By Mike Moore
Sports Correspondent
As opposing ball carriers overcame the slippery conditions, Catholic Central linebacker Jeff Stemper made sure they didn’t stay upright for long.
The senior co-captain spearheaded a strong defensive effort as the Hilltoppers cruised past Martin Luther 26-14 on Friday, Sept. 12, in Greendale. Stemper finished with 12 tackles — including seven solo — and added a sack and an interception.
At 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, he’s far from the prototypical enforcer. But Coach Tom Aldrich said Stemper’s anticipation and athletic ability make a potent mix.
“If he’s going to hit you, you’re going to know it,” Aldrich said.
The Catholic Central defense hounded Spartans quarterback Max Hoffman, compiling five sacks and intercepting three of his passes. The Hilltoppers held Martin Luther (0-4 overall, 0-2 in the Metro Classic Conference) off the scoreboard until two late touchdown runs.
“The kids got off the ball,” Aldrich said of his defense. “They attacked the line of scrimmage and flowed to the ball really well.”
Playing through a steady rain, the Hilltoppers (3-1 overall, 2-0 in MCC play) relied on a strong ground game. Junior Cole Kresken twice ran for touchdowns, and Spencer Wilker contributed another as Catholic Central steamrolled to a 26-0 lead through three quarters.
Aldrich credited the team’s offensive linemen for their improved play. A unit that had struggled at the beginning of the season dug in and consistently cleared the running lanes.
“They responded to the challenges really well,” Aldrich said. “Our backs ran hard. We were able to grind out the yards we needed.”
Kresken finished with 21 carries for 118 yards. He surpassed the century mark for the second straight game.
“He’s got a good, forward lean,” Aldrich said.
While Kresken served as the workhorse, Wilker ran with efficiency. He totaled 77 yards on four carries. The most effective of the four was a 56-yard touchdown run with just under four minutes in the third quarter. The quick strike put the game out of reach at 26-0.
Hindered by a soaked field that made it difficult for players to plant their feet, Catholic Central quarterback Ben Heiligenthal threw just seven passes that night. One of those was a 23-yard touchdown toss to Karan Singh. Supplementing his defensive effort, Stemper led the team with three catches for 67 yards.
The Hilltoppers moved up one spot to No. 5 among Division 7 schools in the latest wissports.net prep football poll. They were ranked sixth the previous week.
On Friday, Catholic Central takes on conference foe Racine Lutheran. The Homecoming game begins at 7 p.m.
A tough, two-point loss to Racine St. Catherine’s last week is the only blemish on Lutheran’s schedule so far. Aldrich noted that the Crusaders (3-1 overall, 1-1 in the MCC) are a well-coached team that likes to spread out a variety of weapons on offense and bring heavy pressure on defense.
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