MIKE RAMCZYK
Eleven games have come and gone in this 2022 high school football, and still nobody has touched the St. Joseph Lancers.
And the spooky reality is their defense is so scary good, it could pass as a terrifying costume this weekend for Halloween.
Corny jokes aside, in a Division 6 Level 2 playoff game Friday night at Ameche Field in Kenosha, the host Lancers straight pummeled the visiting Lancaster Flying Arrows, 35-6, to improve to 11-0 and earn a third home playoff game next Friday .
“We played a great game,” St. Joseph head coach Matt Rizzo said Friday night. “We are very proud of our young men. We got out in front early, executed our game plan very well, early on, and came away with a convincing victory. Hats off to Lancaster, who is great program. It was a hard- fought win for us, but we played physical and almost all night long.”
People are also reading…
“Our defense, once again, played outstanding, containing their great players to minimal yardage. We were able to get our hands on a few picks and recover a fumble too, so when you have a defense like we do, we are going to be in games. Specifically, our linebackers and secondary played outstanding. Ben Peterson had a pick and a kickoff return for a TD. He had a great night.”
Peterson’s 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown opened the second half and turned a 28-0 game into a 35-0 running clock.
Jayden Gordon, Kenosha County’s leading rusher, also provided an interception return for a score that made it 28-0 just before halftime.
Gordon, who racked up a fifth 200-yard rushing game this season — 203 to be exact — needed 28 carries to get it Friday night. He had touchdown runs of 22, 19 and 16 yards in the first half.
“Offensively, we had a very clean first half, and kept their defense off balance with our solid running attack,” Rizzo said. “Once again, Jayden and Eric made plays, especially when we needed them. Our O-line blocked very well again, and our guys made plays behind them.”
Kenesie, the Lancers’ junior quarterback, added 63 yards rushing on 11 carries, and he only needed to pass three times.
St. Joseph out-gained the Flying Arrows, 267-148.
A remarkable 266 of those yards came on the ground for the Lancers.
So while the playoffs are actually hard, don’t get confused, and tough opponents are on the horizon for St. Joe’s, the No. 1 seed, it was a bit of a breeze Friday night.
“Overall, we couldn’t be prouder of this group right now, as we are one step closer to our goal,” Rizzo said.
That goal is and has always been a state championship, and St. Joseph only needs two more victories to get to Camp Randall Stadium, the home of the Wisconsin Badgers, in Madison, and three more wins to take home the championship.
Standing in their way next Friday will be No. 2 Darlington (10-1), which beat No. 3 Belleville, 28-6.
Darlington is actually ranked No. 3 in the latest Wissports.net state poll, one spot ahead of no. 4 St Joseph.
Will it finally be a hard test for the Lancers?
Please stay tuned to kenoshanews.com throughout the week and next Friday for more coverage of St. Joe’s football.
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Comments are closed.