Wittenberg-Birnamwood vs Amherst: Recap & Players of the Game

What a night it turned out to be on Friday night in Amherst, WI! Amherst High School played host to Wittenberg- Birnamwood High School for a Level 3 showdown. These two had met earlier in the regular season during conference play where Amherst battled their way to a 26-19 victory. The atmosphere surrounding this game was possibly the best I’ve ever experienced, and for that to be from two small Division 5 schools greatly illustrates how much this game mattered to the two communities involved. The stands on both sides of the field were overflowing with fans, and there wasn’t an open spot along the fence around the field as people crowded for an up close look at the action. The game lived up to expectations too! The back and forth, down to the wire, leave it all on the field game was the best I have watched live at the high school level. Let’s get into how it all played out, and then we will take a look at the Players of the Game! Game Recap This game was a perfect balance of clutch offensive drives, big plays, and strong defensive stands from both sides. Nothing came easy Friday night, and both teams were ready to earn it all. The game started with a strong defensive effort from Wittenberg-Birnamwood. On one of the first third downs of the game DL John Stewart came up huge with a sack of the Amherst QB to force 4th down. Amherst wasn’t going to be passive with their possessions though as they elected to go for it. Wittenberg- Birnamwood’s defense continued to win on the drive as ATH [player_tooltip player_id="123236" first="Ben" last="Wesolowski"] made a nice play on the ball to break up the 4th down pass turning the ball over on downs. Wittenberg- Birnamwood’s plan on offense was to own the trenches and control the game with a steady ground game. A steady dose of RB/LB [player_tooltip player_id="31384" first="David" last="Gauderman"] and QB [player_tooltip player_id="123236" first="Ben" last="Wesolowski"] got the offense moving. Wesolowski had one of the key plays as he broke loose for a big gain down to the Amherst 13. From there, Gauderman finished the drive with a 13 yard score that showed off his powerful running and gave WB their first lead at 7-0. Check out the score <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneWI/status/1456776631792586755">here!</a> On the second defensive effort of the game Wittenberg- Birnamwood continued to assert themselves and control the game. Once again, it was DL John Stewart who got to the QB on second down. He was helped by OLB/WR Ben Flak to drag down the QB, and then on the next play Flak make a clutch tackle on the edge to force Amherst’s first punt of the game. The second quarter started with WB being held to a three and out on offense. This is where Amherst started taking the momentum and swinging it back in their favor. WR Josh Bentley was able to get open deep downfield and make it all the way to the WB17. From there the Amherst rushing attack worked the ball down to the 10 yard line. WR [player_tooltip player_id="118318" first="Ian" last="Hall"] finished the drive with a great catch in the back corner of the endzone on fade route to tie things up at 7 a piece. Amherst’s defense dominated the second quarter just like their offense was starting to. They came out and proved to be very stout against the run eventually bringing up a 4th down. W-B elected to go for it, but the pass sailed just over Gauderman’s outstretched hands turning the ball over at the Amherst 43. Amherst used their strong running game to work their way into the redzone. Once in the redzone, Amherst went to the air. WR Aidan Jastromski reeled in the roughly <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneWI/status/1456785731230261248">12 yard TD pass</a> on a nice corner route. This gave Amherst their first lead at 14-7 with 1:15 remaining in the half. Things got crazy in the final 1:15. W-B got pushed back against their goal line after a penalty. That eventually led them to punting, but Amherst’s punt return team was able to break through and block the punt and jump on the ball at the W-B 8. This set up Amherst to really take control into the half, but the crazy clutch plays weren’t done there. DB Jordan Landowski was able to jump a route and pick off the ball in the endzone to prevent Amherst from taking a two possession lead. It looked like W-B was going to be able to steal some points before the half too. RB [player_tooltip player_id="118543" first="Kaden" last="Schmidt"] was able to break a carry loose to midfield, but when Wesolowski went deep on the Hail Mary Amherst DB [player_tooltip