By Mike Moore
Sports Correspondent
Gearing up for the school’s Homecoming dance the next day, the Catholic Central football team found its groove in a 38-6 rout of Racine Lutheran on Friday.
The Hilltoppers visited the end zone early and often, rolling to a 32-0 halftime lead in the Metro Classic Conference matchup. But, for all of the time the skill players spent running free, coach Tom Aldrich first praised the guys who cleared the path — or, in the case of the defense, blocked that path.
Both the offensive and defensive lines have made progress in their adjustments at the line of scrimmage, according to Aldrich. The starters in the trenches range from sophomores to seniors.
“We’re continuing to get good push off the ball,” he said. “We’re starting to play a little better up front.”
Aldrich said the dominant performance capped a strong week of practice leading up to the Homecoming game. The win kept Catholic Central (4-1 overall) tied with St. Catherine’s atop the conference standings at 3-0.
Junior quarterback Ben Heiligenthal tossed three touchdown passes in the first half. Two of those went to senior wide receiver Christian Nicholls, a transfer student who grew up in the area and recently returned from Florida.
“Christian is a nice athlete,” Aldrich said. “He’s quick, fast, and has soft hands, and he adjusts well to the ball in the air.”
A strong running game opened the door for play-action passes, the coach continued. The Hilltoppers outrushed the Crusaders, 260-74.
For a third straight week, junior running back Cole Kresken blew past the 100-yard milestone. He gained 170 yards on 20 carries, reaching the end zone once.
“He’s getting more comfortable, as the season progresses, with his reads,” Aldrich said. “He’s pretty natural.”
Kresken scored again on a 26-yard pass from senior Spencer Wilker — the only pass the situational quarterback threw that night — and followed it with a run for the two-point conversion. Wilker, too, showed off his versatility with a 39-yard touchdown reception.
Heiligenthal chipped in 39 yards on the ground to go along with 153 yards through the air. Senior Jeff Stemper scored the Hilltoppers’ other touchdown on a 4-yard run in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, the Hilltoppers barred the visiting Crusaders from the end zone until the final quarter. Staked to the big early lead, the defense limited MCC-leading rusher Shamaj Williams to 82 yards.
Tackles were spread among a number of Catholic Central defenders. Aldrich highlighted the play of Kresken and Stemper at their linebacker spots.
The Crusaders dipped to 3-2 overall, including 1-2 in the MCC.
Rebounding with three straight victories since a 48-22 loss to Lake Country Lutheran, Catholic Central continues its conference schedule with a home game against Dominican (1-4, 0-3 in the conference) on Friday. The Whitefish Bay team has given up an average of 41.4 points per game this season.
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