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.
