Linemen warming up

Game 8: Junior Blue Dukes BLUE 27, West Bend East 6

[Highlights with music and with volume of WBE fans turned down. The song is "Come on with the 'Come On,'" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, originally by Cab Calloway.]


[Highlights without music, but with very loud West Bend East fans commenting throughout. Don't say I didn't warn you.]

The JBD7 Blue team finished off its undefeated season in character, distributing the ball and the glory in a 27-6 road victory at West Bend East.
Macklin Kortebein returned the opening kickoff to the West Bend 43. On third down, QB Jake Fischer found WR Carter Heston, who had beaten his defender, at the 20 for a first down. RB Will Alt gained more than five yards on a second-down run. Then, on fourth down, Fischer pitched to Kortebein, who ran around the left side into the end zone. Bay lined up in kick formation for the PAT, but holder Fischer took the snap, stood up and fired the pigskin to Anthony Enea in the endzone for a point. 7-0, Bay.
On the next series, West Bend went for it on fourth down, but Kortebein and Josiah Erving stuff a ball carrier to turn the ball over to Bay deep in West Bend territory. Bay converted a 4th down try of its own on a pass from Fischer to WR Connor Kimple. Bailey Wieland fought through a would-be tackler to pick up another first down. But a 4th down pass fell incomplete, and West Bend regained possession.
West Bend methodically worked its way down the field, with several effective screen passes and aided by a couple of Bay penalties. A touchdown plunge made the score 7-6, but West Bend's conversion pass attempt fell incomplete.
Kortebein covered half the distance to the Equator on a long, winding run that brought Bay well into West Bend territory, but timed expired in the half.
After receiving the second-half kickoff, West Bend worked into Bay territory. But on a fourth-down play, the WB QB mishandled the snap, and Patrick Collins and company dropped him for a loss and exchange of possession.
Aided by an Alec Lindfors blocked downfield, Fischer ran close enough to smell the goal line. Alt took an inside handoff up the middle for the TD. 13-6, Bay.
In the fourth quarter, Bay broke the game open. Fischer, who had brought his offense close to payday with a nice run on a QB draw, threw to Anthony (Pogo) Pogorelc for a TD. Wieland kicked the two-point conversion. Bay 21-6.
On the final drive, Coach Joe Wieland distributed the ball around his skill players in a way that both kept West Bend guessing and must have made Bay parents happy. Fischer picked up another long gainer after faking a pitch backward (if Jake is not careful, he may grow up to be an option QB). RB Josiah Erving slipped a tackle and took the rock to the house for the final score. Enea picked off a West Bend finish to seal the victory, 27-6.
The JBD7 teams finished a combined 15-1 this season. This grade's three-year record is 28-2-1 (though I am not a math teacher, fell free to check my work).
Stay tuned for news about our combined post-season party and celebration.

Game 8: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 47, Milwaukee Hamilton 24

In a game that was not even as close as the lopsided score would have you believe, the JBD7 Grey dominated the first-year Hamilton Junior Wildcats 47-24 at Hamilton High School field.
Bay received the opening kickoff. After a pass completion from QB Ryan Hummer to WR Matt Bernstein to get the offense started, RB Van Bassindale took a handoff and ran around right end for a 50-plus yard TD. Nick Higgins kicked the two-point conversion. 8-0, Bay.
After Bay held Hamilton and blocked its punt, Hummer rolled right and threw to Higgins, who scampered unscathed into the end zone. Higgins kicked the two-point conversion. 16-0, Bay.
When Bay got the ball back, Hummer dropped back and fired a bomb to open WR Zach Casey, who zoomed to the end zone. This was probably the best pass Ryan has thrown this year. Higgins kicked the conversion. 24-0.
 In it a bit of deja vu all over again, as Yogi Berra is alleged to have said, Bassindale ran for another long TD around the right. Higgins kicked another conversion. Hamilton managed on a TD on a nifty, twisting run to make the score 32-6 at halftime. As QB Hummer pointed out, Bay ran 7 offensive plays from scrimmage in the first half, and scored TDs on 4 of them.
Coach Jon Bassindale substituted freely in the second half.
Hamilton went to the air to try to get back into the game. With an effective QB and some tall targets, the Wildcats managed some garbage-time scores against a shifting cast of JBD defenders. However, Bay was not done scoring either.
On defense, Hummer read a Hamilton pass play in the works, jumped up to intercept it and scampered down the left sideline for a defensive TD. Higgins kicked the conversion, his fifth of the game and a personal best for Nick.
Bay closed out its scoring in the fourth quarter when QB Jack Friesch threw a swing pass to Higgins on the right side. This time Nick had to work for the score, breaking a couple of tackles before crossing the goal line and raising the ball high in the air. Nick's grandfather (Karen's dad) died this week in Indiana, and Nick taped his Grandpa's name on his helmet as a tribute before the game.
For the conversion, Friesch threw to WR Jesse Sanford for the point. Final score 47, Hamilton 24.
Our games are finished for the season, but the fun isn't. Several smart and beautiful Moms are working on plans for our post-season players and family party. Stay tuned for more information.

Both Teams Win Season Finales on the Road

The JBD7 Blue team defeated West Bend East, 27-6, at West Bend, finishing the season 8-0. Macklin Kortebein and Anthony (Pogo) Pogorelc reached the end zone for Coach Joe Wieland's squad.
JBD7 Grey dominated the Milwaukee Hamilton Junior Wildcats 47-24. Van Bassindale (twice), Zach Casey, Ryan Hummer (on an INT return) and Nick Higgins (twice) scored TDs for the Grey squad.
I'll put up game stories and highlights as circumstances allow over the next two days.
Also, a couple of smart and beautiful team Moms are working on plans for our post-season team party and celebration. I'll post more details when they become available.
Thanks for your support of the Junior Blue Dukes program.

Game 7: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 14, Slinger 6

In a game that easily could have been played back in the '50s or early '60s, two teams slugged it out Saturday in a mudbowl at Slinger. Thanks to strong defense and special teams play, the Junior Blue Dukes Grey team prevailed over the host Slinger Owls, 14-6.
The only things this game lacked in the throwback department were the voice of John Facenda in the background and a few knocked-out teeth on the field.
Whitefish Bay received the opening kickoff but were forced to punt, derailed in part by a costly blocking penalty. On Slinger's first play from scrimmage, an Owls receiver got behind the Bay secondary, caught a perfectly thrown pass in stride and ran down the field for a score. 6-0, Slinger.
But Bay put itself right back in the game on the ensuing kickoff. Nick Higgins grabbed the ball about the 30-yard line, slipped briefly on the slick, muddy field, then charged up the middle, eluding all pursuit on his way to a 70-yard return for a TD. On the conversion attempt, holder Ryan Hummer put the ball down cleanly and Higgins kicked it through the uprights for 2 points. 8-6, Bay.
Bay stopped Slinger on their next possession, and went to work on offense. Fullback Teddy Weber gained a key first down up the middle. The Bay gained 15 yards and another first down on a pass interference penalty: a Slinger defender did everything short of putting a saddle on receiver Zach Casey as he rode Zach's back down the field. Van Bassindale ran left and then up the middle to bring Bay close, then Weber plunged through the middle for the TD. Bay 14, Slinger 6.
The sodden condition of the field asserted itself in quarterbacks falling down, ball handlers fumbling, and a variety of slip-sliding activities.
Near the end of the first half, Slinger reached the Bay 40, but the JBD defense turned the ball over on downs.
After Weber's touchdown, the game came down to a field position battle. Higgins' strong punts forced Slinger to start deep in its end. Brijhan Hackney, Mason Trussoni, Scott Rojahn, Bassindale, Weber and Higgins all made tackles for loss or stopped ball carriers after minimal gains.
In the 4th quarter, Slinger tried to drive for a possible tying score running up the middle behind the strength of its offensive line, but Bay contested every yard. The Slinger QB dropped back to pass and fired one down the middle, which defensive back Matt Bernstein picked off and returned more than 20 yards. Bassindale plowed up the middle for a first down that iced the game for Whitefish Bay.