player_id="118575" first="Jake" last="Hoffman"] was able to <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneWI/status/1456789033670033414">make the INT</a> leaving us at 14-7 Amherst at halftime. The second half started with RB [player_tooltip player_id="118543" first="Kaden" last="Schmidt"] setting up W-B at their 45 after a great return. However, W-B was still having a hard time getting anything going after owning the momentum of the game in the first quarter. They soon after the return were forced to punt. The W-B defense was ready to take over the game. They forced a three and out, and then the punt snap was barely corralled by the punter and led to a bad punt that set up W-B at the Amherst 43. [player_tooltip player_id="31384" first="David" last="Gauderman"] took over on the ground this drive. He churned his way down into the redzone with some impressively strong running between the tackles. David definitely flipped a switch on this drive and took over. QB [player_tooltip player_id="123236" first="Ben" last="Wesolowski"] capped off the drive with some strong running of his own on a <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneWI/status/1456797404171223043">5 yard TD run</a> where he had to run through a DB to get the score. W-B wasn’t done there. They took the momentum swing and wanted to capitalize on it by going for two points. The try succeeded when Wesolowski found DB/WR Jordan Landowski with a pass into the middle of the endzone for the 15-14 lead. Following the Wesolowski TD, this game turned up several notches on the offensive side of the ball for both teams. Amherst responded with a huge completion to [player_tooltip player_id="118318" first="Ian" last="Hall"] down inside the W-B30. Then freshman QB Cade Wojtalewicz broke free down to the W-B12. A few carries after that RB Matthew Glodowski punched it in from<a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneWI/status/1456799690712813569"> 3 yards out</a>. After the failed 2 point try we sat at Amherst: 20 Wittenberg- Birnamwood: 15. The 4th quarter started quick, fast, and in a hurry. It looked like W-B was about to go three and out, but they elected to go for it on 4th down. That is where one of the highlights of the game came from when QB [player_tooltip player_id="123236" first="Ben" last="Wesolowski"] broke loose right up the middle and won the sprint to the endzone on a 53 yard carry. They looked to take a three point lead but the two point try failed leaving us with a W-B 21-20 lead. The back and forth was nowhere near done, yet! Amherst came out with that strong ground game and scrambling QB and quickly into W-B territory. The clutch play of the drive was a 4th & 10 conversion to WR/DB [player_tooltip player_id="118575" first="Jake" last="Hoffman"]. RB Matthew Glodowski finished the drive by punching in another <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneWI/status/1456805677616275458">short TD run</a> giving Amherst a 28-21 lead with 3:19 remaining in the game! On W-B’s responding drive WR Jack Fraaza stepped up clutch. First, he got the drive started with a 10 yard reception. Then he took a handoff and broke loose down the sideline all the way to the Amherst 1! From there, QB [player_tooltip player_id="123236" first="Ben" last="Wesolowski"] finished the drive with his third rushing TD of the game making the score Amherst 28-27. I figured W-B would tie it up with 1:26 remaining in the game, but boy was I wrong! Instead, W-B kept the offense on the field and went for the lead. Wesolowski was as clutch as you could be on the play. He scrambled around buying time as pressure was all around him before finally finding his WR in the endzone and putting the ball right on him while on the run putting <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneWI/status/1456808312457027590">W-B up 29-28</a>! The game came down to one final drive. Amherst on offense. W-B on defense. The drive started with W-B DL Max Fraaza batting down the first down pass attempt. Then DL John Stewart came up huge with his third sack of the game! After that, on 4th down OLB Ben Flak got to the QB and nearly had him drug down, but he got the ball off. Unfortunately for Amherst, [player_tooltip player_id="123236" first="Ben" last="Wesolowski"] was right there<a href="https://twitter.com/PrepRedzoneWI/status/1456809892753334274"> to grab the INT</a> sealing the one point victory for Wittenberg- Birnamwood setting up a Level Four showdown with La Crosse Aquinas! Players of the Game [player_tooltip player_id="123236" first="Ben" last="Wesolowski"], ’22 ATH- Wittenberg- Birnamwood Stat Line: 2/6, 27 Yards, 12 Carries, 122 Yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT The 6’2" 180 lbs senior is my choice for Player of the Game. Ben was a key, clutch contributor on both sides of the ball. On offense, Ben wasn’t asked to go to the air much, but when he did he delivered. Where he really shined was as a ball carrier. Ben has the instincts and play speed to be able to run inside and outside effectively. Ben also proved that he also has the physical side when he needs it and can flip a switch from dangerous athlete to powerful runner. On defense, Wesolowski stepped up huge as he was given the assignment of manning up on Amherst’s best weapon, [player_tooltip player_id="118318" first="Ian" last="Hall"]. This was a fun battle to watch all night as each got their wins throughout the night. My final takeaway from Ben’s performance is that he was a very vocal leader on both sides of the ball. On offense he commanded the huddle and led with confidence, and on defense he was constantly rally his teammates and keeping the energy high. It was an awesome night for Ben. He’s someone that the next level needs to take a look at. Especially the D3 level. Under the radar for sure. John Stewart, ’22 DL- Wittenberg- Birnamwood Stat Line: 3 Sacks The 5’8" 200 lbs senior DL doesn’t have the prototypical size, but for spurts throughout the night Stewart dominated in the trenches. Against the run, Stewart relied on his ability to quickly disengage and make the tackle at or near the line of scrimmage. Where he shined was as a pass rusher. W-B has some big time talent coming off the edge, but where the damage was done was by John in the interior of the DL. His high motor, quick hands, and lateral agility made him very difficult to block, especially when the coverage made the QB hold the ball longer than expected. That allowed John to keep that motor running hard and eventually get to the QB. It seemed like every sack came in a clutch moment. Huge game by the senior DL. He will be needed in the Level Four game as they take on a very talented junior QB. Ben Flak, ’22 OLB/WR- Wittenberg- Birnamwood Stat Line: N/A This might be the best hidden gem in the state of WI; at least for the senior class. The 6'6" 235 lbs OLB came into the night with 13 sacks, and he added at least a half sack on the night. Despite that huge frame, Ben is a long and lean athlete that will be able to continue to add size. That frame carries right through his very long arms. Arms that he uses well while rushing around the edge. That length allows Flak to get separation. From there he flashes impressive body control and lateral movement skills to quickly get past blocks. Watching the way Flak can quickly slide side to side really impressed me. Athletes at this level and that size don't usually move around so fluidly. That body control has allowed him to make an impact as a receiver also where he uses impressive speed, and his size to create separation. He also was used as a lead blocker quite a bit Friday night too. College coaches need to get on this kid now. I believe he could be an FCS level athlete. [player_tooltip player_id="31384" first="David" last="Gauderman"], ’23 OLB/RB- Wittenberg- Birnamwood Stat Line: 15 Carries, 54 Yards, 1 TD The 6'2" 230 lbs junior athlete was a major part of the offense and defense from start to finish. That shouldn't be a surprise as David is one of the state's top juniors. On offense, David relied on his power to win between the tackles. Yards were not easy to come by in the trenches, but when Gauderman was able to get to the line of scrimmage and run behind his pads you could bet he was going to churn his way to a solid gain. His 13 yard TD in the first quarter greatly demonstrated the type of ball carrier he is. On defense is where David looks his most natural. He looks just as comfortable out in space as he looks rushing around the edge. He has the range to be effective at both at this level and the next. The power/strength carries over to his play on defense as well. Gauderman sets a strong edge against the run, and he has the strength to bull rush OTs right into the QB's lap creating mass disruption. Great game by David, especially because this was his first game back after missing a couple of weeks with a broken foot. Jordan Landowski, ’22 WR/DB- Wittenberg- Birnamwood Stat Line: 1 INT, 1 Reception, 17 Yards The 6'2" 165 lbs senior athlete caught my eyes over and over on Friday night. Mostly due to his defensive efforts. Jordan made plays back in coverage and filling against the outside rushing attack. In coverage, Landowski was an aggressive man to man corner that was able to consistently stick to his man. Jordan stepped up