Racine Lutheran makes a statement
The game of the week came Thursday night, with the No. 3 team in Division 4 and the No. 2 team in Division 6 playing four quarters that matched the billing.
Racine Lutheran defeated Martin Luther, 28-27, in a battle of Metro Classic Conference heavyweights that featured three scores in the game’s final 4 minutes 41 seconds.
The game was decided when the Crusaders, last year’s Division 6 state runner-up, stopped the Spartans’ go-ahead two-point conversion attempt with 10 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, blitzing quarterback Brady Hoppert and playing sound coverage on the back end to force an incompletion.
Moments before, Hoppert found Aundreas Griffin on a shallow crossing route and the wide receiver took care of the rest, diving for the pylon for a 17-yard touchdown to draw within 28-27. One play earlier, a defensive pass interference call on fourth down extended Martin Luther’s drive.
“It’s so hard to either win it or lose it in one play, but we shouldn’t have been in that predicament,” Racine Lutheran head coach Scott Smith said. “Kudos to our guys for buckling down for one final play with the game on the line.”
The Crusaders held a 21-14 lead from the midway point of the second quarter until Octavis Cherry’s 11-yard touchdown run tied the game with 4:41 left in the fourth.
Lutheran’s response was to pound the ball with standout running back Tyler Tenner, who recorded two 10-yard rushes on the drive before breaking loose for a 31-yard touchdown.
Menomonee Falls is serious
Last week, Menomonee Falls jumped into the area top 10 with a defeat of Marquette that looked like an upset. But Falls proved its mettle yet again in Week 4, moving to 4-0 and claiming first place in the Greater Metro Conference by defeating previously-undefeated Brookfield East, 9-7.
All of the scoring came in the second quarter, with Nolan Klug’s 34-yard field goal and an 88-yard touchdown pass from Nate McLean to Evan Redding holding up for Falls.
Falls’ defense forced a pair of secondhalf turnovers and did not allow the Spartans past the 40-yard line.
Eisenhower has rough week
New Berlin Eisenhower saw its 21game Woodland Conference winning streak end Friday, but that isn’t the biggest story from its week.
The school determined that hazing had occurred within the Lions football program, resulting in disciplinary action for players involved. According to a source, players received five-game suspensions for their involvement.
The impact of those suspensions was felt Friday in a 17-16 overtime loss to New Berlin West. Eisenhower’s varsity roster for the fall lists 56 players, but only about 40 were in uniform, with a couple of players on the sidelines but not in uniform.
In overtime, Adam Siegel opened the scoring with a 3-yard run for West, which clinched the victory by stopping Eisenhower’s two-point attempt that would have won the game after Jack Osielski’s touchdown run.
Oconomowoc ends drought
It was a much better week for Oconomowoc, which entered its game against Waukesha South having lost 20 straight. Many of those losses were close, including some against top-tier programs such as Arrowhead and Muskego.
The Raccoons left nothing to chance Friday, pouncing for a 55-21 win. Oconomowoc’s more recent previous win came August 18, 2017, also against the Blackshirts.
A shakeup in one of the divisions
The postseason picture looks very different than it did this time last week in Division 3, where it seems likely an area team will make it through to the state final.
Last Friday, Catholic Memorial and Eisenhower appeared to once again be headed for the top two seeds on one half of the bracket, leaving other area projected Division 3 teams such as Grafton, Pewaukee and Greendale with tougher roads in the postseason.
But that was last week.
The Crusaders and Lions, ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the state, both lost. Catholic Memorial fell, 13-11, to Kettle Moraine, which picked up a needed victory in its quest to pick up a playoff berth under first year coach Matt McDonnell. Eisenhower lost in overtime to New Berlin West.
Grafton, meanwhile defeated previously unbeaten Whitefish Bay to move to 3-1 and is right back in play for a top playoff seed. The Black Hawks face another test next week against Division 2 No. 10 Hartford, but the schedule lightens up the rest of the way. You also can’t expect their seven-point loss to Homestead in Week 3 to be held against them all that much.