Demons overpower South Milwaukee en route to 28-0 lead
By Andrew Horschak
Sports Correspondent ([email protected])
SOUTH MILWAUKEE – Dalton Damon acknowledged that he is a fortunate first-year starting quarterback.
The Burlington junior has a punishing offensive line with four returning starters, a dependable group of receivers led by sure-handed Nick Webley and some solid ball carriers.
They all played a part in helping make Damon’s starting debut under center a rousing success as the Demons scored on their first four possessions and rolled to a 42-13 non-conference victory over South Milwaukee in Friday night’s season opener at Spaltholz Field.
Damon tossed three touchdown passes and ran for another in less than three quarters of work.
“I think it went pretty well,” Damon said. “There were a couple opportunities that I missed. Overall I couldn’t expect too much more than that for the first one.”
Replacing two-year starter Nick Klug, a first-team All-Southern Lakes Conference performer last season, Damon passed for 114 yards (7-of-14) and rushed for a team-high 78 yards on eight attempts.
“That’s always a tough position to come in and play that first game,” Burlington coach Steve Tenhagen said. “He came out and played well. We have some things to work on and he knows that.
“We missed a couple throws that were possibilities for some big plays. He also made some nice throws and did a nice job for us in the quarterback run game.”
Damon capped a 10-play drive to start the contest when he scored untouched on a 15-yard run up the middle. He then notched his first TD pass less than four minutes later when he zipped a 25-yard strike to the 6-foot-3 Webley, who went up and got it.
The Demons recorded their third TD with 25 seconds left in the first quarter on a 4-yard run by Zach Wallace. On two of his team’s first three possessions, the sophomore kept drives alive by picking up first downs on fourth-and-3 plays.
Continuing to pour it on and making it look easy, Damon and Webley hooked up for another 25-yard TD with 11:39 left in the second quarter. Christian Brenner helped set up the score when he forced a fumble after a short reception and Steven Tully pounced on the ball.
“I really trust all of my receivers,” Damon said. “I can throw it and just know they will make a play.”
The Rockets ruined the shutout bid on a 5-yard pass from Tarek Slusar to Connor Suszek with 4:55 to play in the first half.
With seniors Brian Konz, Nate Bousman and Taylon Hensley, and juniors Luke Walesa and Dylan Runkel doing the dirty work up front, Burlington finished with 239 total yards on its 33 offensive plays in the first half (7.2 avg.).
“I’m proud of my linemen up front on both sides of the ball,” said Konz, a returning two-way starter. “We dominated.”
South Milwaukee’s first drive of the second half stalled when senior defensive end Josh Letkewicz notched his second sack of the game on fourth down. The Demons capitalized, scoring five plays later when Wallace strolled into the end zone after catching a short dump-off pass from Damon.
That ended Damon’s night, but his backup, Peyton O’Laughlin, was eager to get in on the fun.
On his first drive, the sophomore closed out the scoring for Burlington with a 21-yard TD strike over the middle to Julian Luciano. Cora Anderson’s sixth PAT made it 42-7 and brought the running clock into play with 1:29 remaining in the third quarter.
“Definitely it’s exciting when you start the season firing out of the gates,” Tenhagen said. “We did a good job of that tonight.”
Burlington, which edged South Milwaukee 28-21 in last year’s season opener, has now won five regular-season games in a row.
Looking to go 2-0 for the first time since 2015, Burlington will host defending Southeast Conference champion Racine Horlick (1-0) in its home opener 7 p.m. Thursday. The Demons will also be celebrating Youth Night.
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