Warriors keep their heads up in lopsided loss to Don Bosco
Owen Hammersland boots the opening kickoff in the Warriors’ Sept. 6 match-up with the Dons. (Photos by Bev Hamann)
Braxton Bormann looks for a running lane in Central's loss to Don Bosco.
Preston Kulper drops back to pass in the Sept. 6 game.
Central senior Kyle Reinhart fields a kickoff from Don Bosco.
By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register
Sept. 6 was a night of learning for the Central football team, in a 65-0 loss to Don Bosco.
The Dons made it to the eight-player postseason quarterfinals a year ago, while the Warriors were in their second game under new head coach J.W. Downs, who spent the preseason preaching about team unity, cohesion and remaining positive. Those were all attributes the Warriors would need facing a tough Dons team that is “very fast with great fundamentals,” Downs acknowledged.
The Dons received the opening kickoff and methodically ran the ball from the pistol formation, breaking off chunks of 14- and 13-yard runs. Though they managed to force Don Bosco into two third down situations with timely tackles by Kyle Reinhart, the Warriors couldn’t keep the Dons out of the end zone. The opponent ended the eight-play drive with a touchdown run by Kyler Knaack.
With about eight minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Warriors received the kickoff for their opening possession. After runs from Owen Hammersland and Braxton Bormann yielded no gain, the team went to the air with a pass from Preston Kulper that was nearly intercepted, forcing a Warriors punt by Owen Hammersland.
After a good run back, the Dons put together a quick scoring drive consisting of a deep 39-yard pass, 23-yard run and 21-yard run, leading to a touchdown and 14-0 lead.
With around five minutes left in the quarter, the Warriors headed back to the field for their next possession, which started with a run by Hammersland. After defensive pressure by the Dons, the drive ended with a fourth down punt by Hammersland that was blocked out of bounds for a safety, giving the Dons a 16-0 advantage.
The next series by the Dons turned into a highlight for the Warriors, when Kulper intercepted Knaack on a first down passing attempt. With under three minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Warriors looked to close the gap, but after a tackle for a loss on Kulper and a false start penalty, the Central punted the ball back to the Dons. They needed just two plays from scrimmage to add another touchdown on a run by David Schmitz, making the score 23-0.
Central had one play before the end of the first quarter, a run from Hammersland, then started the second quarter with a run by Kulper on second down. A pass from Kulper to Bormann followed on third and long, for four yards, bringing Hammersland out to punt. Two plays later, Ty Christensen ran around the left end on a 29-yard touchdown run, bringing Don Bosco’s lead to 30-0.
The clock stood at 9:27 left in the second quarter when the Warriors came out for their next drive, which consisted of two runs for no gain, an incomplete pass and a punt run back by Ben Belew for a 50-yard touchdown. With the score 37-0, the continuous clock started.
The Warriors had two more drives in the half, both ending in punts, while the Dons tacked on another touchdown. The half ended with a personal foul penalty against the Warriors, a Don Bosco kneel down and the score 44-0.
Coming out of halftime, the Warriors received the kickoff, but the drive stalled when Kulper was sacked, while the Dons made the score 51-0 with a 54-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive.
Things started to improve for the Warriors as the second half wore on. They were aided by a pass interference penalty, giving them their initial first down of the game with about 8:28 left in the third quarter, but an incomplete pass on fourth and long stalled the drive.
The Warriors then forced the Dons into a fourth down of their own, but were successful. Don Bosco scored another touchdown, making the score 57-0.
Central started the fourth quarter with the ball, but the drive ended with a punt. Four plays later, the Dons put the score at 65-0.
The final drive for the Warriors showed their fighting spirit. After receiving the kickoff, they overcame a penalty and Griffin Hammersland launched a deep pass to Bormann, who caught it for a 23-yard gain. The drive ultimately succumbed to the Dons’ defensive pressure, sealing the 65-0 score.
“Our team kept their heads up and kept battling the entire time. They continued to pick their teammates up and not let the morale get too low. We definitely need to keep working on our fundamentals and continuing to execute on our assignments, but the positives our kids showed against a team the caliber of Don Bosco this year is something we haven’t seen in a while here. So, we’re excited about that,” Downs said.
On Friday, Sept. 13, the Warriors will travel to Tripoli. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
