Grafton football rolls on the road

Grafton High School’s football team started just the way coach Jim Norris drew it up at Milwaukee Lutheran on Friday.

The Black Hawks won, 41-6, behind a mix of solid performances.

“We executed at a pretty high level early on and were able to work through what we wanted to work through. We implemented our offense and defense,” Norris said.

Junior quarterback Vince Cameranesi went 10-for-16 passing for 189 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for 40 yards on three carries.

“He did a great job for us. He’s a competitor, a really good athlete who made a lot of things go for us. I’m proud of him in his first start as a junior,” Norris said.

Chase Norton ran 17 times for 87 yards and a score, and Silvio Lanza had 58 yards and a touchdown on six carries.

Wide receiver Jaeden Tiegs had scoring catches of 65 and 10 yards, and tight ends Ben Dobberful and Toby Luedtke each had short touchdown catches.

Tiegs was one of several sophomores able to contribute.

“We call him Mr. Consistent,” Norris said.

The score was 21-0 at halftime, and the Hawks never let the Red Knights in the game. They built a 33-0 lead before giving up a fourth-quarter touchdown, then answered with six points of their own less than 90 seconds later.

On defense, outside linebacker sophomore Matt Schirger had a sack, four tackles for losses, 10 assists and three hurries.

“He’s been a really good addition to the team,” Norris said, also praising fellow outside linebacker Jackson Heinle, another sophomore.

Defensive back Daniel Fandler made an interception despite having a cast on his left hand.

The Hawks’ defense held the Red Knights to 158 yards of offense and just 64 yards rushing.

For Lutheran, quarterback Jatez Fullove went 10-for-16 for 94 yards and an interception. Marshaun Robinson-Taylor ran seven times for 45 yards and a score. Dexter Strong had seven carries for 43 yards.

One element the Hawks avoided that many other teams did not is cramping. No Hawk cramped up on the hot and muggy night. The players, Norris said, did a fantastic job getting their bodies ready.

“That’s cool to see as a coach. That’s a big concern in a game like that,” he said.

The Hawks’ next concern is longtime rival Cedarburg. The teams are in different conferences — Grafton moved to the Woodland while the Bulldogs remain in the North Shore — but are renewing the border battle Friday in Grafton’s home opener. The Bulldogs beat Port Washington, 31-7, at home on Friday.

“It’s Cedarburg. Nothing more needs to be said than that,” Norris said.