very clutch at the end of the half when he made the INT after Amherst blocked the punt. If he didn't come up with that the outcome of this game is probably very different as Amherst would of been up 21-7. On offense, he didn't get a ton of work, but he did have a clutch 4th quarter reception that converted a 4th & 15. Number 35 kept putting himself in fron to fmy eyes Friday night. [player_tooltip player_id="118543" first="Kaden" last="Schmidt"], ’22 ATH- Wittenberg- Birnamwood Stat Line: 5 Carries, 42 Yards The 5'10" 175 lbs senior athlete found a way to make an impact all night long. His most consistent impact was on kick return. Kaden has a good blend of play speed, and vision allowing him to see blocks, find seams, and then turn green grass into big plays. Those same traits have allowed him to be an effective change of pace back on offense where he was able to average over 8 yards per carry Friday night. We didn't get to see it Friday night, but Kaden is also a dangerous receiver as well. A creative offensive coordinator could come up with great ways to get Kaden involved. D3 level programs need to have this kid on their radars. Jack Fraaza, ’22 ATH- Wittenberg- Birnamwood Stat Line: 1 Reception, 10 Yards, 2 Carries, 71 Yards The defensive stats aren't posted, but that is where the 5'10" 185 lbs athlete made his biggest impact. Amherst wanted to establish the run early and often Friday night. Fraaza was in the middle of the defense helping shut it down. Jack has the range to be effective filling from depth against the run. He did a good job of reading the flow and the blocks so that he could put himself in position to be able to meet the ball carrier at or near the line of scrimmage. Jack did step up clutch on offense in the 4th quarter. His speed allowed him to break loose down the sideline all the way to the Amherst 1 setting up the game winning TD and 2 point conversion. #10 caught my eye quite a bit Friday night. [player_tooltip player_id="118318" first="Ian" last="Hall"], ’22 TE/DB- Amherst Stat Line: N/A The stats aren't in, but the 6'2" 220 lbs TE had a great night on offense. It was awesome getting to see the playmaker live. It allowed me to have an even better look at his play speed and body control. Both of which were on display Friday night. Hall was able to win deep with his 4.8 speed stretching the field vertically. He also was used in motion allowing him to win horizontally. His TD demonstrated impressive body control as he was able to go up and get the ball and come down with his feet in bounds. Ian is a reliable hands catcher who naturally plucks the ball out of the air. The senior uses his body well to protect the ball from defenders while going up for the catch. Don't miss out on this under the radar prospect. He could fit into a TE/ H-back role. [player_tooltip player_id="118575" first="Jake" last="Hoffman"], ’22 ATH- Amherst Stat Line: 1 INT The 5'9" 190 lbs senior RB/DB had a solid night friday night on both sides of the ball. His 4.7 speed allowed him to be able to turn and run with the W-B receivers. That was well represented on his INT at the end of the first half where he went stride for stride with the WR and then did a good job of adjusting to the ball in the air. The compact athlete also was able to show that he can be stout against the run as he filled quickly to shut down the power running of Wittenberg- Birnamwood. Hoffman was all over the field Friday night. Cade Wojtalewicz, ’25 QB- Amherst the 5'7" 165 lbs freshman QB is going to be an athlete to keep an eye on for the next three seasons. Cade was a very dangerous athlete on the ground. On both designed runs and scrambles after the play broke down, Cade demonstrated strong vision as he was always able to find the smallest seams to slip through, and when he had wide open green grass Cade was able to burst to top speed in a snap. I'll be interested in seeing how he continues to grow because he also has the beginnings of a good looking arm. On Friday night he made strong throws to every level of the field. It looks like there is a bright future ahead for the freshman QB out of Amherst. Matthew Glodowski, ’23 RB- Amherst Stat Line: 2 TDs The 5'10" 175 lbs junior RB had a strong night on Friday night toting the rock. His two TDs came in short yardage situations. Both situations Matthew showed some lateral agility and acceleration as he found the glimpse of daylight into the endzone. Glodowski did a good job of picking his way between the tackles all night as well on misdirection runs and north- south runs. Matthew had a big part in keeping Amherst in the game all night long. He is a name to know for next season.