Sixth loss comes to sixth playoff team
The Hurons ended the season and longtime coach Bob Brietzke?s career Friday at Gilpin Field with an offense-filled 46-34 loss to the Kingsley Stags. The sixth Huron loss came to the sixth playoff-bound team Rogers City has faced this season.
The combined record of those teams is 44-10. Benzie Central (8-1) and Pinconning (7-2) play in Division 5; Boyne City (8-1) and Kingsley (6-3) are in Division 6; while St. Ignace (7-2) and Newberry (8-1) face each other in Division 7.
Last Friday, turnovers on the first two Huron possessions led to 16 Kingsley points. Then with 2:38 left in the first quarter, senior fullback Judd Vekaryasz bulled over from the one yard-line, capping a nine-play, 67-yard drive.
Nathan Darga recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to set up the next Huron TD. Senior quarterback Tim Cercone connected with senior Kyle Greene for a five-yard TD pass on a fourth down play.
The PAT failed, and RC trailed 16-14 at the end of a wild first quarter.
The Hurons forced a punt after a long Kingsley drive, but an interception four plays later ended the RC drive at the Huron 41.
FROM THERE, Kingsley went up 22-14, driving 41 yards in six plays, scoring on a fourth-and-eight run from the 11 yard-line. The play went off right tackle, a play the Hurons had a hard time stopping all season long, and would have trouble handling against the Stags.
?We have had trouble stopping the running game of our opponents,? Brietzke said.
?Coach (Mike) Kosiara puts together an excellent defensive game plan but the bigger, stronger opponents seize control of the line of scrimmage and exploit the running game. Our kids need to get in the weight room and get stronger so they match up better with our opponents? stronger linemen.?
BUT, AS SO often happened, the offense exploded quickly. On the first play of the next Huron possession, Cercone lofted a pass down the left side for sophomore Cody Wenzel. Wenzel went up in the air with a Kingsley defender, came down with the ball, and streaked to the end zone to complete the 58-yard play.
?I couldn?t be more pleased with the success of our passing game throughout the season. Our passing game kept us in ballgames and helped us win the three games we won,? Brietzke said.
The two-pointer failed, and the Hurons trailed 22-20 at halftime.
Kingsley got the ball to begin the second half and marched 64 yards in 11 plays, using nearly six minutes to make the score 30-20. The key play of the drive was a 20-yard pass play, followed by a six-yard TD run two plays later at the 6:11 mark.
Again, the offense answered the bell with all-state candidate Kyle Greene?s sure hands on the other end of Cercone?s passes. Facing second and 23 to go at the Kingsley 33, three consecutive passes to the 6?5? senior tight end brought the ball to the Stag two yard-line. Again the strength of the passing game came through.
?We had record-breaking performances by Tim Cercone, Kyle Greene and Cody Wenzel. Our offensive line and running backs blocked very effectively in giving Tim the time to throw the football so well,? Brietzke said.
FROM THERE Vekaryasz ran through the middle for the TD and Cercone followed with a keeper on the PAT, making the score 30-28 with 1:17 left in the third quarter.
Kingsley got great field position, starting at its own 46, and used it to cover 54 yards in nine plays to bring the score to 38-28 with 8:39 left in the game.
Rogers City?s final TD of the season came in the form of a circus catch by Wenzel, barely beating coverage on a corner route, he snared the Cercone pass with his left hand, and dragged one foot on the end zone grass to make the score 38-34 with 5:36 left in the game.
Kingsley would score again on a 36-yard pass with 2:08 remaining, making the final 46-34.
THE 2003 SEASON will be remembered as a record-setting one in the passing department.(see separate story) and as the last for Brietzke as head coach.
The game was the final one for seniors Darga, Greene, Cercone, Vekaryasz, Justin Kelley, Tyler Gorlewski, Jon Konieczny, Randy Brege, Michael Brege, Scott Heinze
Statistics: Total offense: RC rushing 84, passing 295. Kingsley, rushing 363, passing 115.
Passing: Cercone 16-of-28, 295 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT.
Receiving: Greene 11/177/1; Wenzel 2/80/2; Streich 2/35/0; Centala 1/3/0.
Rushing: Vekaryasz 8/33/2; Kelley 5/32/0; Schuiteman 4/14/0; Centala 2/13/0; Fairbanks 2/10/0; Streich 2/2/0.
Defensive leaders: R. Brege 17 tackles, 2 assists; Streich 13 tackles, 2 assists; Greene 12 tackles; Heinzel 9 tackles, 1 assist, 1 fumble recovery; Darga 1 fumble recovery.
(Season stats will appear in next week?s edition).