Video: Highlights from JBD7 Grey at Slinger

[Regular highlights with ambient sound]

Both Teams Win Again

The JBD7 Blue team defeated Delavan 20-12 at Lubar Stadium, while the Grey team beat Slinger 14-6 in a muddy throwback slugfest on the road.

Mrs. Kupfer and the boys

Former Whitefish Bay Middle School math teacher Kathy Kupfer visited with some of her favorite boys recently when the Grey team played in Germantown.
[Photo courtesy of Karen W. Higgins.]

Games 6: Junior Blue Dukes BLUE 35, Nicolet 0

The JBD7 team took a sporting and sportsmanlike approach to Saturday's game against an undermanned Nicolet team. Coach Joe Wieland and company used the contest to spread playing time around to the whole roster in the 35-0 victory.
Bay kicked off. Jake Fisher raced downfield to make a convincing tackle just outside the 20-yard line. Bay held, and Andrew James blocked the ensuing punt. Fisher passed to Bailey Weiland to bring the ball close to the goal, then Weiland took a handoff and ran in for a score. Bay set up in kick formation for the XP conversion, but Fisher stood up and pass to Anthony Enea for the point. 7-0, Bay.
After holding Nicolet again, a Josiah Erving run put Bay in good position, then Fisher passed to Connor Kimple in the end zone for a score. Weiland kicked the 2-point conversion. 15-0, Bay.
Erving was the workhorse on next Bay offensive series, ripping off three long runs, one sprung by an Andrew James block. He scored the TD to make it 21-0, Bay.
On the next drive, Fisher took the snap and passed backward to Macklin Kortebein. (Yes, you know what's coming next.) Kortebein fired an immaculate double pass to receiver Chris Siebert, who was standing alone in his own zip code. Siebert dashed toward the goal line, but was tackled just inches short of paydirt.
Later, Kimple flushed the Nicolet QB out of the pocket but could not bring him down. The QB took off for a big gainer past the 50-yard-line, but alert Bay defender Wieland stripped the ball from him. Kortebein, who was probably going through withdrawl pain after not touching the football, scooped it up and raced to the house for a TD. Anthony Pogorelc caught a pass for the XP. 28-0, Bay.
Alec Lindfors hit a beautiful coffin-corner punt that Fisher and Kortebein downed about the 1-yard line to pin Nicolet in dangerous territory. After Bay regained possession, Enea ran a quarterback draw for the final TD. Erving ran up the middle for the XP, making the final score Bay 35, Nicolet 0.

Game 6: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 24, Fredonia 6

[Normal highlights video]



[Highlights with music: "South Side" by Moby with Gwen Stefani]


The Junior Blue Dukes Grey team defeated Fredonia handily, 24-6, in a late Saturday-afternoon game at Lubar Stadium in Whitefish Bay.
Fredonia received the opening kickoff, and made some initial progress its deceptive running game, but Whitefish Bay's speedy defense soon asserted itself, and Bay took over on offense. A Van Bassindale run, including some nifty toptoeing along the sideline, set up a big play. QB Ryan Hummer passed backward to Bassindale, who fired a strike deep downfield to wideout Zach Casey, who had a step on his man. Shortly thereafter, Bassindale ran right into the end zone for a TD. 6-0, WFB.
On Fredonia's next possession, the QB couldn't handle a poor snap. Bay D-tackle Justin Fisher recovered the ball to put the Junior Blue Dukes in prime territory. Hummer passed right to slot receiver Nick Higgins, who took the ball down to about the 1-yard line. When Teddy Weber ran up the middle, the ball came loose. Bay's Elie Ben Bordow recovered in the end zone for a Bay touchdown. 12-0.
Bay's swarming defense continued to thwart Fredonia's attempts to run outside. When Bay regained possession, Bassindale lined up in the wildcat formation. Fisher took a reverse handoff from Bassindale for a long gainer deep in Fredonia territory. The Bassindale fired a 16-yard TD pass to Casey in the right corner of the end zone. 18-0, Bay, at halftime.
In the second half, Bay lit up the scoreboard one more time. From the Fredonia 35, Hummer threw a short pass to Higgins on the left. Wide receiver Gary Bernstein occupied the only defender in the zone, and Higgins raced to the end zone. 24-0, Bay.
Bay's defense continue to impress. D-end Tony Schulz dumped a ball carrier for a big loss, and D-tackle Brijhan Hackney also recorded a TFL. Hummer intercepted a pass; unfortunately, a roughing the passer penalty on Bay wiped out Hummer's pick. Fredonia recorded a late consolation TD to make the final score 24-6.
Our next game will be a road playoff game on Saturday Oct. 23. As soon as we get word from the coaches on our opponent and game time, I will post that info.

Both Teams Win

In the morning game, the Junior Blue Dukes Blue team defeated Nicolet 35-0. In the afternoon contest, the JBD Grey team defeated Fredonia 24-6.
I have to attend an event tonight, so I will work on the video Sunday and post some highlights as soon as I can.

Scout video for Fredonia

Mequon-Thiensville-7th-grade-scouting.VOB from Jim Higgins on Vimeo.

At Coach Hummer's request, I've posted the scout video for Fredonia. The Fredonia is in yellow and black. Note the constant faking by the backs, including occasional faked high snaps by the deep back.

