Five-star, four-way scorer:

A slow start for Ozaukee and host Random Lake turned into a barnburner in the second half, but Sawyer Kowalkowski had it in high gear all night.

The junior wide receiver, defensive back and kicker scored 32 points running, receiving, intercepting and kicking in a 40-28 Warrior victory last Thursday.

Kowalkowski caught six passes for 201 yards and three scores, ran eight times for 76 yards and one touchdown, picked off two passes ­­—­­­­ one he returned 25 yards for a touchdown ­— and booted two extra points.

“I think we knew it was going to be a good game. It’s a rival game. Everybody plays all out,” he said.

Running back Bret Hamm rumbled for 221 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries and from his linebacker spot forced a fumble and led Ozaukee with 10 tackles.

The Warriors needed those efforts. After building a 26-7 lead in the third quarter, the Rams closed to 26-21, then 34-28 before Kowalkowski sprinted for a 56-yard touchdown with less than three minutes left.

On the Rams’ final drive, Hamm forced a fumble and Michael Higginbotham recovered it.

Kowalkowski caught a long pass down the left sideline, then juked two defenders for a 60-yard gain to seal the win. Sophomore quarterback Noah Harness asked coach Cole Large to run the play.

“He called that in the timeout. He said, ‘What if we throw a go? I’ll get it to him,’” Large said.

“He and Sawyer and Joe (Grabowski) have a good connection.”

Kowalkowski got the party started a couple of minutes into the game by blowing by a defender and catching a 58-yard bomb from quarterback Noah Harness, but the Rams battled back.

“After Sawyer’s touchdown, I think they thought we’d walk through it. That doesn’t work in rivalry games. You’ve got to bring it,” Large said.

The Rams were killed by 10 first-half penalties — they finished with 14 for 88 yards — but only trailed, 13-7, at the break.

With less than a minute to play in the half, Kowalkowski jumped a Rams’ quick sideline pass, intercepted it on the run and sprinted untouched and unchased to the end zone for the Warriors’ second score.

“I saw the kid drop back. He ran it the first three times,” Kowalkowski said. “I think they were a little scared because Bret was on their side so they crack blocked him right away, and that ball was just there.”

The Warriors were out of sync at times in the first half as well. Three yards from a touchdown, a miscommunication led Harness to throw a ball on a running play. It was ruled a lateral, and the Rams recovered.

“Noah was out of his game in the second quarter but he played a good game in the second half,” Large said.

Harness connected with Kowalkowski for two scores four minutes apart in the third quarter, the first on a 12-yard out route and the second on a 38-yard bomb. Kowalkowski outfought a Ram for the ball, then trotted 10 yards in for the score.

It was 26-7 when the Rams offense woke up.

Tyler Schoneman, who had 22 carries for 177 yards and a score, finally found some room to run. He had scoring jaunts of 14 and 12 yards before Hamm, who also found his groove in the second half, ran left for a 23-yard touchdown that put the lead back to 34-21.

Ram quarterback Natron Daggett hit Isaac Averill for a 71-yard touchdown on a bomb before Kowalkowski closed out the scoring.

“We had a lot of breakdowns on the defensive side of the ball. We’ll have to clean that up,” Large said.

But the Warriors’ offense executed. At one point, the Warriors kept calling the same play that had Hamm running left behind a wall of blockers.

“We found a play that worked. Our offensive line really blocked up the holes. I just had to find them,” Hamm said.

“That was just an attitude thing,” Large said. “The kids were pumped about the play. I’m like, ‘Run it again.’”

 The team acted differently in the second half, Warrior center and defensive lineman  junior Kevin Diaz said.

“We started communicating more. We became more together as a group instead of blaming each other. We started holding up like a family,” he said.

“I think we really got our feet under us for the second half, and we adjusted to what they were doing on defense and offense,” senior lineman John Bellmann said.

Harness went 10-for-21 passing for 239 yards and three scores.

Daggett went 5-for-13 for 135 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The win allowed the Warriors to keep possession of the prized Cream Bucket, the traveling trophy in the rivalry.

“For me, it’s a lot,” junior guard and defensive end Sawyer Mills said the meaning of retaining the bucket.

“I’ve only got one year left. We’ve got to fight for it again next year, which is great for these seniors because it’s a tradition that’s been going for a while and we just want to keep it going at Ozaukee.”

The Warriors, 2-1, host Oostburg (2-1) at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10.