Game 6: Junior Blue Dukes BLUE 30, Mequon-Thiensville Red 6

The Junior Blue Dukes Blue team overpowered Mequon-Thiensville Red 30-6 Saturday at Whitefish Bay's Lubar Stadium.
In the 1st quarter, after forcing the Cardinals to punt, Van Bassindale ran around right end for a 75-yard TD. Unfortunately, the conversion attempt hit the upright. Bay 6-0.
On Mequon’s ensuing drive, Seamus Floyd blew up a pitch play by dumping the runner for a loss.
Continuing his season-long excellence at DB, Matt Bernstein nearly intercepted a Mequon pass.
Later in the second quarter, Mequon drove deep into Bay territory, but the defense derailed the drive, with Alec Lindfors knocking down and nearly intercepting a 4th down pass.
On the next play, QB Connor Kimple ripped off a long run into Mequon territory. A punishing Bassindale run and a Kimple rollout gave Bay a 1st and goal situation. Bassindale plowed through the defense for a touchdown. Kimple kicked the two-point conversion. Bay 14-0.
Mequon tried trickery at the end of the first half with a hook and ladder play, but Bassindale and Floyd sniffed it out and stopped the runner for no gain.
In the second half, from the Mequon 39, Kimple made a nice cut to avoid a rusher and sprinted down the left sideline for a touchdown. The conversion kick attempt was blocked. Bay 20-0.
The Bay defense continued strong. Teddy Weber blew up a Mequon screen, pushing the receiver out of bounds for no gain. Lindfors dumped a receiver in the flat for a loss, and also dropped a runner on a reverse for a loss.
Since Alec was born with suction cups for fingers, you knew another pick-six was coming in this game. It arrived in the 3rd quarter. The Bay pass rush harassed the QB, and possibly tipped the pass. Lindors pulled it in and galloped to the end zone for a touchdown. Kimple’s two-point conversion kick was good. Bay 28-0.
Other highlights: Nathan Kurtz intercepted a pass for Bay. Zach Casey caught a pass on the right sideline for a nice gain. Isaac Chavez dropped a Mequon runner for a loss. Bernstein caught a long pass from Ryan Hummer.
Late in the 4th quarter, with Mequon deep its own end, Weber sniffed out a trick play and dumped a runner in the end zone for a safety. Bay 30-0.
In garbage time, Mequon completed a halfback pass for a touchdown, but Bay blocked the two-point conversion attempt. Bay 30, Mequon 6.

Game 6: Junior Blue Dukes Gray 19, Franklin 16

In a game that was not decided until the final seconds, and one that featured two lead changes in the 4th quarter, the Junior Blue Dukes Gray team defeated the previously unbeaten Franklin Sabers on the Franklin home field Oct. 15. Many Gray players had a hand in this thrilling (if occasionally stomach churning) victory.
Coach Joe Wieland used running back Macklin Kortebein as the hammer to pound away at the Sabers defense. Frequently running behind the O-line power trio of Andrew James, Tony Schulz and Jacob Selby, Kortebein gashed the Sabers regularly for chain-moving chunks of yardage.
For their part, Franklin's talented QB, a nifty runner as well as strong passer, kept the Bay defense on its toes.
The game, played in a fairly strong and tricky wind, was scoreless until the 2nd quarter, when a long run put Franklin deep in Bay territory. Two pass completions later, the Sabers QB hit a receiver in the middle of the field, and he ran into the end zone. Franklin kicked the two-point conversion. 8-0, Sabers.
Kortebein returned the ensuing kickoff to the 45. He ripped off a series of strong runs, interspersed with a Jake Fisher pass to Carter Heston, to put Bay at the 15-yard line. Kortebein then took a handoff, ran up the middle, cut left and ran into the end zone for a touchdown. The two-point conversion kick was blocked. Franklin 8, Bay 6.
With little time left in the half, and Franklin due to receive the second-half kickoff, the Sabers might have sat on the ball. Instead, they opted to try to score, and Bay punished them for it.
The Franklin QB dropped back to pass, but was forced out of the pocket by pressure from Mark Mendoza. When the QB scrambled, Tony Schulz grabbed him and began to pull him to the ground. Will Alt slammed into the QB and forced a fumble, which bounced toward Nick Higgins. Higgins scooped it up at the Bay 45 and sprinted down the left sideline for a touchdown. Kortebein ran for a one-point conversion. Bay 13-8.
Franklin took the second-half kickoff and marched steadily down the field, mixing runs and passes, until it had a 1st and goal at the Bay. But the Bay defense held, turning the ball over on downs. Bay drove to nearly midfield, but was forced to punt. Two long runs and a pass put Franklin at the Bay 13. Bay seemed to have stopped the Sabers on a 4th down incomplete, but both a pass interference and personal foul penalty were assessed against Bay, giving Franklin new life just outside the goal line. The Franklin QB scored on a short run, and Franklin kicked the two-pointer. Franklin 16, Bay 13.
With scant minutes left, a deep kickoff pinned Bay at its own 12, and it looked bleak for Bay fans. But Kortebein hit Heston with a long halfback pass to the 41, digging Bay out of the hole. Another Kortebein halfback pass got Bay to the Franklin 40, but a fumble turned the ball over to Franklin. With less than two minutes, the game seemed over.
But a holding penalty put Franklin in a 1st and 20 situation. The Bay defense allowed nothing, and Coach Wieland used his 3 timeouts to preserve precious seconds. Franklin's punt gave Bay the ball at the Sabers 45.
On a draw play, Kortebein ran to the Franklin 29, and the Sabers were hit with a personal foul penalty for hitting Macklin out of bounds. With 1st and 10 at the 15, Fisher dropped back and lofted a pass to the streaking Nick Higgins in the end zone. With four defenders surrounding him, Higgins jumped up, arching backwards, and caught the game-winning TD pass. A point-after run was unsuccessful. Bay 19, Franklin 16.
Franklin tried to drive for a score with a variety of passes, including a halfback throw of their own, but the scrambling QB's 4th down pass was intercepted by Chris Siebert to seal the victory.