Game 5: Junior Blue Dukes BLUE 14, Mequon-Thiensville 8

In a battle of previously unbeaten teams, the Junior Blue Dukes BLUE team prevailed over Mequon-Thiensville 14-8 Saturday at River Barn Park field.
Bay received the opening kickoff. With his effective offensive line opening holes and sealing off blockers, running back Macklin Kortebein gashed Mequon for several long runs. A pass from QB Jake Fisher to Connor Kimple put Bay in a first-and-goal situation. Unfortunately, on one of the next plays, the refs ruled that Kortebein fumbled and lost possession of the ball to Mequon. A review of the video indicates Macklin might have already been down when he tried to reach the ball forward. John Brewster certainly thought so, and I never argue with a guy who can make multicolored spreadsheets and works for a bank, but the refs prevailed. Bay stuffed the running game, with a strong tackle by Paul Wilson, and forced a punt.
On the second play after Bay took over, Kortebein burst through the defensive line and ran 40-some yards for a score. 6-0, Bay.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Mequon returner built up a head of steam and appeared to have gotten outside containment. But Fisher made a touchdown-saving tackle near midfield. A pass and a run up the middle put Mequon within hailing distance of the goal line. But a Mequon running back was dropped for a loss behind the line: he may have slipped, but it actually looks like he fell down rather than face the wrath of the onrushing Kimple. A pass completion brought Mequon close to the goal line, but Kortebein and Wilson stuffed a ball carrier on 4th down, and Bay took over.
Kortebein dug Bay out of a hole with a gallop down the right side to the Bay 40, but Mequon held Bay on 4th down near midfield and took and the ball on downs.
Bay forced a punt. A pass to Kortebein brought the ball to the 45. Then Fisher hit Kimple with a pass in the left flat. Connor raced to the end zone. Bailey Wieland kicked the two-point conversion. 14-0, Bay.
Bay stuffed Mequon again and took over. Fisher completed another sparkly pass to Kimple for a big gain, but the half ran out before Bay could move further.
In the second half, Patrick Collins blew up a Mequon drive by forcing a ball carrier into a big loss. Mequon's weak punt made me think about how strong the kicking games of both Bay teams are, and how our kickoffs and rare punts enhance our defense and the field-position battle. .
An apparent TD pass from Kortebein to Kimple was nullified by a penalty. QB Anthony Enea threw a long pass to Bailey Weiland, putting Bay near the goal line, but the drive stalled and Bay's attemped field goal was short. Still 14-0.
In the later stages of the game, Bay turned up its defense, as a determined Mequon squad ramped up its offense. Bailey Wieland intercepted two long passes, foiling Mequon's hopes of a big gain or TD down the middle. Defensive end Alec Lindfors contributed a big sack of the Mequon QB on a rollout, and Kortebein pressured the QB into a poor throw.
But Mequon managed to pull out a TD and kicked the two-point conversion, cutting the lead to 14-8. Mequon recovered the onside kick to begin its final march toward the Bay goal line. Two runs up the middle yielded modest gains, then the Mequon QB dropped back to pass, looking for his big target down the middle. But Wieland intercepted a long pass, his third pick of the game, securing victory for the Junior Blue Dukes.
This report is based on John Brewster's fine video tape, but any mistakes in it are strictly my fault.

Game 5: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 44, Nicolet 12

Junior Blue Dukes Grey players caught a lot of footballs Saturday: some thrown by our quarterbacks, and some thrown by the Nicolet QBs. The Grey team dominated play in a 44-12 victory at Good Hope School field.
WFB received the opening kickoff. On a third-down play from around the Bay 40, QB Ryan Hummer ran around right end for a long gain. Then Hummer passed to slot receiver Nick Higgins on the left, who sped down the field for another substantial gain. Van Bassindale ran right for the TD, and Higgins kicked the two-point conversion. 8-0, Bay.
On fourth-down deep in its own territory, Nicolet ran from punt formation, but Bassindale and Higgins stuffed the ball carrier. Then Hummer threw a beautiful fade pass to Zach Casey in the right corner of the end zone for a TD. 14-0, Bay.
Near the end of the first quarter, Matt Bernstein returned a Nicolet punt for an apparent TD, but the score was nullified by a penalty. Still, Bay scored again in the first half. On fourth down and goal, Hummer threw a short pass to Higgins on the right. Nick ran untouched into the end zone, and kicked his second two-point conversion of the day. 22-0, Bay.
For the second consecutive game, an opponent has tried to beat Bay by throwing the ball, but Bay defenders have been paying attention. Jesse Sanford started the thievery by picking off a long Nicolet pass. Then, on offense, Coach Jon Bassindale rolled out a sweet gadget play. QB Jack Friesch threw backward to running back Bassindale, who pulled up and fired a long pass down the middle to the wide open Casey. Only an inadvertent stumble prevented Zach from scoring a TD.
Later in the quarter, Nicolet's QB threw to the right side. But cornerback Scott Rojahn was blanketing the receiver, went up in the air with him, and wrestled the ball away for an interception.
On Nicolet's last desperate throw of the half, defensive end Tony Schulz pressured the scrambling Nicolet QB, who heaved the ball over Tony's long arms, and into the grasp of the alert Casey. The half ended with Bay up 22-0.
Bay opened the second-half scoring with Van Bassindale, in wildcat formation, passing to Casey in the right corner of the endzone for a touchdown. Higgins kicked the two-point converstion. 30-0, Bay.
But Nicolet mounted a small rally, scoring a TD after getting outside Bay containment, and then breaking off a kickoff return for a score. (Under the rules of this league, teams trailing by more than 17 points can receive a kickoff after they score.)
Bay asserted itself with a strong defensive play. Nicolet passed short deep in its own end, but Rojahn read the play, interecepted the ball and dragged a Nicolet player on his back to about the 5-yard line. Teddy Weber ran up the middle untouched for a touchdown.
Van Bassindale then finished up the scoring with a long run, knocking the final Nicolet defender onto the ground as he ran into the end zone. Higgins kicked his fourth two-point conversion of the game to make the score 44-12.

Both Teams Win

Both Whitefish Bay Junior Blue Dukes 7th grade teams won their Saturday morning games.

The Grey team dominated Nicolet, 44-12, at Good Hope School. Teddy Weber and Van Bassindale scored rushing TDs, and Zach Casey and Nick Higgins caught TD passes. Higgins kicked 4 2-point conversions in the game. Scott Rojahn intercepted two Nicolet passes, and Jesse Sanford also intercepted a pass.

JBD7 Blue defeated the previously unbeated Mequon Red team 14-8 at River Barn Park. 

I'll post video highlights later this weekend as time permits.

Two New Books About Pro Football

In a rare collision of my hobby (football) with my work, I wrote about two new books about professional football this week. One of the books is by former NFL QB and current Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworski. Feel free to take a look at my review: my employer thanks you in advance for the clicks.

