Whitefish Bay vs. Cedarburg Game Recap 10/2
The Whitefish Bay (D3) vs. Cedarburg (D2) Friday night matchup provided an intriguing head-to-head with some star-studded 2021 and 2022 talent from the Badger state. Filled with tough-runs, big hits, and some outstanding offensive and defensive efforts, the Whitefish Bay Blue Dukes walked away with a…
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Continue ReadingThe Whitefish Bay (D3) vs. Cedarburg (D2) Friday night matchup provided an intriguing head-to-head with some star-studded 2021 and 2022 talent from the Badger state. Filled with tough-runs, big hits, and some outstanding offensive and defensive efforts, the Whitefish Bay Blue Dukes walked away with a 40-23 victory over the Cedarburg Bulldogs despite a somewhat thrilling comeback attempt from the Bulldogs in the 4th quarter. Whitefish Bay and their rushing attack looked legit, and the Blue Dukes earned a tough victory that they should be proud of. For a more detailed recount of the game, check out the PrepRedzoneWI recap below! Thanks for reading.
Whitefish Bay received the opening KO and immediately got to work with their vicious rushing attack led by 4star 2022 lineman Joe Brunner Joe Brunner 6'6" | 300 lbs | OL Whitefish Bay | 2022 State WI in the trenches and Jack Stecker at the helm as the QB. With a stacked backfield that was strengthened by the addition of PrepRedzoneWI Preseason All-State DB Grover Bortolotti Grover Bortolotti 5'10" | 185 lbs | DB Whitefish Bay | 2021 State WI to the FB position. Bortolotti – who became the player of the game – took his first carry for 11 yards up the gut of the Bulldog defense. Cedarburg’s defense held tough though, and made some impressive stops on two runs and a screen to force a 4th and 6 for the Blue Dukes. However, Stecker took off on a scramble after WFB decided to go to it, and picked up nine to keep the first drive of the game ongoing for Whitefish Bay. Fellow RB Nigel Cheeks then broke free for a 33-yard run down to the 2-yard line of Cedarburg, and Bortolotti finished things off with a TD run to put Whitefish Bay on the scoreboard. Bortolotti also kicked a successful extra point, and the Blue Dukes took a 7-0 lead with 6:17 left in the first quarter. Cedarburg’s offense looked good on their first drive as well, as RB Connor Roloff got going with a nice run to begin the drive, and QB Wyatt Hart took a 2nd down keeper out of bounds where WFB was called for a horse-collar penalty. Fellow RB Lucas Bork combined with Roloff to continue the drive down the field, and with 1:57 left in the quarter Cedarburg found themselves facing a 4th and 3. Roloff broke a couple of tackles to get Cedarburg inside the 10 of WFB and converted the 4th down, but the Blue Dukes defense held strong and stuffed the Bulldog defense three straight plays to force a FG attempt as the 1st quarter clock expired. End of 1: Whitefish Bay – 7, Cedarburg – 0.
The 23 -yard FG attempt by Cedarburg’s Ryan Schroeder was successful and the Bulldogs were on the board to start the 2nd quarter down 7-3. Whitefish Bay got back to work on offense after receiving the kick, and Bortolotti picked up right where he left off as he broke a tackle and bounced outside for a 29-yard gain to begin the second offensive drive for Whitefish Bay. He then followed it with runs of 3, 10, and 9 yards, and on that 2nd and 1 following the 9-yard run Cedarburg’s Jason Schulz made a nice TFL, but RB Jack Nau got in on the action and picked up the first down on the following play. Another RB – Dominic Bartolone – got WFB inside the 10 of Cedarburg, and Barolotti again finished the drive off with his second TD run of the game from 4-yards out. He then kicked the PAT, and Whitefish Bay found themselves up 14-3 with 8:01 left in the half. After Cedarburg received the KO Hart got to work and picked up 21 on a beautiful scramble, and then made a nice throw to one of the state’s best duel-sport athlete’s in Drew Biber Drew Biber 6'5" | 200 lbs | WR Cedarburg | 2021 State WI , who picked up 33 on a dig route coming across the field. The following first down Brunner made a huge TFL, and WFB LB Nicholas Jorndt Nicholas Jorndt 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Whitefish Bay | 2022 State WI recorded a big sack on second down, putting Cedarburg back big. The Bulldogs ended up going for the eventual 4th down, but Bortolotti broke up the pass from his DB position to give WFB the ball back with 4:40 left in the game. Thanks to runs from Cheeks and Bortolotti and a beautiful 44-yard pitch-and-catch from Stecker to Nau and the Blue Dukes once again found themselves inside the redzone of Cedarburg. Stecker ended up scoring the third rushing TD of the game for Whitefish Bay as the half expired, and at halftime the score stood at Whitefish Bay – 21, Cedarburg – 3.
Cedarburg began the second half receiving the kick, and got their own rushing attack going as Hart and Roloff got things going with some positive runs upfield. Lucas Bork broke free for a huge run that got Cedarburg down to the 20 of WFB, but the Blue Dukes defense played the run hard and forced some errant passes to stop the Bulldog offense on four consecutive downs and turn Cedarburg over on downs. Whitefish Bay resumed their ground game and Cheeks and Bortolotti both rumbled and stumbled for multiple 10+ yard gains, and from 22-yards out Cheeks made a nice cut on a stretch play outside, found daylight, and scored the fourth rushing TD from the third different Blue Dukes ball-carrier, and after the missed XP the score was Whitefish Bay – 27, Cedarburg – 3 with 5:49 left in the third. Cedarburg then threw an interception to Bortolotti, and Whitefish Bay made another dominant drive down the field and ran in another TD to make the score 33-3 in favor of Whitefish Bay to end the 3rd quarter.
Cedarburg did show some life in the 4th quarter, as Biber got some more action in the passing game and set up an eventual TD run by Sawyer Schultz to lessen the deficit to 33-10. On the ensuing KO Cedarburg executed a beautifully successful onside pooch KO that was successfully recovered by Bork, and a few plays later Biber got up for a 17-yard TD catch to make it 14 unanswered points for Cedarburg making the score 33-16. Bortolotti squashed the comeback attempt on the following drive with a shifty run after a short catch for his third TD of the game putting WFB up 40-16. The Bulldogs never quit fighting however, and Bork broke out for a 70+ yard run that helped set up a final TD for Cedarburg on a nice throw and catch from Hart to Wesley Stroebel. By the time they found the endzone however, there was less than 30 seconds left, and the comeback proved too little, too late. Final from Cedarburg High School: Whitefish Bay – 40, Cedarburg – 23.
Stay tuned for the incoming Players of the Game feature presented by PrepRedzoneWI!