By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
The two teams paired up in this Division 2 playoff opener Oct. 25 came from opposite ends of the spectrum.
The second-seeded Wolverines, co-champions of the Southern Lakes Conference, had won their last six games and were one of the hottest teams in the state. Greenfield, on the other hand, was a loser of four straight and backed its way into the playoffs with a 3-3 conference mark despite a 3-6 overall record.
The clubs battled whistling winds and temperatures in the 30s all night, conditions that catered to the smash-mouth Wolverines.
Well, Waterford eventually pulled away for a 26-7 victory, but it wasn’t so lopsided in the first half. Each team committed two turnovers in the first 16 minutes, and the Wolverines only led, 6-0, at the half.
In the second half, Waterford picked up the pace on the ground. To start the third quarter, Stone Nycz, who scored a touchdown in the first half, fired off a 50-yard run. On the next play, Jake Bauer took the counter and bounced it outside to the right for a 15-yard touchdown.
Bauer added another rushing score to extend Waterford’s lead to 19-7, but Greenfield bounced back on the ensuing kickoff with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
But no worries, Waterford faithful.
The team’s bread and butter, its defense, stepped up to seal the deal. Alex Schwalbach picked off a Greenfield pass and dashed 50 yards for a touchdown with a minute to play, and the victory was secure.
Waterford ran for nearly 300 rushing yards, led by Bauer’s 147 and two touchdowns. Dan Way added 107 yards on the ground.
Greenfield was held to a microscopic 114 yards of total offense.
FOOTBALL WEEKEND
Week 1 of the 2013 high school football playoffs saw a blowout in Waterford and a nail-biting comeback in Randolph.
Catholic Central’s upset victory earned them a second-round home contest this Friday. But it’s against top-seeded Fall River (10-0).
The Wolverines, who dispatched 3-6 Greenfield with nearly 300 rushing yards, get to stay home to take on third-seeded South Milwaukee.
Over in Walworth County, Lake Geneva Badger must travel to Milwaukee Marquette, a once-dominant program which has returned to relevance. Walworth Big Foot, despite having a better record and higher seed, must head about 20 minutes west on I-43 to play Clinton.
Big Foot crushed the Cougars in a regular season contest in Clinton.
I nabbed the Catholic Central upset last week, but I was wrong about Wilmot. The Panthers couldn’t get any offense going in a 6-3 loss to Whitefish Bay.
PREDICTIONS
Last week: 4-1
Season: 45-18
No. 1 Fall River (10-0) at No. 5 Catholic Central (6-4), 7 p.m. Friday, D7 Level 2 playoff
The Pirates are good. Really good.
A perfect record has been achieved in style, with an average margin of victory of 32 points per game.
But, just like Randolph, Fall River plays in the Trailways Small Conference, one know more for basketball than football.
Granted, Fall River, crushed Randolph, and Central only beat them by three last week, but the Toppers are a different animal at home.
Pick your poison with these guys. They have blown out teams with offensive explosions and came all the way back to pull off last-second heroics.
Central is 4-1 at home this season, including a four-game home win streak. The only loss was to Division 4 powerhouse Kewaunee.
At least three teams in the Toppers’ conference would crush Fall River with ease.
That’s good enough for me.
PREDICTION: Catholic Central 42, Fall River 28
No. 3 South Milwaukee (8-2) at No. 2 Waterford (8-2), 7 p.m., Friday, D2 Level 2 playoff
The winner of this one gets bracket heavy favorite Waukesha West most likely, but anything can happen in the playoffs.
Waterford stomped a figurative mud hole in Greenfield last weekend, reeling off 260 rushing yards.
This week, South Milwaukee is sure to provide a stiffer challenge.
The Rockets don’t lack playmakers, with quarterback Justin Oliden’s 1,273 passing yards and nine touchdowns. Also, Ian Pribyl has racked up 1,005 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
But the Wolverines are simply rolling right now. Waterford has won seven straight after a 1-2 start, and senior running back Jake Bauer has been the difference. He has rushed for 140 or more yards in his past four games.
Expect a low-scoring affair, which always favors Waterford. This will set up an exciting Level 3 matchup between Waukesha West and Waterford, a rematch of last year’s playoffs.
PREDICTION: Waterford 21, South Milwaukee 10
Other area predictions
Lake Geneva Badger 28, Milwaukee Marquette 21
Big Foot 45, Clinton 21
Franklin 27, Kenosha Indian Trail 20
Sun Prairie 34, Mukwonago 30
Racine St. Cat’s 40, Westfield 17
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