Game 4: Junior Blue Dukes BLUE 19, Mequon-Thiensville 6

Carter Heston caught two touchdown passes from Jake Fisher, and Bailey Wieland kicked a pair of two-point conversions and a field goal to lead the visiting Junior Blue Dukes Blue team to a 19-6 victory over Mequon-Thiensville (aka Homestead).
Bay received the opening kickoff, but were forced to punt. Mequon-Thiensville picked up some yardage, but were turned back on fourth down by a strong Patrick Collins tackle. Early in the second quarter, Macklin Kortebein scampered up the middle for a first down, and quarterback Jake Fisher earned another first down on a keeper. On second down, just over the midfield marker on Mequon's side of the field, Fisher launched on a rainbow down the right sideline. Wide receiver Carter Heston had gotten behind his defender. Heston calmly pulled the ball in and raced to the end zone. Wieland kicked the 2-point conversion. 8-0, Bay.
Mequon returned to its grind-it-out running game, but Bay's swarming defense turned up the intensity. Defensive end Alec Lindfors blew up a third-down run by taking out two blockers, and Collins swooped in behind him to make the tackle. After a short punt, Bay took over in Mequon territory. Bay picked up a first down on a pass to Kortebein, and gained more yards on a pass to Wieland and a bootleg by Fisher. Fisher then launched another rainbow to the right corner of the end zone to Heston, who had worked his way behind his defender again. Wieland kicked the two-point conversion. After the kickoff, Collins sacked a Mequon ball carrier for a loss to end the half. Bay 16, Mequon-Thiensville 0.
Mequon received the second-half kickoff, but accomplished little. On fourth down, the punter bobbled the snap, and a swarm of Blue Dukes, led by Andrew James, wrestled him to the ground. But Mequon was equally stout on D, and the ball went back to the home team after four downs, then back to Bay.
Kortebein broke off a long run to bring Bay within hailing distance of the goal line. Early in the 4th quarter, after a third-down pass attempt had fallen incomplete, Bailey Wieland kicked the first field goal in the Junior Blue Dukes annals of this class, about a 20-yarder. 19-0, Bay.
A well-executed fake by Mequon's quarterback bought the time to find an open receiver, who brought the home team close to the goal line. A speedy runner got outside containment to score a touchdown, but the conversion kick attempt failed. 19-6, Bay.
Wieland deftly covered up Mequon's attempted onside kick. Running back Josiah Erving picked up positive yards on a pair of runs, then quarterback Anthony Enea ripped off a long gain on a bootleg for a first down. Bay was close enough to the goal line to press the issue if it wanted, but Enea took a knee to close out the contest at 19-6.
Thanks to John Brewster for providing the video I watched to construct this account of the game. As usual, any mistakes I've made in summarizing it are strictly my fault, no one else's.

The Well-Rounded Athlete

Before he tackles ball carriers, Junior Blue Dukes player Cullen Keiper tackles the ivories.

Video: 1st Half Highlights from JBD7 Blue at Homestead-Mequon-Thiensville-Etc

1. If your name is Heston, you might want to watch these highlights.
2. Where did this #1 in White come from? Does Coach Wieland know he plays for us?
3. Thanks to John Brewster for videotaping the game. Brew is not responsible for poor editing of the highlights. That's my fault.

Video: Highlights from JBD7 Grey at Germantown Blue

Game 4: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 21, Germantown Blue 0

The Junior Blue Dukes controlled all phases of the contest in a 21-0 victory Saturday at Germantown.

Bay received the opening kickoff and consumed most of the first quarter on a steady march downfield, mixing runs by Teddy Weber and Van Bassindale, including a 4th down conversion by Bassindale, who went on to score the game's first TD on a run to the right. WFB 6-0.

After the kickoff, Bay stuffed Germantown deep in their own end, with linebacker Nick Higgins tossing a block aside before dropping a Germantown running back for a big loss on third down. On 4th down, the Germantown punter mishandled a high snap. When he picked it up and tried to kick, Higgins blocked the punt, and Bay took over on downs inside the Germantown 15. Unfortunately, Bay's drive stalled after an incomplete pass, and Germantown resumed possession deep in their own end. 

Realizing they could not run wide on the speedy Bay defense, Germantown began to throw more. On one dropback, defensive end Mason Trussoni knocked the ball out of the QB's hands, and defensive end Jonathan Downs recovered the fumble for the Junior Blue Dukes. On 4th down, Bassindale plowed up the middle for the touchdown. Teddy Weber ran for the extra point. WFB 13-0.

After the kickoff, Germantown gained some yardage on a run left, a few passes and an offside penalty against Bay. But safety Matt Bernstein leaped high in the air to intercept a pass and end the potential threat. The half ended with Whitefish Bay leading 13-0.

Germantown received the second-half kickoff. The Hawks completed a longish pass to cross into Bay territory. But Bay turned up its defensive pressure. Cornerback Scott Rojahn nearly intercepted the Germantown quarterback's pitch to a running back, and Bassindale nearly made a leaping one-handed interception in the middle of the field. Bay took over on downs.

From the wildcat formation, Bassindale threw a long pass to wide receiver Zach Casey, which he was not able to reel in. The Bay coaches, showing faith in both their players and their play call, went right back to the same play, with Casey making the catch for a long gain. Still in the wild cat, Bassindale ran a QB draw up in the middle for first-down yardage. On 2nd and goal, Bassindale ran through a would-be tackler into the end zone for a TD. Higgins kicked the 2-point conversion to make the score WFB 21, Germantown 0.

Neither side would taste the sweetness of the end zone after that, but the fourth quarter nonetheless had its charms. Jesse Sanford made a crisp tackle to stop a short reception right where it was caught. On 4th down in alleged punt formation, the Germantown protector (or up back) threw a pass, but cornerback Ryan Hummer read the play from the beginning and intercepted the ball. With determined effort Friesch eluded a tackler to gain a first down on a QB sneak. 

On Germantown's final possession, Casey intercepted a pass and took it down the right sideline to the end zone, but a holding penalty on the run back pulled the ball back. Still, it was a satisfying ending to game that Whitefish Bay dominated completely.

Meet the Coaches: Steve Hummer

 In Steve Hummer’s mind, success in football is not the birthright of the biggest. It belongs to the quickest, the smartest and the best prepared.

  For three years now, Hummer has coached offensive line play for our grade of Junior Blue Dukes players. This year on game day, Hummer is on the JBD7 Grey sideline, instructing, encouraging, reminding and correcting his linemen.

 Steve grew up in western Pennsylvania where the passion for football was so great the local newspaper would break down player position match-ups between high school teams, and "the post-game articles would rival the depth of Badger coverage at the Journal Sentinel." 

Steve earned all-conference honors as a lineman, playing guard and tackle. "In junior high and early high school I wrestled as well," he said. "I was an average wrestler, but I feel it improved my awareness of body position for football and helped me get into the proper blocking position.  This was particularly important since I was smaller than many of my opponents. I found that getting off the snap of the ball quickly and getting into the correct blocking position was far more important than my physical size."

 Later in life, while teaching in Florida, he coached the line for his school's varsity football team. "Since our line was typically smaller -- but faster -- than other teams, we concentrated on proper technique, speed off the ball, being smarter than the other team. By the latter I mean knowing all of the various ways you can block the same play depending on the defense."

 "Other than quarterback, the five guys on the line have the most decision making during a play," Hummer said. "They have to make the correct blocking decision (in unison) based on the defense, get off the ball and then make the physical block against a player who might outweigh him by 20 pounds. If one guy doesn't make the right block the play doesn't work.  So when one of our backs makes a great play I'm the guy you hear screaming 'good job!' to the linemen."

  The Junior Blue Dukes offensive line is not a monolithic wall of similar boys. The different positions have distinct responsibilities. The center, of course, must snap the ball correctly, consistently and on the right count many times a game. Guards are usually the quickest linemen. On some plays, they "pull," leaving their area for specific blocking assignments in motion. "Tackles are the biggest guys because they have to anchor the outside of the line," Hummer said. 

