Waukon football team opens season with 54-8 road romp at Class 1A MFL/MarMac

The Waukon football team got its 2016 season underway in strong fashion, rolling over Class 1A MFL/MarMac by a 54-8 final result Friday, August 26 in Monona. The Indians amassed nearly 200 yards each on the ground and through the air, while also benefiting from seven turnovers by the host Bulldogs, five of which the football Tribe pushed to the scoreboard to help build a 48-0 lead by the halftime break.

“I did not expect the score to be quite so lopsided,” Waukon football coach Chad Beermann said. “MFL/MarMac has improved up front, and they did give us some problems there. The big difference seemed to be the skill players in space, on both offense and defense. And, they did give us plenty of turnovers.”

The host Bulldogs are coached by former Waukon head football coach Tom Oppelt, with former Waukon player Brody Baxter, a member of the gridiron Tribe’s 2006 State Quarterfinalist team under Oppelt, also listed as an assistant coach. MFL/MarMac returned a large senior class this season from a team that played to a 2-7 record last year.

“We were a little rough in spots, but overall I felt the defensive line played well,” Coach Beermann said. “MFL/MarMac ran some blitzes that did give us problems, but the offensive line did enough to get the job done.”

The game started with a good defensive stand by the Bulldogs, as they turned the Indians away after just three plays to force a punt. That punt rolled down inside the four-yard line, and on the very first MFL/MarMac offensive play the Bulldogs fumbled the ball right back to the Indians, setting up a four-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Abe Schwartz to senior receiver Tanner Mathis just over a minute into the ballgame. Junior Mitchell Snitker ran in the two-point conversion to boost the Indians to an 8-0 headstart.

Indian defense would not allow MFL’s offensive luck to get any better, only allowing the Bulldogs one first down in the opening quarter while forcing three punts and also recording another turnover. A quarterback sack by junior defensive end Alex Brink factored into the first Bulldog punt, with Schwartz and Mathis connecting again on a couple of deeper pass routes on the ensuing Indian drive, the second of those being a 26-yard scoring strike followed by a two-point conversion run by sophomore Michael Sweeney for a 16-0 Indian lead at the 7:51 mark of quarter one.

Mathis latched on to yet another pass shortly after, but this one came during a Bulldog pass attempt for an interception that helped set up another short-field situation for the Tribe. Schwartz and Snitker quickly chewed up that 17-yard stretch with Schwartz’s third touchdown pass, with the two-point conversion try missing its mark to leave the Indians with a 22-0 lead nearly halfway through the opening frame.

Waukon forced two more Bulldog punts before the quarter ended, with the Indian air attack striking one more time between those two defensive halts. The Schwartz to Mathis network made good one more time for a 51-yard catch and run, with another missed two-point conversion leaving the Indians with a 28-0 advantage as the first quarter came to an end.

The Indians began the second quarter as they did the first frame, not able to sustain a drive and giving the football back to the Bulldogs. Indian defense, however, would come up with three consecutive turnovers to prevent MFL/MarMac from gaining any kind of offensive foothold in that second period as well.

Snitker turned away the first Bulldog opportunity of the second frame with an interception he returned near midfield. He and Schwartz would then find each other through the air on a fourth down play to complete the Indians’ ensuing possession with a 31-yard touchdown pass, with another errant two-point conversion leaving the Tribe at a 34-0 lead at the nine-minute mark of the second quarter.

Junior Evan Armstead halted the next Bulldog offensive series by recovering a fumble, and Snitker made short work of the ensuing Indian possession with a long run of 54 yards to paydirt and a 40-0 lead for the Tribe after yet another missed two-point conversion opportunity. The fumbles kept coming for the Bulldogs, as they coughed up another turnover in their next possession, leading to a 10-yard scoring rumble by Armstead just about three minutes before the halftime break. Sweeney connected with senior Blain Swenson on a two-point conversion pass to push the Indian lead to 48-0 at that halftime recess.

Prior to that break, however, MFL/MarMac mounted its greatest threat of the first half, driving down inside the five-yard line to set up a first-and-goal situation with about two minutes left in the first half. However, Indian defense dug in one final time for the half, turning away four consecutive Bulldog plays at the goal line, including a strong hit by senior linebacker Brandon Regan to deny a quarterback keeper on second down and the knocking down of a fourth down MFL/MarMac pass attempt by Armstead to preserve the shut-out at the halftime break.

With the continuous clock in place for the second half due to the 35-point rule, turnovers continued to help tell the tale. First, however, Indian defense turned in a four-and-out effort to allow its offensive counterpart one final scoring drive in the contest. An initial touchdown reception by senior receiver Max Swartz was called back on a penalty, but junior Tristan Hansmeier proceeded to carry the ball down inside the five-yard line, from where Schwartz bolted in for a final 54-0 Indian margin after the failed two-point conversion attempt about midway through the third quarter.

The host Bulldogs mounted another sustained drive to set up another first-and-goal series as the third quarter wound down, but as the fourth quarter got underway the host squad fumbled the ball away for a fourth time, with Brink smothering the loose ball. The Indians returned that favor right away in their ensuing possession, giving up their only turnover of the contest to set up what would eventually be the Bulldogs’ lone touchdown of the ballgame, a short run by quarterback Bryar Ruff with just under six minutes left to play in the contest.

The Bulldogs got one final offensive opportunity in the closing minutes of the ballgame, but Indian defense rose to the occasion once again with its seventh turnover of the ballgame. Junior Brayden Mulholland intercepted a Bulldog pass, but had the ball stripped free by the MFL/MarMac receiver, only to have sophomore linebacker Brady Sullivan lay out for the loose ball and gather it in to snuff out that Bulldog series and seal the 54-8 Indian victory.

“Films showed us many things we can work on this week,” Coach Beermann said. “Bad pursuit or gap control on defense, and missed assignments on offense. Our level of competition steps up this week with NEIC and former district foe New Hampton.”

Schwartz posted a stellar varsity starting debut at quarterback, completing 11 of 14 passes for 182 yards and five touchdowns. Mathis was his favorite target, as he hauled in five catches for 109 yards and three touchdowns. Snitker also caught four passes for 64 yards and two additional touchdowns.

Snitker also paced the Indian ground game with 144 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries. Schwartz and Armstead each also added a rushing touchdown, as 12 different Indians carried the ball to help rack up 194 yards on the ground.

Swenson and Hansmeier each recorded three solo tackles to lead the Indian defense, with Brink, Mathis, Sullivan and senior Riley Wyninger each adding a pair of individual halts. Swenson also added a team-high six assisted tackles, including four assisted tackles for loss. Junior Jadon Johnson recorded four assisted stops, with Brink’s solo stops both being for a loss of yardage. Mathis, Snitker and Sullivan each intercepted a pass, with Mathis, Brink, Hansmeier and Armstead each recovering a fumble to help halt Bulldog drives.

Starting out the season with a 1-0 record, the Indians will now prepare for their first home game this Friday, September 2 against New Hampton. The Chickasaws also opened their 2016 season with a road victory, 35-12 over Charles City, this past Friday.

“New Hampton will look familiar to those who have followed the Indians,” Coach Beermann shared. “Different faces, but same ball control offense and same stout defense.”