Steinert’s scoop and score seals Port victory

In a game of prolific offenses that put up 56 combined points, it was a defensive play that let the Port Washington High School football team escape Kettle Moraine Lutheran with a 34-28 victory on Friday.

With less than five minutes to play and the Chargers trailing 26-21 and trying to drive for the go-ahead score, Pirates Bayer White and Ashton Steinert combined to make the game-winning play.

White dragged down a Charger ballcarrier from behind and forced the ball loose. Steinert picked it up and raced up the right side 39 yards for a touchdown. Port converted the two-point conversion and led, 34-21, with less than four and a half minutes left.

The Chargers drove for another score with 3 minutes, 30 seconds left, but Port was able to run out the clock from there, with a 10-yard carry by Sam Pasten and a 14-yarder by quarterback Cal Loose.

“They play tough. They have low numbers but credit to coach (David) Kren,” Port coach John Bunyan said.

“That veer. If we’re not disciplined it gives you some issues and some problems. If you don’t tackle well, it can be costly.”

It was costly for the Pirates for much of the night. They held the lead from midway through the first quarter but could never put the Chargers away.

“There were some missed tackles for us. We’re jumping into the dive where we’re supposed to have the quarterback. To their credit, they ran hard and broke some tackles. KML is always tough,” Bunyan said.

Port had the offense clicking much of the night. A balanced running attack had Loose run 13 times for 69 yards and a touchdown, Sam Pasten six times for 54 yards and a score and Kiay Sullivan seven times for 53 yards and a touchdown.

“Sam Pasten stepped up running some H-back and counter action. Kiya Sullivan had a really good day running the football and catching some swing passes,” Bunyan said.

Loose went 12-for-14 passing (85.7%) for 132 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

“For the most part, he was pretty consistent,” Bunyan said.

Loose split his tosses among six receivers. Nobody caught more than three passes for more than 37 yards. Izaiah Scheftgen caught a six-yard score.

Senior Eamonn Tetzlaff caught three balls for 37 yards but was lost for the season to a collar bone injury.

“I feel bad for Tetzlaff. He was having a great year, had a great couple of catches,” Bunyan said.

Tight end Aiden Mitchell had already been lost for the year with a similar injury.

KML racked up 280 yards rushing among six ball carriers, led by Adam Zylka’s 94 yards on 12 carries. Josh Duba ran nine times for 77 yards. Draeger went 2-for-6 passing for 68 yards and a touchdown.

Port is the only undefeated member of the East Central Conference after Beaver Dam knocked off Plymouth, 34-15, on Friday. Beaver Dam (2-1) lost to Mount Horeb/Barneveld, 13-9, on Sept. 6 in a crossover game with the Badger Small Conference. Port doesn’t face Mount Horeb/Barneveld, but it plays at Plymouth (2-1) on Oct. 4 and hosts Beaver Dam in the season finale on Oct. 18.

“We just keep talking about focusing on us. We know that we have a big week ahead of us to improve. We definitely need to improve on our tackling,” Bunyan said.

Pink out to support cancer research

On Friday, Sept. 27, Port, 4-1 overall, hosts 0-5 Kewaskum.

It’s a pink out event in partnership with Aurora Grafton Cancer Clinic. Fans are encouraged to wear pink

Port High alumni and cancer survivor Dave Didier will be speaking to the football team at practice and will be honored at the game. He will be selling Seroogy candy bars to raise money for cancer research.

ECC standings: Port, 3-0; Beaver Dam, 2-1; Plymouth, 2-1; Watertown, 1-2; KML, 1-2; Kewaskum, 0-3.