 Compared to the teams we play, Junior Blue Dukes linemen are nearly always faster, Hummer said, and "I like to think we are the smartest."

Offensive linemen aren't the only players who must block for plays to be successful. On each play, "every running back and receiver has a blocking assignment," he said. "I think our receivers have done an outstanding job of downfield blocking."

Hummer said Coach Joe Wieland has the boys doing isometrics and other strength-improving exercises to become stronger as the season goes on. During individual offense time, our linemen also practice proper technique, beginning with the basics of lining up and getting in the correct stance. "You have to be able to do this every day even when you are tired and don’t want to," Hummer said. "Coming out of the correct stance gives you strength."

"I encourage kids to get in a squat position at home and see how long they can hold it."

More than any other sport, Hummer said, football requires everyone from the average athlete on a team to the exceptional one to work in unison. 

Having worked with many of these boys since 5th grade, Hummer said, "I’ve seen kids who have become really good football players and continue to grow."

As for his linemen, he added, speaking from his experience as a player as well as a coach, "I want them to love something that doesn’t get biggest press in the world."
 

Dreyel

Dreyel, based on a photo by Nathan Wallin

Video: Highlights (with music) from JBD7 Blue vs. Kewaskum at Lydell

For those who prefer their highlights with music in forefront instead of the yelling Joes, here's a repeat of the Blue team highlights, to the tune of Bo Diddley's "You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover."

Game 3: JBD7 GREY 39, Germantown Gold 0

 The Grey team rebounded from last week's difficulties with a 39-0 thrashing of Germantown Gold in Germantown. All facets of the Whitefish Bay team -- offense, defense and special teams -- were shiny in this victory.
 Nick Higgins started the game by booming the opening kickoff over the head of the Germantown returner, and the Bay coverage team pinned the home team deep. Seamus Floyd brought down the Germantown QB for a big third-down sack. A short, possibly tipped punt gave WFB the ball first and goal at the Germantown 9. Unfortunately, a Bay ball carrier was stripped of the ball on third down, and Germantown recovered the fumble (the first of many fumbles in this game, which ironically was our first dry-weather game of the season). However, the beastly Bay defense forced a fumble, recovered (I think) by Justin Fisher, and Bay took over in Germantown territory. On third and long, QB Ryan Hummer tossed a short pass to slot receiver Nick Higgins on the left. Receiver Matt Bernstein tied up the only potential tackler, and Higgins raced into the end zone for the game's first touchdown. He kicked the two-point conversion. WFB 8, Germantown 0.
 In the second quarter, the Junior Blue Dukes stopped a Germantown fake punt and took over on downs. Bay marched down the field on a series of runs by Van Bassindale and Teddy Weber, with Bassindale scoring from about 8 yards out. WFB 14, GG 0.
 Germantown got nowhere on the next possession. On the third-down play, Bassindale plowed through two blockers to tackle the runner for a loss. On the first play after the punt, Bassindale took a handoff and swept around right end, where Weber and Tony Schulz had pulverized would-be tacklers. Van raced more than 50 yards to the end zone. WFB 20, GG 0.
On its next possession, Germantown launched a pass down the left side, but ball-hawking cornerback Zach Casey was waiting for it. Casey intercepted and raced down the sideline for a TD. WFB 26, GG 0.
 The Bay defense held Germantown again, with Mason Trussoni tackling a GG receiver for a loss on a 4th down pass. From the wildcat formation, Bassindale tossed a bomb downfield to Casey, who made a surehanded grab for a gain of more than 30 yards. Bassindale handed off to Higgins for an end-around, but he was stopped at the 2-yard line as time expired in the half.
  Due to mercy rules that allows a team down by more than 17 points to receive extra kickoffs, Whitefish Bay kicked off to start the second half. Higgins pinned Germantown deep with another long kick, with Bassindale reacquainting the ball carrier forcefully with the turf. After Germantown punted, Bassindale took a handoff and rumbled some 40 yards into the end zone for his third touchdown of the day. WFB 32, GG 0.
 By this point, both teams were substituting players freely.
 On the ensuing kickoff, the Germantown returner found a seam and charged up the field, looking for the big one. But as he crossed midfield, a low-flying, white-jerseyed, long-haired blur cut him down at the legs the way a scythe cuts grain. Kicker Nick Higgins made the touchdown-saving tackle. (I'm not exaggerating, folks, because he's my kid. If you look at the highlights video, he is moving so fast you can barely see him.)
 Still, Germantown began a drive for the first time on Whitefish Bay's side of the 50. Germantown parlayed several nice runs and a Bay penalty into a first-and-goal situation at the 1-yard line. With the outcome of the game not in doubt, the next four plays were all about pride and the possibility of a clean sheet for the Bay defense. Led by Bassindale's saber-toothed savagery, the stout defense stuffed all four plays and took over on downs.
On third and long from inside the Bay 10, Bassindale ripped off a long run that would have gone for a touchdown, but the referee correctly flagged the Blue Dukes for a clipping penalty. Nonetheless, it was still a first down and Bay had dug itself out of the hole. Hummer then threw to Higgins on the left for a gain of more than 20 yards. Justin Fisher then took over as featured running back, charging for more than 10 yards on his first carry. Fisher and Weber interspersed carries as Bay marched down the field. Hummer passed to Matt Bernstein in the left flat for a gain that set up 1st and goal for Bay.
 Behind the crisp offensive line that made Coach Steve Hummer proud all game, Fisher stormed into the end zone for the game's final touchdown. QB Ryan Hummer passed to Zach Casey in the end zone for extra point. WFB 39, Germantown 0.
Elie Ben Bordow squibbed the ensuing kickoff down the middle; he and Russell Grevious tackled the ball carrier. Led by defensive end Tony Schulz, who stuffed a ball carrier for a huge loss, Bay held Germantown on downs and took over the ball for the final moments.
Whitefish Bay closed out the game with QB Jack Friesch handing off to Grevious for a positive run, making them the 8th and 9th Blue Dukes players to handle the ball on offense in this game.

