann said Edgewood had a little lob kick, “a semi-on sides kick” in their repertoire. The Crusaders tried it on the Indians, but special team senior Dan Dymond alertly figured out what was happening and made a big call.
“Dan Dymond called for the fair catch, so we started off at the 40-yard line,” Piittmann said, reporting the team’s offensive linemen proceeded to get off the ball nicely and sustained their blocks to continue to move down the field.
That drive was finished off when Olla found Holt, who has been making big plays all season long. Brian Backhaus drilled home the PAT to give Kewaskum a 14-0 lead.
Would it be enough? It turns out it would have been, but just to make sure, Turowski helped out by picking off a Mario Minnaert pass.
“Eric made a fantastic interception,” Piittmann said. “He hustled back, spun around and caught the ball. It looked like he had a chance at running it back, but he stumbled.”
That only delayed the final touchdown by a short time, according to Piittmann, who said, “We came back and scored a couple plays later,” with Jordan Petrin running 15 yards to the end zone.
The two scores came within 58 seconds of each other, Holt’s catch at 8:25 and Petrin’s run at 7:27.
Kewaskum had scored late in the first quarter when Ben Boettcher broke loose for a 67-yard scamper, much to the delight of the huge home crowd.
The Crusaders had everyone up near the line of scrimmage, according to Piittmann, who said, “Once he broke that second level, it was a foot race,” one which the coach wondered if he would win, and, “He did!”
Backhaus was successful on the point after kick, and the Indians felt a little more at ease after getting some points on the board.
“We ran the ball better after that,” Piittmann said.
Edgewood had a couple chances to score in the first half. On their first drive, the Crusaders got within field goal range but Connor Balczewski missed. “It was wide right,” Piittmann said, noting the kick came from about the came from about the 20-yard line.
Kewaskum fumbled on its next series on its own 30-35 — Olla had changed the play at the line of scrimmage and Boettcher missed the call so the exchanged was muffed — but there were no field goal try this time. “We held them on that drive,” Piittmann said.
Edgewood also threatened in the third quarter after an Olla pass was intercepted. The Crusaders got to the four-yard line and were facing a fourth down when, “(Mike) Bunkelman got off the line real quick and forced them to throw quickly. He (Minnaert) threw it into the ground two yards in front of the receiver,” the coach said.
Kewaskum rolled up 307 total yards, including 250 yards rushing. Once again, Boettcher was the workhorse, lugging the ball 17 times for 156 yards and a 9.18 yard per carry average. Olla added 45 yards on eight carries,while Petrin rushed for 33 yards in nine tries and Nathan Westerman added 16 in two tries.
Edgewood came up with 207 yards, 146 rushing and 61 passing. Leading the Crusaders’ ground game was Conner Meloy with 75 yards in 13 carries.
Defensively, Turowski was the player of the game, coming up with four solos, seven assists and the interception. Next was linebacker Joe Paulus, who was credited with two solos and 11 gang tackles for 13 total; Tom Thull had three assists and six assists; Cody Seibel had five assists and two solos, while Matt Donath added four solos and three assists.
Piittmann said Sunday evening the game against WISCO will be played at Sussex Hamilton High. The start time is 1 p.m. Pre-game tickets are available at Kewaskum High School until Thursday, at 3:45 p.m. and at the game.
The Vikings eliminated the Indians from the 2005 playoffs, but Piittmann said they aren’t quite as good now as they were then.
“They’ve got some real horses,” he said, citing Chris Echols, who rushed for 299 yards against Brown Deer. Campbell is WISCO’s top linebacker and he was on the ‘05 state title team, and they have a lineman who has committed to UW-Madison, according to Piittmann.
“It’s a typical WISCO team .. very quick and very disciplined,” the coach said, but he also had plenty of confidence in his Indians.
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