First win a thrill for Ozaukee football

The Ozaukee High School football team nearly ran out of players and its fans ran out of fingernails last Friday, but this time — for the first time this season — the Warriors walked off the field victors.

Calvin McKee kicked a 29-yard field goal with more than six minutes to play, and it held up for a 15-14 win over Manitowoc Lutheran.

“We were pretty jazzed up. It was an exciting game,” first-year coach Cole Large said.

It was anything but easy. Due to illnesses and injuries, the Warriors suited up 14 players — and one got hurt during the game — meaning everyone on the roster played, the vast majority both ways, and some not in their natural positions.

“They brought their best at those positions. That was our message all week. Bring your best, then as a team we’ll be satisfied with what happened,” Large said.

“This game was not our best – but it was a step in the right direction.”

After the field goal, the Lancers started to move the ball with their triple option. But when the Warriors stuffed them for a loss, the Lancers were forced to throw.

Linebacker Bret Hamm broke on an out route and picked off Ethan Menges’ pass. The Warriors knew that play was coming.

“They were killing us on the outside early in the game. We made some adjustments,” Large said. “We got pressure on the quarterback and Bret was right there.”

Two first downs and the game would be over. The Warriors only got one, and an illegal formation penalty forced a punt.

Ozaukee intercepted another pass, this time by Phil McLarty, but pass interference and roughing the passer was called. With little time left, a pressured Menges threw the ball up. Warrior Jonny Melendez caught it over his shoulder like a receiver.

“It was up and down. There was no defnining moment until our kneeldowns,” Large said.

But there was a defining run. Senior monster running back Jack Genzmer took a pitch right from the Warriors’ 23-yard line and plowed 77 yards to just short of the goal line on a highlight-reel rumble regardless if it was prep, college or pro football.

Genzmer ran through a couple of arm tackles before two Lancers latched on. He dragged them downfield before they fell off like bugs clinging to a speeding car’s windshield, then pushed away another defender and angled toward the left pylon before a Lancer eventually dragged him down from behind.

“Watching it back on film, you can see the energy it gives the team. Linemen were running down to make an extra block,” Large said.

Large and others compared the run to Marshawn Lynch’s legendary 67-yard touchdown scramble in which he broke nine tackles against the New Orleans Saints on a 67-yard score.

The field goal was another highlight. It was fourth and three, and the Warriors debated going for it.

“Bret came over pretty passionate, ‘Let’s just kick it,’” Large said. “When they have that kind of confidence it gives you confidence as a coach.”

But kicking in high school isn’t easy.

“The snap, the hold — a lot of things had to go in place,” Large said. “It wasn’t a chip shot by any means.”

But, he said, “Calvin’s got a good leg” and the senior who manages playing football and running cross country at the same time was told all season, “At one point, Calvin, you’re going to win us a game.”

It wasn’t McKee’s only highlight. Large said he had a couple of nice punts, one that hung in the air forever and was muffed with the Warriors recovering. Another chip shot kickoff went over the returner’s head and the Warriors recovered.

Ozaukee, however, struggled in the red zone, coming away pointless in three opportunities. But Large said everyone stepped up.

On the line, Skyler Mills was “pancaking people all over the place,” seniors Trever Decker and Zach Bell played well, as did Austin Lemke at guard. John Bellmann gutted it out with a bum knee. Fullback Blake Cocanower and running back

Hamm both helped pave the way for Genzmer and each other.

“Guys were getting up and celebrating blocks. They were fired up because they wiped out guys,” Large said. “To see that kind of energy was a lot of fun. That’s the way we want to see the game played. You do your job the best you can and then you celebrate.”

The Warriors were down, 14-6, at halftime, but they were confident they could find a way to get the job done.

“It was a productive halftime,” Large said.

Genzmer ended with 153 yards rushing and a touchdwon on 24 carries. McLarty ran five times for 56 yards and went 3-for-9 passing for 68 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.

For the second straight week, Melendez caught a touchdown on a fly pattern, this time for 27 yards. Hamm had one catch for 35 yards.

On defense, Hamm made 11 tackles. Cocnower and Genzmer each had six, and Decker and McLarty each had five.

“It was encouraging and something we can build on going into the second half of the season,” Large said of the victory.

For the Lancers, Menges went 13-for-22 for 179 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

August Hecker ran 19 times for 60 yards and a score and caught four balls for 63 yards. The Lancers went to 1-4.

The Warriors, 1-4 overall and 1-2 in the Big East Conference, play at rival Cedar Grove-Belgium (5-0) on Friday.

“They’re someone you want to be like in our conference, a perennial top team,” Large said.