LAKE GENEVA – The Lake Geneva Badger football team keeps playing with fire.
Penalties. Turnovers. Back-breaking infractions that would’ve been 60-yard touchdowns on consecutive plays.
These things keep happening to the Badgers, but the boys are simply too good to let it affect the outcomes of their games.
Although Badger struggled with penalties through much of the first half and only led by seven at half, the well-oiled, high-powered machine that is its offense fired on all cylinders in the second half en route to a 41-12 drubbing of rival Burlington.
Badger improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the Southern Lakes Conference. Burlington dropped to 3-1 and 1-1.
This was supposed to be close. The Demons came in undefeated and were supposed to be Badger’s main competition for conference supremacy this fall. Much like they’ve proven week in and week out, the Badgers are on another level in the SLC echelon.
“This was another big step for us,” said Badger coach Matt Hensler. “We were excited, but we saw plenty of things we have to fix.”
One thing that doesn’t need any fixing and will only get better is Badger’s rush attack, which busted out in a big way with 464 yards. It would’ve been more than 500 if two third-quarter 50-plus-yard scoring runs weren’t called back due to holding calls.
“In general, offense comes slower than defense,” Hensler said. “We replaced a few guys on offense. Collin (Broderick) has been nothing short of everything we wanted. Andrew Allen has filled in very, very nicely at fullback.”
Broderick did his best Jared Stan/Peter Krien impression all night, scrambling for 122 yards on only 11 carries with two touchdowns. He also threw for a score. The senior quarterback, who has been praised for his passing ability, proved, much like Badger dual threat quarterbacks Stan and Krien before him, that he can kill you on land and by air.
“In the second half, I just had to clear my head because I was making some bad throws,” Broderick said. “Then the O-line and the backs stepped up with blocking. In the first half, the D-end was coming at me. That’s why Andrew was getting all the yards. In the second half, they switched up and tried to stop Andrew. I was able to get vertical.”
“He’s done a great job,” Hensler said of Broderick. “He’s been in a tough situation and patiently waited his turn. He’s enjoying the successes that he’s waited and wished and worked for.”
The turning point in the game came just before halftime. Down 13-6, Burlington drove into the Badger red zone thanks to solid running from Brad Burling and Neal Peterson. But at the Badger 20-yard line with four minutes to go in the half, Burlington tried to force a pass down the middle. Badger’s Nick Hall skied for the interception at the goal line, and the Demons threat was thwarted.
Thanks to two Broderick rushing scores and one from Tony Ashley, Badger then was able to put the game away with a 21-0 third quarter.
“We just didn’t make plays,” said Burlington coach Hans Block. “Brad made the right read on that pass (INT), he just didn’t put enough zip on it. That was a big play. We had three turnovers tonight, and we really haven’t been turning the ball over all year. Also, we were settling for field goals in the first half when we needed touchdowns.”
Burlington returns home to face Waterford Friday, and Badger travels to Westosha Central.
Block said he is encouraged about the rest of the season because fullback Luke Gannon and tailback Hunter Melby are back in the mix after an injury and an ineligibility, respectively.
Melby fired off a 50-yard run late in the first quarter, but Burlington settled for a Brian Dankle field goal.
The Demons-Wolverines rivalry is still strong, and Waterford is fresh off a two-overtime 7-0 thriller victory over Wilmot last night.
“Defensively, Waterford is outstanding,” Block said. “Adam Bakken is a defensive guru. He’s amazing. We need to do a better job getting movement off the line. When we get guys open, we have to hit them. We still think we’re going to be a good football team. We have our hands full.”
Hensler said the Badgers must overcome their penalties the rest of the way.
Burlington senior Dane Helnore was carted off the field at halftime with concussion-like symptoms. He was diagnosed with a concussion Saturday and will likely miss one or two games, according to a teammate.
Other area scores
Waterford 7, Wilmot 0 (2OT)
Elkhorn 14, Delavan-Darien 13
Union Grove 24, Westosha Central 6
Randolph 49, Williams Bay 27
Big Foot 49, Parkview 14
Jefferson 41, East Troy 35
Edgerton 41, Whitewater 6
Franklin 58, Kenosha Bradford 21
Mukwonago 49, Waukesha North 13
Kenosha Indian Trail 24, Kenosha Tremper 21
Waukesha West 51, Muskego 13
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