Flying Dutchmen run over Ozaukee despite Diaz’s consistent motor

Ozaukee High School football coach Cole Large said his team needed its best game of the season to beat Oostburg last Saturday.

The Warriors fell short of that in a 29-8 loss.

“We just made far too many mistakes,” Large said.

Missing key blocks and fourth-down conversions at crucial times, along with two fumbles — one on a QB sneak on third and one inside Ozaukee’s 10-yard line — were too much to overcome.

The Flying Dutchmen ran for 222 yards in building a 21-0 lead before the Warriors got on the board in the third quarter.

Bret Hamm scored on an eight-yard run, and Noah Harness found Sawyer Kowalkowski for the two-point conversion.

That was all the offense the Warriors could muster.

Hamm was held to 50 yards on 16 carries. Kowalkowski, a wide receiver who sometimes runs on jet sweeps, didn’t get a carry.

“They want to funnel you outside in so our outside running wasn’t in the game plan,” Large said.

Harness went 15-for-20 passing for 131 yards. Kowalkowski had eight catches for 103 yards, including a 52-yard bomb on the Warriors’ scoring drive.

“We were throwing a lot of shorter passes. They were giving them to us, backing off to make sure they kept things in front of them,” Large said.

“For the most part we executed. A few crucial throws in big situations we missed on for one reason or another.”

The Flying Dutchmen’s running game caused a couple of Warrior defensive backs to step up and play linebacker despite being undersized. Large said Wyatt Brooks and Michael Higginbotham “busted their butts and did a good job containing the run.”

Large also praised center and defensive lineman Kevin Diaz, who has been a bright spot in every game this season.

“He’s a beast for us. He brings it every play. He does it in practice, too,” Large said.

“At this pace with him, it’s going to be every game of the year. That’s the way he plays. He’s just full speed ahead all the time. It’s just awesome.”

For Oostburg, Devan Laganowski ran 13 times for 100 yards and a score, and Kedan Laganowski ran 16 times for 75 yards and two touchdowns.

Quarterback Donavan DePagter went 3-for-4 passing for 36 yards.

Linebacker Conner Mentink made 15 tackles.

“They’re a really solid football team, top to bottom. They’re senior heavy and their line is really good,” Large said.

 The Warriors, 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big East Conference, host Reedsville (1-1 Big East) on Friday in the homecoming game.

Reedsville lost a boatload of seniors from its Division 7 championship team last season and has a new coach, but Large said the Panthers “are still a quality team and we’re going to have to come ready to go.”

Now in his second year at Ozaukee’s helm, Large said he knows homecoming week can be distracting.

“There’s a lot going on this week and we want the kids to enjoy it and get the full experience, but it does disrupt a little bit what we’re doing,” he said.

“We preach same thing — ‘When you’re at practice, you’re there and fully invested in what we’re doing.’”