Game 3: JBD7 BLUE 22, Kewaskum 16

 Playing on the Lydell practice field because of a schedule conflict, the Junior Blue Dukes 7th grade BLUE team defeated Kewaskum 22-16 Saturday morning. Whitefish Bay dominated the run of play, but Kewaskum struck for two long TDs (and kicked a pair of two-point conversions) to keep the outcome in doubt until the end. Ultimately, Bay's variety on offense and quality of execution prevailed.
Macklin Kortebein returned the opening kickoff to midfield. Working out of a one-back, four-receiver set, Kortebein first made a short gain on a pass in the flat, then, behind a strong offensive line, gashed Kewaskum for two long runs, the second one a TD. On the extra point attempt, quarterback Jake Fisher faked a handoff to Bailey Weiland, then passed to Kortebein on the left for the point. 7-0, Whitefish Bay.
 However, on the first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kickoff, a Kewaskum running back got outside containment on the right and scampered the length of the field for a TD. Kewaskum kicked the two-point conversion. 8-7, Kewaskum.
 Kortebein once again returned the kickoff to the middle of the field. On third down, Kortebein gained nine yards on a nifty shovel pass from Fisher, then Fisher plunged through the line on a QB keeper for a first down. A pass to Weiland on the left gained another first down. Then, early in the second quarter, Fisher threw a fade pass to Connor Kimple in the right corner of the end zone for a TD. On the extra point try, Kimple, coming from the right, took a pitch from Fisher and ran unmolested into the end zone for the conversion. Whitefish Bay 14, Kewaskum 8.
 The Junior Blue Dukes stopped Kewaskum and forced a punt. Fisher kept a Bay drive alive with a run up the right sideline for first down. After a couple of sacks and tackles for loss, on 4th down, Kimple ran for a long gainer out of punt formation for a first down. However, time in the first half ran out before Bay could punch in another score.
 In the second half, the teams traded possessions without scoring. Then, on Kewaskum's second drive, Andrew James forced a fumble that was recovered by Johnny Misey. On offense, a shovel pass to Kortebein produced a long gain. Fisher gained tough yards on a QB keeper, then drew Kewaskum offside with a fine hard count for a first down. Fisher ran a bootleg to the left, and with receiver Chris Siebert sealing off his defender, the Bay QB made it nearly to the goal line. On the next play, Fisher threw a fade pass to Carter Heston in the left corner of the end zone for a TD. Weiland kicked the two-point conversion. WFB 22, Kewaskum 8.
 But Kewaskum came right back, with a long run right, a short pass left and a long pass left for a TD.    The kick conversion was good for two points. WFB 22, Kewaskum 16 in the fourth quarter.
 Kewaskum tried a low line drive onside kick, but Kimple caught it and fell to the ground to keep possession for Bay.
After turning the ball over on downs, Kewaskum had one more shot, but Fisher intercepted an overthrown pass to secure the victory for the Blue team.

Video: Highlights from JBD7 Blue vs. Kewaskum at Lydell

Video: Highlights from JBD7 Grey at Germantown Gold

Game 3: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 39, Germantown 0

Justin Fisher and Van Bassindale rushed for touchdowns, Nick Higgins caught a touchdown pass, Zach Casey returned an interception for a TD, and defensive end Tony Schulz led a swarming defense that shut out Germantown, 39-0. I'll post a more complete game story and video highlights later this weekend.

A Portrait of Teddy Weber

Teddy Weber (based on a photo by Nathan Wallin)

Video: Highlights from JBD7 Blue at Cedar Grove

Video: Highlights from JBD7 Grey vs. Grafton

Game 2: Grafton 20, Junior Blue Dukes GREY 18

The Grafton Gladiators defeated the Junior Blue Dukes Grey team, 20-18, on a short touchdown run late in the 4th quarter Saturday at Lubar Stadium. Without diminishing in any way the execution and superior intensity of the Gladiators, I think the JBD players will look back on this game as one they lost through mistakes -- fumbles, bad snaps, interceptions, poor tackling -- and a failure to consistently match the intensity of Grafton's play. This game had good moments for Blue Dukes, but not enough of them to pull out a victory.
The game started in promising fashion. Grafton won the coin toss and received the opening kickoff, but the Blue Dukes defense held and forced a punt. Matt Bernstein made a nice punt return, but a penalty pulled the yardage back. Still, the Blue Dukes drove down the field into Grafton territory. Unfortunately, a fumbled exchange at the Grafton 34 turned the ball over to the Gladiators. On the next play, poor tackling by Whitefish Bay elevated a short jaunt through the middle to a long gain for Grafton. But Whitefish Bay forced a turnover at the 8-yard line, with Justin Fisher scooping up the ball. On the next play, Van Bassindale ran more than 90 yards for the TD. The extra point kick failed. 6-0, Whitefish Bay.
Nick Higgins'  kickoff bounced inside the 10, but Grafton managed a return to the 30. Several plays later, a Grafton receiver took a short pass over the middle and, thanks to poor tackling  attempts by several Blue Dukes players, turned it into a long touchdown. Grafton converted the XP kick. Grafton 8, WFB 6.
In the second quarter, after a Blue Dukes drive stalled, the Blue Dukes lined up in punt formation. The center bounced a poor snap back to Nick Higgins, who deftly fielded the ball and ran around the left side, presumably in a designed fake punt. Nick, who had absorbed a hard hit to his leg earlier in the game, took hard shots to the head and leg while being tackled, and got up dizzy and wobbly (the ref had to help him up). Our consultant medic took a look at him (thanks Chris) and we unanimously agreed he should sit the rest of the game out. (Nick appears to be doing fine today, beyond being very sore.)
A long pass completion put Grafton close to the goal line, where the Gladiators punched the ball in for a score. The XP kick failed. Grafton 14, WFB 6.
Grafton tried an onside kick, but for the second time this season, Elie Ben Bordow covered the ball snugly for the Junior Blue Dukes.
With scant time left in the first half, the Blue Dukes offense came to life, with hard-earned yards from Teddy Weber's inside runs, a couple of Van Bassindale scampers and a pass completion from Ryan Hummer to Matt Bernstein. A quarterback bootleg by Hummer took the ball close to the goal line. Bassindale plowed up the middle for the TD.  After an off-target snap to the holder, an XP running attempt failed. At halftime, the score was Grafton 14, Whitefish Bay 12.
In the third quarter, the Junior Blue Dukes stopped a Grafton drive deep into Bay territory. On Bay's first ensuing play Bassindale, lined up in wildcat formation, took the snap, picked his way through several would-be tacklers, and raced for the TD. On the extra point attempt, the ball was snapped over the head of the holder, so no points. Whitefish Bay 18, Grafton 14.
Grafton steadily drove down the field until it reached hailing distance of the goal line. The Bay defense stiffened, setting up a 4th and goal situation. Unfortunately, the Grafton QB took the shotgun snap, saw daylight on the left side, and ran into the end zone for the game-winning score. The XP failed. Grafton 20, Whitefish Bay 18.
The Grey team had enough ticks left for a shot at a comeback, but an interception at midfield sealed the game.
Grafton did nothing tricky with their offense, but executed what they did very well. They also played with enthusiasm and intensity. That is the lesson JBD boys can learn from them.
It's one thing for boys, or parents, to complain about playing time; it's another thing altogether to actually do something on the field. If we could roll back just half the missed tackles from this game, the outcome would have been different. In his post-game remarks to the boys, Coach Bassindale made the point that serious effort and intensity in the game itself begins with taking practice seriously. Expect to hear that theme reinforced in practice this week.

Video Highlights from JBD7 Blue vs. Germantown Gold

Footnote: Unfortunately, video of Alec Lindfors fumble return for a TD not available due to technical difficulties. It was a great return by Alec of a fumble caused by a strip by Connor Kimple.

