Badger JV, They're Grrrrrrreat! Smack Kellogg Cats 48-6
The Badgers travelled to Kellogg last Thursday intent on taming the Wildcats from opening whistle. The Cats won the toss, and deferred to the Badgers. On the kickoff the Badgers brought the ball back to their own 43 yard line.
On the second play from scrimmage QB Connor Bennett handed off to Bryan Yeoman who sliced into the secondary, caught the sidelines with the help of the O-line’s blocks, then turned on the jets for a 52 yard TD.
The two point conversion was good putting the Badgers up by eight after just 1:38 into the game. On the ensuing kickoff the Cats returned the ball to their 37. Two attempts were made at running through the Blue Doom defense which proved futile as only 2 yards were gained. On third down the Cats decided to pass in hopes of catching the Badgers off guard.
Yeomans said “No way,” picked the ball from the intended receiver and again went the 50-yard distance for the second Badger score. The two pointer failed and after just 4:20 seconds into the contest the Blue Pride was up by a score of 14-0.
The Badgers continued to pound the Cats with a devastating ground game that was averaging seven to eight yards per carry. Much of the pile driving was attributed to the four work horse backfield of Anthony Skeen, Ben Neumeyer, Yeomans, and Ethan Racer. These four superb backs traded off and tag teamed the hapless Cats defense amassing 265 yards alone in the first half. Skeen carried the ball across the stripe twice in the first half giving the Badgers 12 points. It was Skeen’s determination on the runs that proved to be one of the stellar performances of the evening as not only did he gain positive yards, but he dragged four and five Wildcat defenders with him on many of his drives.
Ethan Racers contribution to the run game cannot go without mention as he too punched the ball repeatedly into the Wildcat defense, but it was his superb lead blocks that allowed his fellow backs to gain extra yardage on many attempts. Just before time expired in the second quarter Bennett handed the ball off to Yeomans on a sweep to the left side. Yeomans, with an exceptional block from Skeen, scooted around the left side of the field and was nearly into the end zone before Kellogg could respond. Yeomans brought home his third touchdown and another six points. Jake Ram was all alone in the end zone and hauled in the two point conversion pass that carried the team into the locker room at the half. The score clock read Badgers 34 - Wildcats 6.
At the start of the second half it was decided that because the inclement weather conditions the Badgers would stay with the ground game. Only four passes were thrown in the entire game.
The last two periods would again see Skeen carry the hog hide for more hard hitting yards and another TD, bringing his total to three for the night. Ben Neumeyer got on the board with a 14 yard tally around the left side in the third period. Ethan Warden took the pressure of the starting backs by coming into the game and physically punishing the Wildcat defenders by repeatedly running into their secondary.
In the end the offensive performance would show 422 yards total offense and a final score of 48-6 in favor of the Badgers.
It was the awesome defensive team’s performance again this week that was cause for the Wildcat’s dismay, and the Badger fans total enjoyment. This whole unit seems to be the sparkplug and the heart of the Badger effort.
The D held the Wildcats to a total of 131 yards however, 70 of those yards came from the Cats kickoff return for six points early in the second period. The Badger defensive secondary were a true thorn in the Wildcats paws as many off the passes were knocked out of the receivers hands by jarring hits. Spectacular defensive play was turned in by Sean Varelman in his role as corner back. On many plays Varelman would excise the ball from the receivers hands with spine jarring tackles that would put the Wildcat players face down in the mud. Again, many names were called in this monstrous defensive display.
Linebackers Skeen, Warden, Neumeyer, and Travis Beck, as well as Bennett and Racer in the secondary. There was great play from nose guard Tres Hiatt, the tenacious tackling of Alex Cunningham, Robert Swanson, and Mat Kramer, as well as Parker Davis, Jay Gaspar, and Mike Brown. It can be certain that all of the defensive players on the Wrecking Crew are in tune with each other, and that none of the them can be what they are without each other either.
To take that a step further, it is very apparent that the potent Badger offense could not be as solid as they are without the other half of the equation, the awesome Badger defense playing equally well.
This is teamwork to the max. From what I see at this level this year, the only thing I can say is “Oh my, watch out! Look what are we bringing to the table next year!”
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