Game 4: Grafton 28, Junior Blue Dukes Blue 24

The Junior Blue Dukes Blue team lost a tough road game, 28-24, to the Grafton Black Hawks this past Saturday.

Grafton received the opening kickoff.  The Black Hawks drove steadily down the field via a mix of running plays, though Bay’s Matt Bernstein dropped the Grafton for a loss on a QB keeper to the outside. After Matt also successfully defended a deep pass on 4^th down  intended for much taller receiver, Bay took over on downs about its own 26 yard line.

When the stout Grafton defense forced a punt, the Grafton deep back muffed Connor Kimple’s punt,  and Zach Casey recovered, giving the Bay offense new life at midfield.

On 3^rd and short, Kimple called his own number on a quarterback draw, and raced more than 40 yards for  a Bay touchdown.  Kimple kicked the two-point conversion. Bay 8-0.

Grafton returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 40. Sticking to the run, the home team punched in a touchdown and kicked the two-point conversion. Tied, 8-8.

Van Bassindale returned the kickoff past the Bay 40.  On the first play from scrimmage, Bassindale raced more than 55 yards for a touchdown. Kimple kicked the 2-point conversion. Bay 16-8.

On the following possession, Grafton scored on an option run, with the QB pitching to the trailing back right before the QB was hit. Grafton failed on the two-point kick attempt. Bay 16-14.

With less than a minute left in the first half, Grafton ripped off a run of more than 50 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion kick was good. Grafton 22, Bay 16.

After a Bay turnover gave Grafton the ball near midfield with seconds left, the Orange might have been content to run out the clock. Instead, the Grafton QB overthrew a swing pass to his left. Bay linebacker Alec Lindfors read the play, jumped the route and took the interception back for a touchdown, his third pick-six of the season. Kimple kicked the two-point conversion. Bay 24, Grafton 22 at halftime.

In the third quarter, utilizing some short passes and aided by a face-mask penalty against Bay, Grafton moved to 1^st and goal, before scoring on a short touchdown run. The conversion kick attempt failed. Grafton 28, Bay 24.

After an exchange of punts, Bay began the 4^th quarter deep in its own territory. A swing pass to Zach Casey gained Bay a first down at its own 45, but a later 4^th down fell incomplete, giving the ball back to Grafton with a little more than 3 minutes left. Grafton gained enough yardage to run out the clock and secure a 28-24 victory.

Game 4: Junior Blue Dukes Gray 33, Milwaukee Hamilton 8

The Junior Blue Dukes Gray took to the air Saturday in defeating Milwaukee Hamilton, 33-8, on the southwest side.
The JBD defense also tackled in bunches, and receiver Carter Heston showed the power on concentration in a highlight moment.
Hamilton kicked off to Bay. On 2nd and 11 at their own 21, QB Jake Fisher hit Nick Higgins with a pass in the left flat. Higgins raced down the sideline past a couple of Hamilton defenders for a 79-yard touchdown. He also kicked the 2-point conversion. Bay, 8-0.
Hamilton's first drive stalled after Bay defender Andrew James caused havoc that forced a fumble. Macklin Kortebein returned the punt to the Bay 48. A long pass completion from Fisher to Carter Heston and another pass from Fisher to Bailey Wieland gave Bay a first and goal situation. Fisher then hit receiver Chris Siebert in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The kick conversion attempt was no good. Bay, 14-0.
A long kickoff with little return pinned Hamilton deep its own end. Andew James dropped a running back for loss, and Kortebein, Jack Friesch, Paul Wilson, Mark Mendoza and Scott Rojahn all contributed tackles. Hamilton turned the ball over on downs.
On third down, Bay QB Fisher passed toward Carter Heston near the end zone. A Hamilton defender tipped the ball in the air, but Heston calmly gathered it in and strolled into the end zone for a touchdown. Higgins kicked the two-point conversion. Bay, 22-0.
Bailey Wieland's ensuing kickoff pinned Hamilton deep again. On third down, Nick Higgins intercepted a Hamilton pass over the middle. Two plays later, blocks by Kortebein and Jesse Sanford sealed off the contain defender. Higgins ran left, cut back sharply and glided into the end zone for a touchdown. Wieland kicked the two-point conversion. Bay 30-0.
Near the end of the first half, Kortebein derailed another Hamilton drive by intercepting a short pass.
Hamilton ran the second half kickoff back for an apparent touchdown, but that was nullified by a holding call that buried the Wildcats deep in their own end. After a short Bay drive stalled, Higgins kicked a 37-yard field goal to make the score Bay 33, Hamilton 0.
Both teams substituted freely as the second half went on. Hamilton scored a safety for two points after Bay fumbled in its own end zone and fell on it. Then Hamilton beat the Bay secondary with a long pass and run for the game's final touchdown.
The final score: Bay 33, Hamilton 8.