Wolverines ground and pound visiting rivals on live TV
By Mike Ramczyk
WATERFORD – Maybe it was the spectacle of live television.
Or the festive, USA-themed student section spearheading a raucous, roaring home crowd.
Or maybe it was the opportunity to beat its biggest rival.
The Waterford Union High School varsity football team had plenty of ammunition for a complete, maximum effort Thursday night, and it lived up to the hype.
The Wolverines combined dominant defense with a bruising, multi-faceted ground game and blew out visiting Burlington, 35-0, in a game that never really seemed close.
Waterford improved to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Southern Lakes Conference, and Burlington dropped to 1-3 overall and 0-2.
Head coach Adam Bakken’s visions of punishing defense and a consistent rushing attack were on full display for four quarters, and last week’s lackluster effort in a 10-7 defeat at Wilmot is a distant memory.
“It’s a result of when you put forth maximum effort and play hard for four quarters,” Bakken said. “We have to play that way. Our strength is to run the ball. With our entire O-line and backfield back, we should be able to consistently move the ball throughout the game.”
“We kept their offense off the field, and when they were out there, we didn’t give up a big play. We tackled
well in space, we were physical and guys were in the right spot. We didn’t do that last week against Wilmot.”
After a Burlington 3-and-out to start the game, Waterford’s offensive line set the tone.
Running backs Jared Krattiger and Benny Michalowski chipped away at the Burlington defense with toss plays, counters and traps, and Krattiger’s 30-yard run set up the first Wolverines score, a 9-yard slant pass from Matt Korman to Aaron Chapman with 5:41 left in the opening quarter.
While Waterford enjoyed its best rushing attack of the season with 292 yards and four touchdowns, Korman, a junior quarterback, added a pivotal 25-yard completion to Matt McCormick in the second half, as the run set up play-action opportunities.
“Our offensive line was great,” Korman said. “We played Waterford football. The O-line is the heart and soul of our offense, and we feed off their energy.”
Waterford extended its lead to 14-0 as Krattiger busted off left guard 20 yards for a touchdown with 10:22 left in the second quarter.
Burlington took to the air on the ensuing possession, but deep in its own territory quarterback Nick Klug rifled a spiral over the middle directly into the arms of free safety Nolan Weber, who returned it inside the Demons’ 20-yard line.
This set up a Ben Michalowski 1-yard run with six minutes left in the half, and Waterford was in control, up 20-0.
Weber and the Waterford pass defense held Klug to 11-for-28 passing with two interceptions. Weber recorded both picks, the senior’s first interceptions on the varsity level.
“We worked hard all week and really changed our attitude,” Weber said. “We knew Burlington would pass, and our secondary was really focused. We emphasized not letting anyone behind us. Our attitude was the biggest thing.”
Burlington’s first sign of life came on the next possession, in Wolverines territory, when Klug faced 4th-and-10 but hung tough and completed a deep out on the right sideline to Jake Leonard, who fell to his knees but secured the catch.
The Demons reached the Waterford 10, but on 4th-and-goal, Hunter Keller sacked a rolling Klug, and proceeded to help the quarterback to his feet.
At the beginning of the drive, Waterford dodged a bullet when Joe Tully broke free in the end zone, but Klug’s deep ball ricocheted off his receiver’s hands and fell incomplete.
Burlington coach Steve Tenhagen said things must change for the Demons moving forward.
“We had poor execution everywhere,” he said. “They played faster, they played more physical. We stood there and let that happen. We didn’t make any changes. Our assignment execution is something that needs drastic improvement right now.”
“Our kids were ready to play and were excited, but Waterford just took it to us in every facet. Congrats to Coach Bakken, his staff had those guys ready to play. We studied their film from the last two weeks, and they didn’t look anything like they looked tonight. It wasn’t close.”
Tenhagen added that his team faced a tall task being down three scores against a team that runs the ball. He said multiple players missed assignments for a considerable period of time.
“We had a stretch of nine or 10 plays where we had at least two players do the wrong thing,” Tenhagen said. “From route running to blocks, to missing an open receiver, you can’t beat a good football team with those kinds of mistakes.”
Different half, same results
Burlington came out with a different intensity on defense to start the second half, and it paid off.
Junior Grant Tully picked an errant Korman pass to eradicate Waterford’s opening drive of the second half, and the Demons picked up two first downs and crossed midfield.
But on 4th-and-long from the Waterford 39, Klug threw one up for grabs deep down the middle, and Burlington’s receiver was called for offensive pass interference.
The Wolverines returned to their ground game, as Michalowski punched in a 2-yard touchdown with two minutes left in the third quarter.
After another Weber interception in the fourth quarter, senior Anthony Miller added another short touchdown run to finish the scoring at 35-0 late in the game.
“When you beat a Burlington team 35-0, you did a lot of things right,” Bakken said. “They could’ve very easily beaten Lake Geneva Badger last week. They’re a good team, they’re going to win games in the conference. Tenny (Tenhagen) is a buddy of mine, I know he’s disappointed in how they played, but he’s not going to allow a team with that much talent to lay down.”
Despite the frustration with the outcome, Tenhagen said his guys are still focused on turning things around.
“The great thing I love about this group, and this is why I believe we’ll be alright, is nobody quit,” he said. “They stayed positive. In other years, when things don’t go your way, you can get guys that look the other way and aren’t bought in. That’s not this group at all. I have no doubt that we’ll play our best football game next Friday.”
Michalowski led the Wolverines with 101 yards on 24 carries, and Krattiger added 73 yards on 11 carries.
For Burlington, Jack Miller gained 58 yards on eight carries. Klug was held to 15 yards rushing on 13 carries.
Waterford doubled up Burlington in total offense, 326-164.
Keller and Austin Thomas each led the Wolverines with four tackles, and Keller added a sack. Keller, Thomas and Chapman each had a tackle for loss.
Aaron Sturdevant led Burlington with 11 tackles, and Lance Otter added six.
Waterford’s defense has allowed 20 points in four games.
Waterford hosts Elkhorn Sept. 16, while Burlington hosts Westosha Central.
“I will not allow us to become complacent, or satisfied, it’s only Week 4,” Bakken said. “We’ll enjoy the win, and we’ll have fun, but we will not become complacent because we’ve had one successful football game.”
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