Slinger's first WIAA state title game berth since 1998 leads off high school football takeaways

Slinger’s first WIAA state title game berth since 1998 leads off high school football takeaways

Posted by Admin November 16, 2024 Football

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WAUKESHA − Australian filmmaker James Wan once said, “I think you kind of need to acknowledge that the reason why sequels do well is because people that loved the first one come back.”

It was going to take a lot for Lake Geneva Badger and Slinger to live up to the hype of their 35-33 classic from Week 2 this season. The two programs just might have topped it in the second act in front of a packed house at Waukesha West with a trip to the Division 2 state title game hanging in the balance.

Led by four total touchdowns from quarterback Michael Thiede, including a 21-yard touchdown run down the Badger sideline with 1:39 left in regulation, the Owls survived the Badgers once more and clinched their first trip to a state title game in 26 years in a 35-28 sequel for the ages Friday.

“That’s Michael Thiede,” Owls coach Bill Jacklin said. “That’s all I can say. He’s the heart and soul of our football team. All his buddies are on defense and all they do is, they’re always hounding him during practice, and they’re going back and forth. If you see our practices, they’re so competitive.”

The Owls needed their signal-caller to be at his absolute best again taking on the defending Division 2 state champions and he was that and then some. Thiede threw touchdowns of 39, 57 and 41 yards on Friday, all to different receivers, with his 21-yard keeper giving the Owls their first lead with just 99 seconds to play.

“I played pretty well, but my guys gave me chances to make throws and our receivers came down with balls that they needed to,” Thiede said. “Our offensive line played a hell of a game, pass pro(tection) and running when we needed it. Our defense, it was scary at first, but they held on. We knew they were gonna get a stop eventually.”

It took a while for that stop to come because both offenses look unstoppable much of the night.

The first half only had five possessions, ending with a Badger score on a halfback pass from Alec Welch to Nolan Basso with just four seconds left in the half to give the defending champs a 21-14 halftime advantage. Thiede connected with Santos Rodriguez on a 57-yard score less than three minutes into the second half, but an aborted extra point made it a 21-20 contest.

Badger, controlling the ball and the clock like few can, ate up the remainder of the third and 49 seconds into the fourth quarter before Matthew O’Grady plunged in for his third of three touchdown runs on the night to make it a 28-20 game.

Less than two minutes later, Thiede dropped a dime behind the defense to Brayden Schorenberg for a 41-yard score. On the two-pointer, 255-pound defensive lineman Landon Gehring began to etch his name into Slinger football lore. The big body bashed his way into the end zone on a direct snap to bring the Owls back on level terms with 9:41 to play.

“We practiced it during the week just as a backup plan,” Gehring said of the wildcat package featuring him. “(We) didn’t think we’re gonna need it, but it came in clutch. They told me to just bury that ball, keep it and run as hard as I can.”

The Owls defense finally got the one stop they needed with 5:47 left, putting the ball in Thiede’s hands with a trip to Madison on the line. Kobe Hendricks picked up two yards on third down to set up fourth-and-1 from the Badger 23-yard line with 2:12 to play.

After not registering a single carry all season, Gehring rumbled his way deep into Badger territory on about a 25-yard carry earlier in the drive and then proceeded to plow forward for a first down on fourth down, setting up Thiede’s game-winning sprint.

“This is everything I dreamed of,” Gehring said. “My dad (former Slinger running back/linebacker JJ Gehring) was a part of the last team to make it to state and win it, so I want to repeat it.”

Muskego muscles its way back to state for the first time since 2019

Well, well, well. Look who it is.

After a 21-7 loss to Oconomowoc on Oct. 11, Muskego sat at 4-4 on the season. This season marked the first time since the 2017 season that the Warriors had lost at least four games.

Fast forward about a month and the Warriors are back at state for the first time since 2019 after a hard-fought 16-14 victory over Traveling Crowbar and Classic 8 Conference rival Mukwonago.

Both teams found the end zone in the opening quarter with touchdowns as Mukwonago’s Jack Savasta took the game’s opening kickoff to the house. Jackson Niemiec’s 18-yard touchdown run tied the game just over 90 seconds later. Joey Shaw’s 1-yard score made it a 13-7 game at the break.

Gabe Walden’s 35-yard field goal made it a 16-7 game before backup running back Carter Lynch found the end zone from three yards out to make it a 16-14 contest late in the third. Brady Hojnacki’s interception of Mason Kelley with 5:47 to play seemingly ended any hopes of a second trip to Madison in the last three postseasons for Mukwonago.

For the 20th time, Catholic Memorial will play for a state title

Including its days as a WISAA powerhouse, Catholic Memorial will play for a state title for the 20th time in program history.

After Friday’s 31-14 victory over Wisconsin Lutheran, the Crusaders moved to 10-2 in the WIAA state semifinals. CMH will play for a gold ball for the second time in the last three years and the ninth time since 2010 against Notre Dame Academy next week in Madison for the Division 3 title.

Dual-threat star quarterback MJ Mitchell ran for a pair of scores and led three straight touchdown drives to seal the deal for the Crusaders in the second half. A win next week and the Crusaders will become six-time WIAA state football champions, which would bring them into a tie with Arrowhead, Homestead and Monroe for fourth in WIAA history.

Racine St. Catherine’s heads back to state for first time since 2018

It’s been six years, but the Angels are back.

After reeling off 12 straight points against three-time defending state champion Aquinas on Friday night to stay unbeaten this season, Racine St. Catherine’s will play for the Division 4 state title in the final game of the day Thursday night.

Lamont Hamilton, a star on the hardwood for RSC’s boys hoops program, scored both touchdowns for the Angels, including a wildcat keeper from three yards out with 7:35 to play. He also caught a 10-yard strike from Eddie Vinson to tie things up late in the third quarter.

Other than RSC’s appearance at state in 2018, the last non-Catholic Memorial team to qualify for the D4 state title game from the greater Milwaukee area was Kettle Moraine Lutheran back in 2007.