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.

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.