Determination in Blue / Karen W. Higgins photo

Video Highlights from JBD7 Grey vs. Cedarburg

Game 1: Junior Blue Dukes BLUE 24, Germantown Gold 0

Connor Kimple caught two touchdown passes, Wilt Alt ran for a score and Alec Lindors returned a recovered fumble for a TD as the Junior Blue Dukes Blue team won their home opener against Germantown.

Game 1: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 14, Cedarburg 13

Overcoming penalties, mistakes and injuries, the Junior Blue Dukes 7th grade Grey team rode special teams play, clutch 4th quarter defense and power running to a 14-13 victory over the skilled, determined and large Cedarburg team.
Aided by a blocking scheme where every Blue Dukes player did his job, Nick Higgins took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown. Higgins kicked the two-point conversion to make the score WFB 8, Cedarburg 0.
But Cedarburg calmly went to work, running its double-wing offense, which tends to hide which back is carrying the ball. Its big linemen and crafty running backs ground the ball down the field until they scored a late first-quarter TD. A pass attempt for the point-after conversion failed. WFB 8, Cedarburg 6.
On the ensuing kickoff, Cedarburg squibbed a kick, possibly intended as an onside kick, but player Elie Ben Bordow covered up the ball for the Junior Blue Dukes.
After the Junior Blue Dukes failed to convert a 4th down play, Cedarburg again drove down the field and scored on a run. This time Cedarburg ran successfully for the point after. Cedarburg 13, WFB 8.
Cedarburg tried an onside kick, but Zach Casey covered it for the Blue Dukes.
At halftime the Whitefish Bay coaches made some adjustments to their defense that slowed down the Cedarburg juggernaut. But a score was still required for the Junior Blue Dukes to regain the lead.
A promising 4th quarter drive ended with an interception by Cedarburg at their own 6-yard line. The Blue Dukes defense held and forced a punt. Matt Bernstein ran the punt back nearly to the goal line, but a penalty on Whitefish Bay placed the ball back around its 45.
A series of power runs by Teddy Weber (mostly inside) and Van Bassindale (often to the right) put the Junior Blue Dukes within striking distance. Then the determined Bassindale rumbled into the end zone to make the score 14-13.
With less than a minute left, Cedarburg tried several runs and then a pass, but Bernstein intercepted the ball, and quarterback Ryan Hummer executed the sweetest play in football, the victory formation kneel down.
Final score: Grey team 14, Cedarburg 13.
Here's hoping to see many of you at the Blue team this afternoon, scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
I'll post video highlights after I finish processing.

How to Adjust a Football Mouthpiece

Coach Joe Wieland points out that some players have not fitted their mouth guards.

As a rule, Wieland says, players' mouth guards should fit tightly to their upper teeth. They should be able to talk without the guard falling out.

 If the guard is too loose, it can become dislodged during action and cause the players to choke, or come out of the player's mouth, leaving them unprotected.

All parents should check to see that mouth guards fit properly.

If you need some guidance on that process, please visit this website recommended by Joe:

http://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-a-Football-Mouthpiece

Meet the Coaches: Joe Wieland

Coach Joe Wieland

When Joe Wieland coached the Whitefish Bay High School football team, his team one season featured a senior linebacker who was 5’ 6” and weighed all of 140 pounds. (Hint: Some boys on this season’s 7th grade squad are bigger than that.)
“He lifted weights and became a second-team all-conference linebacker, because he thought he was a tough-guy football player,” Wieland said.
“Every year at high school I had one kid who never started until he became a senior. Those are my success stories. I made a difference with those kids.”
Wieland, who has 22 years of coaching football at every level from 3rd grade through college graduate assistant, is coaching the Junior Blue Dukes 7th grade Blue team this year. He coached the 6th grade squad last season.
He was an all-conference football (RB/DB), baseball (outfielder) and track (sprinter) athlete at Kettle Moraine High School, and an all-conference free safety and track letterman at Carroll College. Wieland coached the WFBHS team for 5 years, compiling 8-3 records his last two seasons.
“I’ve never been the biggest guy on the field,” said Wieland, a math teacher at Whitefish Bay Middle School. “I felt like I worked as hard as I could. I was a tough guy, I played hard.
“I was a kid who could not stand to lose. I hated to lose. I was really fast, I took advantage of my strengths.”
Last season, with a bounty of skilled players to call on, Wieland’s 6th grade team went undefeated. To get more boys more playing experience, the 7th grade is fielding two teams this season, with acknowledged skill players divided comparably between the two teams.
“I feel much more challenged as a coach, day to day in practice,” he said. “I have to make the players better every single day.
“One of our goals is to make our coaches coach better.”
He said he was “ecstatic” with the number of 7th grade boys (about 46) who came out for football this season. “We picked up some football players. Some will have an immediate impact, some an impact two years from now.”

Joe Wieland in his day job as a teacher.

While some players are obviously bigger, faster or stronger than others, Wieland does not believe on giving up on any kid who is making the effort. “Kids will ask me and I will tell them candidly, here’s what you need to do (to improve or to earn a starting spot),” he said. He also said every kid on the team, no matter who he is, has parts of his game he can improve.
Wieland, Grey team coach Jon Bassindale and the assistant coaches are committed to maintaining a unified spirit among 7th grade players while fielding two teams. The two head coaches frequently compare notes on their squads. About 75% of the offensive playbook is the same for both teams, with each team putting in a few plays of its own to take advantage of its players’ distinctive skills.
“We end every practice as a team,” Wieland said. “We are one big team that is going our opposite ways on Saturday and coming back to talk about our victories.

Scenes from a Scrimmage

Karen W. Higgins took some photos at the Aug. 28 scrimmage day in Greendale. These are mostly of Grey team players, but there are some Blue team boys there (Connor Nethen, Cullen Keiper and Connor Kimple, among others). Thanks, Karen.

Meet the Coaches: Jon Bassindale

Coaches Joe Wieland (left) and Jon Bassindale

(At the suggestion of Coach Wieland, I’m writing a series of pieces about the men who are coaching our boys this season.)
Jon Bassindale defies at least one stereotype of the youth football coach: He does not yell very much. 

That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t correct mistakes in practice, or get exasperated by the antics and miniscule attention spans of some hormonally-charged 7th graders. But rather than scold, he prefers to instruct and organize boys in a sport that he both takes seriously and loves passionately.

“I have had both good coaches as well as some really bad coaches in my time, so I have a lot to model myself after,” he said.

With the 7th grade moving to two teams this season for more boys to gain playing experience, Bassindale, who coached running backs and linebackers last season, was eager to step up to the second head coaching spot alongside Joe Wieland.

“I love football... it’s the ultimate team sport!
Football requires all 11 players on the field to coordinate their efforts in order to create an advantage over the other team. If one player misses an assignment, the whole play can collapse.”

Bassindale played high school football at Racine Case in 1975-’77 as a running back and cornerback, where he earned all-conference and all-county honors. He played college football at Dartmouth as a running back and member of the kickoff and kick coverage teams.

One of his signature experiences as a player started, unexpectedly, with a demotion. He had missed a Dartmouth varsity game to attend his brother’s wedding. When he returned to campus, he found he had been demoted to the JV team for the next game.

“I had a ton of fun in that game,” he said. “It kind of refocused me.” It reminded him of how much fun football could be, no matter where a person is playing.

“This season,” Bassindale said, “is about trying to make our 7th grade class even stronger as a team by developing more players capable of taking it to the next level.”

“So much of what we accomplish this year,” he continued, “will take place in practice and not on the field on Saturdays.

“Many of my best football memories come from the time spent with my football buddies on the practice field.”

Bassindale, Joe Wieland and the assistant coaches had many discussions before dividing the 7th graders into two comparable teams.

“We have 22-23 boys on the grey squad, and at this point only half of our starting 11 would be starters on a combined team,” Bassindale said.

“That means the other half will get significant playing time in a starting role, where they have the opportunity to get even better.”

While it doesn’t hurt to have size, speed and strength, Bassindale said what he most looks for in players is “the things that kids can control... their effort, their attitude, and their respect.

If the player shows up and gives 100%, is willing to learn and try new things, is focused on improving, and is respectful of their coaches/teammates and competition, they will accomplish a lot.”

At least for the first game, he said, he would go with his best 11 on offense and best 11 on defense. Knowing that means some of the same players on both sides, probably another 5 or 6 boys will also play regularly.

As Coach Wieland has also said, he will be fair to boys based on their skills, mastery of the plays and effort they put into practice, but playing time will not be distributed equally.
“Everyone has the same opportunity to prove themselves ready for playing time,” he said.

“Success here would be having some of our second 11 become part of our starting 11 before season’s end.”

A Message from the Coaches

A MESSAGE FROM THE COACHES:

BE CAREFUL - With the season upon us, we need the boys to take football as their number 1 priority and limit their other activities that could lead to injuries. We only have 23 players on each team and we need all of them healthy for practice and games. My son, Bailey, is no longer playing Sunday baseball, just as an example. Every player and parent can obviously choose the activities of the players, but we are really looking to making football the number one commitment over the next 8 weeks. When someone gets injured or sick, we do not have many options this year.

SLEEP - School is starting and the boys will need to adjust to a new schedule. Get them to bed early. We are asking that parents do not have Friday night sleep overs. Players should be IN BED by 10:00.

HOMEWORK - Encourage the boys to finish their homework after school and before practice. This would help with them getting home at 8:00, showering, eating and getting to bed .

INJURIES - if your son is injured, a good general rule is ice for 48 hours following the incident. Also, let us know ASAP when a player is injured. There is a difference between PAIN and INJURY. We need players to push through PAIN and rest an INJURY. 

PRACTICE - CHANGE. We are going to continue with practice on Tuesdsay, Wednesday, Thursday. We will start promptly at 5:00 and finish at 7:00. We have found that anything over 2 hours has not been productive this year ( again, age and hormones ).

CONCESSIONS - We encourage you to volunteer to work the concessions OPPOSITE of you sons game. We only have a few home games and this will enable you to watch your son in action instead of working concessions while he is playing.

GAME TIME - Players should be at the field, ready to go, 1 hour before game time. Ask your son his position and when he is playing, which will help you find him on the field. There is still only one ball, and not everyone touches it, but we are trying to make everyone understand that ALL players contribute to a win, or a loss.  As we have said in the past, fair does not mean equal.

Thanks,  Coach Wieland and Coach Bassindale

BLUE team scrimmage wear update

Uniform for tomorrow's (Sept. 2) scrimmage:  Blue game jerseys and blue game pants.  If your player needs a ride, please drop them off at Lydell by 4:30.   
Thanks, 
John Brewster 
jbrewster@wi.rr.com 
Blue (Wieland) team manager

BLUE, GREY ROSTERS FINALIZED

Coaches Joe Wieland (Blue) and Jon Bassindale (Grey) have finalized the rosters for our two 7th grade teams.

BLUE
Head Coach: Joe Wieland
Coaches: Mark Kortebein, Kurt Alt, Joe Fisher, Dan Hess, Scott Siebert
Manager: John Brewster (coordinates volunteers and other duties)
Players: Will Alt, Jake Brewster, Charlie Cohen, Patrick Collins, Anthony Enea, Josiah Erving, Jake Fisher, Brandon Haughey, Danny Hess, Carter Heston, Andrew James, Cullen Kieper, Connor Kimple, Macklin Kortebein, Peter Kubly, Alec Lindfors, Evan Miller, Johnny Misey, Connor Nethen, Anthony Pogorelc, Paul Presberg, Chris Siebert, Bailey Wieland, Paul Wilson.

GREY
Head Coach: Jon Bassindale
Coaches: Steve Hummer, John Friesch, Matt Trussoni, Jeff Frank
Manager: Jim Higgins
Players: Van Bassindale, Matt Bernstein, Elie Ben Bordow, Brooks Burton, Zach Casey, Clay Daley, Jonathan Downs, Cooper Fergus, Justin Fisher, Seamus Floyd, Jack Friesch, Russell Grevious, Brijhan Hackney, John Heebink, Nick Higgins, Ryan Hummer, Scott Rojahn, Jesse Sanford, Tony Schultz, Dreyel Taylor, Mason Trussoni, Zachary Turner, Teddy Weber.

Video: From the 8-28 scrimmages

Coach Jon Bassindale and fellow coaches Steve Hummer, John Friesch and Matt Trussoni took a squad to scene Greendale for 4 scrimmages Saturday morning. Here's a look at one of the scrimmages, from two different camera points of view:

jbd7-bassindale-8-28-2010-scrimmage-game-2 from Jim Higgins on Vimeo.


2010-08-28 Scrimmage - Greendale from Jim Higgins on Vimeo.

The high-altitude view is courtesy of John Brewster and his patented BrewCam.

Coach Bassindale speaks: Saturday scrimmage details

From Coach Bassindale:

We need the following players for this Saturday’s scrimmages (Aug. 28) in Greendale .

Not Greenfield, Not Glendale, but GREENDALE….at the High School.

(I am emphasizing the location as I always mix these up and did so in my earlier communication.)

We want to be in Greendale no later than 8:30AM as we start our first session promptly at 9. We will meet at Lydell at 7:50Am and leave no later than 8AM.

If your son needs a ride please make sure he is to Lydell by 7:50AM.

We are taking about half our team so expect more playing time than last weekend.

The boys will be playing almost non-stop for over 2 hours so make sure they are well hydrated and well rested.

Have them bring a bag with two water bottles and a snack bar if they want.

Nethen

Taylor

Trusoni

Daley

Downs

Friesch

Fisher (Justin)

Bernstein

Presburg

Weber

Floyd

Hummer

Bassindale

Schultz

Casey

Higgins

Rojahn

Kimple

Sanford

Kieper

 

Coach Bassindale

Cell: (414) 336-6195

1 .	Take the ramp onto I-43 S	12.5 mi
2.	Take exit 8A to merge onto WI-36 S/W Loomis Rd	2.5 mi
3.	Turn right at Southway Way Destination will be on the left	0.4 mi

Destination: 6801 Southway Way Greendale, WI 53129